The unique sound of hitting bone

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Excuse the stupid question. I have a long commute to work and I listen to CD novels. So this week it is a detective book by Fay Kellerman. Story and crime is ok but as usual the gun stuff is stupid.

Our hero detective hears the BG looking for evidence in the detective's house. He hunkers down in the bedroom with a LA issue Beretta. He is with his wife. When the BG enters the bedroom door, the hero yells: Freeze!

The BG was pointing a gun at the bed but our guy fires 1 shot and 'wings' him. Duh. However, there is a debate on how badly the BG who ran away was hit. They are debating whether he would go to the hospital or do it yourself (as in another thread).

The detective's wife, who was in the bedroom, states that the BG was badly hurt as she heard the unique sound of a round hitting bone. Huh?

That sounds ridiculous to me? I should not post this but, just listened to it as I pulled in to work.

The BG is also using a 32 cal gun - I don't think the author knows anything. It could be but unless there is some reason for a 32 ACP, some antique SW or the BG likes a little more exotic (like my SW 632 in 327) - I just think she pulled it out of the air.

[LittleLebowski]

I call BS.

[JMorse]

I'd think all she would hear was BANG. Maybe a sniper shot where the bullet arrived before the sound of the shot that may be possible?

We can test it I guess, once.

[Peally]

The only thing you're going to hear is BANG--EEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...... .............

[LittleLebowski]

I've done a lot of long range shooting on animals and you can definitely tell the difference between a hit and miss but up close in confined quarters? No way.

[Jeep]

I've done a lot of long range shooting on animals and you can definitely tell the difference between a hit and miss but up close in confined quarters? No way.

Exactly: The shot will be still be reverberating when the round "hits bone" so no one could hear it even if a hit on bone sounds materially different. The way to test this is to shoot at a beef roast at close range in your house or apartment without wearing hearing protection. See if you even hear the shot hitting home. Explaining to the cops why you were shooting at a $40 piece of meat in your house--and why that didn't violate the law--might be a somewhat tougher problem, of course.

[Matt O]

I have next to no experience shooting animals with a firearm, but I'd think it would be virtually impossible to differentiate impact sounds at close range from that of the gunshot itself. That said, I wonder if it might be possible when a can is used on subsonic rounds, as I can definitely tell and hear a difference if an arrow strikes a large bone, like the shoulder blade.

[HCM]

I've done a lot of long range shooting on animals and you can definitely tell the difference between a hit and miss but up close in confined quarters? No way.

This ^^^^

[czech6]

I've done a lot of long range shooting on animals and you can definitely tell the difference between a hit and miss but up close in confined quarters? No way.

I agree, but I get a similar "thumping a ripe watermelon" sound (highly technical term) when using a bow too. I suspect that it has more to do with the body, chest cavity in particular, acting like a drum, than the sound of bone breaking.

[JV_]

I wonder if it might be possible when a can is used on subsonic rounds

I've shot a lot of .308 subsonic stuff and you can hear the smack/impact very clearly at close distances.