When bullets pass through bone they usually produce a chip which is beveled or cone shaped. Like a classic cone chip in glass, the entry side is sharp edged and the exit side larger and sloping. The chip is thrown and the dimensions of the cone get bigger in the direction in which the bullet traveled. Bone is extremely useful for confirming the direction of travel within the body. Most of the time, direction can be determined at a glance when beveling is involved. It is most commonly used in determining bullet direction in shots through the skull. There are some places in the body where it is less informative, primarily where the bone is too thin to permit the reading of the direction of the chipping, for instance in the long bones of the hands and feet. Beveling may also be seen in teeth, dentures, finger nails, and in items on and about a victim when shot.
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