Ballistics questions

[JamesAPrattIII]

This is from a firearms and history guy i have red a number of accounts of bullets being deflected by objects such as badges, tree branches, bones ect. In the book "The file on the Tsar" it does mention a case where a corset stopped a bullet and saved the wearers life and i believe i have red another incident where this did happen. During the American civil War more than a few soldiers lives were saved because a bullet was stopped by a pocket bible, a deck of cards, a piece of hardtack ect . They called this "wounded in the testiment". I can also say that bullets sometimes do strange things when they hit objects like the human body which even experienced crime lab people have problems explaining. If you want to do a test it might be a good idea to contact a US gun magazine like "Guns and Ammo" get them to help do it. If you can get a reply from them contact Tom Gresham on "Gun Talk"

[Sarushka]

This type of test has already been performed in regard to the Romanovs. I believe it was on a National Geographic television special, not long after the second set of remains were found.

[Rodney_G.]

LondonGirl, (if you're still reading here), you make a very good  and I think original observation about the actual unsuitability of the cellar murder room for its intended purpose. I can only think that some of its liabilities might have been thought to be offset by the fact that at least in part it was set into the ground, thus likely stifling the gunfire noise. But I think the bullet -absorbing capacity of the plaster walls was thought to make it a desirable site, though this proved not to be the case.

[LondonGirl]

LondonGirl, (if you're still reading here), you make a very good  and I think original observation about the actual unsuitability of the cellar murder room for its intended purpose. I can only think that some of its liabilities might have been thought to be offset by the fact that at least in part it was set into the ground, thus likely stifling the gunfire noise. But I think the bullet -absorbing capacity of the plaster walls was thought to make it a desirable site, though this proved not to be the case.

Hi - thanks yes I have always been amazed at the unsuitability of that room since I first read about this subject. Not only its position, but also the question of the window which was apparently left unboarded. There is another bizarre 'stretch of the imagination' concerning another window also - all descriptions of the shooting describe bullets returning to the cheka men and one states a bullet passed him closely - yet directly behind them and opposite the door to that room was another window in the lobby, through which a guard was supposed to have been witnessing the event. That seemed to remain intact also despite being in the return line of fire.

It is convenient for the conventional historical account that the Ipatiev Villa was demolished in the late 1970's - had it still been intact, no doubt these points would have been more closely examined and clarified, along with many other points. Of course that may well have been undesirable. All those concerned seem to want to draw a very definite line under this case, regardless of the anomalies which abound throughout it.