Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Aug 6, 2026

Powder burn

A powder burn is a type of burn caused by exposure to the combustion gases which are expelled from the muzzle of a firearm as it is fired. Powder burns only occur when the individual is close to the discharging firearm, as the gases quickly dissipate. This can be an indicator on a corpse of whether the person was shot at point-blank range or not.

Last revised
Aug 6, 2026
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A powder burn is a type of burn caused by exposure to the combustion gases which are expelled from the muzzle of a firearm as it is fired.1 Powder burns only occur when the individual is close to the discharging firearm, as the gases quickly dissipate.2 This can be an indicator on a corpse of whether the person was shot at point-blank range or not.

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