Safety in bullet recovery procedures: a study of the Black Talon bullet

Bullets or bullet fragments that are recovered during forensic autopsy and examined later as evidence may present hazards to both pathologists and forensic scientists due to sharp edges or jagged projections created by the deformation or fragmentation of a bullet upon impact with its target. The recent introduction of the Black Talon bullet has increased this hazard by its design, which produces a controlled expansion upon target impact that raises six harp edges from its copper jacket. We describe the appearance of the bullet along with methods for detection and recovery that can be applied as universal precautions of safe bullet handling.