Gunshot wound tattooing

Tattooing results fom close range discharge, with gunpowder particles being impregnated into the skin. The dispersion pattern and width may greatly assist in assessing the direction and/or distance of fire.

Handgun injuries from an intermediate range (usually between approximately 10 and 50 cm, where some powder may still be deposited on the target/victim) often require particularly close scrutiny, since tattooing may be difficult to see, especially in hairy parts of the body or in those with dark skin.