[Recoil-induced rifle butt mark on the ceiling in suicidal gunshot injury]

In a suicide case the butt of the weapon (double-barrelled shotgun) produced a characteristically shaped mark at the ceiling, which could be physically explained by the recoil effect and was a clue that the victim had fired the shot himself. The ammunition used was a cartridge with a rifled shotgun slug (Brenneke type). The contact shot into the temple resulted in the rupture of the skull with exenteration of the brain. As the weapon remained lying on the body of the suicide after the shot, brownish traces of rust could form at the places of contact with steel parts.