Explosive bullet

[BillyH]

I am just curious about this term.

I have come across several old newspaper reports about a soldier being killed by an "explosive bullet."

Could members more expert than myself confirm that this would likely to be from a shrapnel shell - or am I hopelessly wrong (again)?

Thanks for any informed opinions, BillyH.

[RodB]

"Explosive bullets" weighing less than 400 grams were illegal under the Hague Convention of 1899. No bullet weighing under 400 grams was allowed to contain explosive. The idea was that it was inhumane to fire exploding bullets at humans. The smallest bullets/shells containing explosive and weighing at least 400 grams were 37-mm calible and used typically for anti-aircraft fire. Officially, anti-personnel rifle bullets (typically 8 mm) were solid and could not "explode" (it was possible to make a semi-solid small-calibre bullet disintrate on contact but this was also illegal).

Shrapnel bullets were solid, like small marbles and could not explode.

There are myths circulating about "exploding" small-calibre bullets ("dum-dums") being improvised in the field during World War I (they did not contain explosive, they were modified by various means and disintegrated on striking) , and presumably a few were actually used, but evidence is lacking of any widespread use.

I suspect a lot of this "explosive bullet" reporting may have come from the terrible exit wounds made by legal high-velocity rifle bullets - bullets went straight through, with a small hole on entry and often a massive exit hole. This was due to the bullet tumbling around in the body, not exploding.

[scottmarchand]

Buckingham incendiaries were used a lot and were quite nasty and could perhaps be a culprit here.

https://sites.google.com/site/britmilammo/-303-inch/-303-inch-incendiary

[auchonvillerssomme]

There are many very interesting threads and posts on this subject, put 'Buckingham' into the search engine and see what comes up.

[BillyH]

Thanks to all for the advice.

BillyH.

[squirrel]

Pomeroy is another one worth searching.

[SiegeGunner]

I suspect a lot of this "explosive bullet" reporting may have come from the terrible exit wounds made by legal high-velocity rifle bullets - bullets went straight through, with a small hole on entry and often a massive exit hole. This was due to the bullet tumbling around in the body, not exploding.

Whilst the only explosive rifle-calibre ammunition in use was in the air, all the claims I have ever seen that someone was hit by an 'explosive bullet' have been on the ground, and I suspect that RodB's explanation above is the answer.

Throughout the war, the Germans protested that the British Mk VII .303 rifle/MG bullet (with its separate nose cone insert of aluminium or compressed pulp) was a 'dum-dum' projectile, largely based on observations of the type of wounds RodB describes. Tests were carried out by their institute of ballistics and smallarms ammunition experts, who reported that there was no evidence that the bullet was deliberately designed to cause excessive damage, but that in operational use, it did indeed sometimes cause very severe wounds due to tumbling. They also addressed anecdotal evidence of packs of bullets being found, bearing the inscription Dum Dum, which they correctly identified as being standard ammunition produced at the Dum Dum Arsenal, quantities of which had found its way to France with troops brought over from India.

[squirrel]

Ricochets can cause very nasty wounds also.

[Cnock]

Hi,

a 'Dum-Dum' is a bullet with part of the nose cut of to augment splintering when hitting something hard like a bone.

the Pomeroy and RTS (Richard Trelfall and Son) were real explosive bullets intented to be used against Zeppelins and balloons.

the Germans also used explosive bullets to attack planes, but they called them 'signalling' or 'ranging' bullets, thus hiding or excusing the use of explosive bullets.

Cnock

[m0rris]

I'm no expert on this, but I do remember my Grandpa telling me that his men reversed the bullets to maximise the damage.

[Bombadier]

Lots of threads on the forum about reversed bullets.

Nigel

[m0rris]

Cheers Nigel. I did say I wasn't an expert.