Military Small Arms Research Articles

Challenges and successes in using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for measurements of tungsten in environmental water and soil samples

Military small arms ranges in the United States have been used for munitions training with tungsten rounds, which are comprised of powdered tungsten (W) pressed together with polymeric binders. As a result, W has been introduced into surface soils. The environmental and human health effects of W remain open questions. The US Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for environmental monitoring, site assessments, and cleanup of small arms ranges. This work requires routine measurements of tungsten in natural waters and soils. However, the existing sample preparation and analytical procedures were not specifically developed with W in mind for environmental analysis. Our work suggests modification of existing metal sample preparation and analytical procedures are necessary to accurately quantify W in environmental media. Our group has been actively conducting W measurements using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS), both with quadrupole and sector field ICPMS systems. We have used heavy rare earth elements and iridium as internal standards. For soils, the great majority of the W from small arms can be dissolved using acid leaching with HNO3–H3PO4 mixtures; more rigorous preparations with fusion or HF digestions can also be used. In ICPMS analysis, the largest challenge involves dealing with the significant carry-over and memory of W in sample introduction systems. This ultimately limits measurement capabilities, particularly at sub-µg L−1 levels. With careful attention to the sample and standards’ matrix constituents, and proper washout time, successful analysis is possible and ICPMS is clearly the preferred technique. A commercially available fluoropolymer sample introduction system exhibits significantly improved memory characteristics.

Distribution, Chemical Speciation, and Mobility of Lead and Antimony Originating from Small Arms Ammunition in a Coarse‐Grained Unsaturated Surface Sand

This study quantified the heavy metal contamination caused by firing 500 high-velocity 7.62-mm jacketed Swedish military rounds. Contamination of solid and aqueous phases was studied, with Pb and Sb being the two contaminants of primary interest. The distribution of the Pb and Sb were measured in terms of depth of penetration in sand and grain size distribution of the bullet particles. The Pb- and Sb-contaminated sand was then used as a source material in two bench-scale unsaturated lysimeters to measure the transport of Pb and Sb through two coarse-grained sands, which were taken from the berms on two Swedish military small arms ranges. The lysimeters were subjected to an infiltration cycle that reproduced spring snowmelt, which is the most significant infiltration event of the year in northern climates. The levels of mobile Pb and Sb were monitored in the effluent from the lysimeters. Extended X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy analysis was performed on the contaminated sands to determine Pb speciation before and after leaching. Ninety-three percent of the mass of bullets was found in the top 30 cm of sand. Lead oxide was the predominant species of Pb before and after leaching. Transport of Pb was small, with aqueous concentrations remaining stable at <2 microg L(-1). Antimony was far more mobile, with solute breakthrough occurring between 5 and 14 d and concentrations rising to over 125 microg L(-1) within 1 month.

Papua New Guinea: Small Numbers, Big Fuss, Real Results

Faced with continuing thefts of small arms and ammunition from state armouries, followed by surging gun violence and social disruption, Papua New Guinea (PNG) destroyed more than a third of its remaining military firearms. Although on a world scale the numbers were small, this disposal of surplus military small arms by the largest developing nation in the Pacific is shown to have been markedly successful in both implementation and effect. The five-year disposal process was encouraged by catalytic events, simultaneous rationalization of the PNG defence force, key individuals acting as persistent agents of change, and a foreign donor government providing encouragement, financing, and logistic support. Small arms disposal was not conducted in isolation, but as an integral component of a simultaneous, and much wider, rationalization of all assets of the PNG Defence Force. Despite this, political sensitivity remains high. Neither key party to the rationalization of the PNG defence force wishes to publicly acknowledge that Australia, Papua New Guinea's former colonial overseer and even now the holder of crucial purse strings, was instrumental in halving the nation's stockpile of military small arms.

Serbia: Choosing Between Profit and Security

Serbia still has a large surplus on its hands, numbering some 789,000 to 1.2 million military firearms alone as of 2004. While some progress has been made toward surplus destruction, the prospects for further destruction are far from certain. Belgrade and foreign funders face difficult choices, choices that must be mediated through nationalist politics, military reform, and economic incentives. While over 121,000 surplus weapons have been destroyed since 2001, almost all were weapons collected through public amnesties or law enforcement seizures Excepting one of the world's largest MANPADS destruction programs, currently all SALW declared as surplus from defence or interior ministry stocks are designated for export. The post-Milosevic era witnessed the beginnings of a SALW delineation policy based around foreign initiatives and financial support. The US Department of State was key to enabling more moderate elements within the Ministry of Defence to overcome objections and resistance from Milosevic-era appointees in the earlier stages of defence reform. Foreign actors remain essential to further progress.

Pilot-Scale Electrokinetic Cleanup of Lead-Contaminated Soils

The results of two pilot-scale experiments on enhanced electrokinetic extraction of lead from contaminated soil samples collected from a military Small Arms Training Facility are presented. The tests were conducted using two boxes with electrode spacing of 87 cm (Box 1) and 174 cm (Box 2). The soil was formed of a sandy layer on top of a clayey sand layer. The soil contained bullet fragments and the mean initial lead concentration in the minus 2.00 mm soil fraction was 3041 mg∕kg and 1187 mg∕kg in the sand and clayey sand layers, respectively. A current density of 1.3 A∕ m2 was used in both tests and was doubled after 112 days of processing. organic acid was used to maintain the catholyte pH between 4 and 5. Box 1 and Box 2 were processed for 9 months and 11 months, respectively. The results showed that organic acid amendment at the cathode reduced the voltage and energy requirement by 70% and enhanced lead extraction. Lead transport showed a delay of about 14 days in the initial transport front developme...

Lead Isotope Ratio Determination for the Forensic Analysis of Military Small Arms Projectiles

A study focusing on the ability to utilize isotopic analysis of Pb used in small arms projectiles from varying geographic origin was undertaken using the GV Instruments Isoprobe multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. With the exception of two classes of ammunition, these samples were able to be distinguished from one another. Also, following rigorous normalization and mass bias correction, these data were compared to data collected by geochemists in localities corresponding to projectile manufacture. This comparison was successful when projectiles in certain economically isolated countries were analyzed. Pb isotopic analysis with MC−ICPMS is shown to be useful as a tool for distinguishing between ammunition of various manufacturing origins.

High-Velocity Gunshot Wounds to the Head and Neck: A Review of Wound Ballistics

Patients who sustain gunshot injuries to the head and neck face heavy tissue damage and eventually life-threatening conditions. A very significant factor that determines the degree of injury is the course and extent of the missile track. The missile track is well correlated with bullet structure, size, and velocity, which have distinct features in civilian and military firearm injuries. The missile entrance or exist wound may be out of sight in some injuries, and often it is difficult to predict the severity of the injury in the chaotic circumstances of the battlefield. We studied the wound ballistics in five soldiers who suffered penetrating cranial and cervical firearm injuries.

Application of the probe microphone method to measure attenuation of hearing protectors against high impulse sound levels

The purpose of the present study was to develop a probe microphone method to measure the attenuation of earplugs, earmuffs and their combination against high impulse sound levels from military firearms. The field measurements were made on three earmuffs and one earplug. A probe microphone was supplied with a replaceable soft tube (outer diameter 1·5 mm) to transmit the sound pressure from the ear canal to the microphone. The tube was led between the skin and the cushion ring of the earmuff and through the earplug to the ear canal. A formula was developed to estimate the potential effect of tube length on the results. Subjective laboratory tests of earplugs showed good agreement with the probe microphone method below the 3·15 kHz octave band. The field measurements showed that earplugs may provide attenuation equal to that of large-volume earmuffs against low-frequency impulses from large-calibre weapons. It was also shown that a prominent increase of attenuation can be achieved by using earmuffs and earplugs simultaneously.

Comparison of the Terminal Ballistics of Full Metal Jacket 7.62-mm M80 (NATO) and 5.56-mm M193 Military Bullets: A Study in Ornance Gelatin

Great controversy has surrounded the replacement of the 7.62-mm caliber by the reduced 5.56-mm caliber as the standard U.S. military rifle. Although its relevance to human wounding can be debated, the terminal ballistics of military small arms in ordnance gelatin remains a convenient medium for comparative testing. In the present study, 7- by 10- by 24-in. (18 by 25 by 61 cm) blocks of 20% ordnance gelatin were fired upon from a range of 19 ft (6 m) under high-speed cinemagraphic surveillance. The tendency of the M193 5.56-mm full metal jacket projectile to break up in soft tissue simulant was confirmed as a fundamental difference from the 7.62-mm M80 NATO ball.

Civilian gunshot wounds of the brain.

The authors report on 42 fatal gunshot wounds to the brain in civilians. The firearms used were those commonly available to civilians, ranging from a .22 revolver to a .45 semiautomatic pistol. Missle tracks were measured and the volume computed. The relatively low-velocity missles produced by these weapons to not create the devastation that characterizes wounds from high-velocity military firearms. Instead, there is much variation in the size of the missle tracks, and they cannot be directly related to caliber. Pressure marks and contusions, impaction of bone chips, internal richochet, and cerebral edema occurred frequently. The missle passed through the brain completely in very case but was retained by the skull or soft tissues in a large percentage of cases. The mechanism of death may be acute pressure on the brain stem from the passage of the missle through the brain.

A Basic Manual of Military Small Arms.

A Basic Manual of Military Small Arms.

Military Firearms Adapted by Criminals to Suit Their Purposes

Military Firearms Adapted by Criminals to Suit Their Purposes