The Effect of Ambient Temperature Variation to The Muzzle Energy of Airguns

Since airguns can be lethal when they possess high enough muzzle energies, airguns with wounding capability are strictly controlled by the Control Act of Firearms, Ammunitions, and Blades (the Act) in Taiwan. Forensic tests are always required to GHWHUPLQHWKHZRXQGLQJFDSDELOLW\�RIFRQoVFDWHGDLUJXQV��7KXVWKHDFFXUDF\�DQGFRQV LVWHQF\�RIZRXQGLQJFDSDELOLW\�WHVWVDUH� very important for the enforcement of the Act. Because muzzle energies of carbon dioxide type airguns have been reported to be affected by the variation of ambient temperatures, the effect of temperature variation to the muzzle energies of spring piston and pneumatic type airguns were investigated in this study. A paired Student's t test indicated that the elevated ambient temperature UHVXOWHGLQVLJQLoFDQWLQFUHDVHRIPX))OHHQHUJ\�IRUERWKVSULQJSLVWRQDQGSQHXPDWL FDLUJXQV��%HVLGHV��WKHQXPEHURISXPSLQJ� VWURNHVRIDPXOWLSXPSSQHXPDWLFDLUJXQZDVDOVRIRXQGWRVLJQLoFDQWO\�DIIHFWWKHPX))OHHQHUJ\�RIWKHDLUJXQ��7KXVZKLOH� conducting wounding capability tests of airguns the ambient temperature should be precisely controlled and the multi-pump SQHXPDWLFDLUJXQVKRXOGEHWHVW�oUHGDWYDULHGSXPSLQJVWURNHVUHFRPPHQGHGE\�WKHRZ QHU∂VPDQXDOWRDYRLGDQ\�PLVWDNHV� FDXVHGE\�WHPSHUDWXUH�?XFWXDWLRQDQGLQFRPSOHWHWHVWLQJSURFHGXUHV�