Guns are everywhere, and unfortunately, there have been far too many stories about gun violence in the news lately. But reading them did make us wonder what’s it like to be shot with a handgun.

Yes, we know it’s no fun, but beyond that… 

• Unlike what you’ve seen in the movies, a person shot at point-blank range by a handgun will not be lifted off the ground and sail through the air. If a handgun packed that much velocity, the shooter would be propelled backwards in a similar fashion.
• Being shot by a pistol wouldn’t drop you in your tracks, unless you faint. The only gunshot wounds that are immediately incapacitating (where the victim slumps to the ground and cannot move) are those to the brain or upper spinal cord. Even if the victim receives a direct wound to the heart, it’s not an immediate “lights out.” It may take minutes for complete circulatory collapse. In the meantime, the brain is still sending out “fight or flight” messages.
• When the shooter is far away (or is using low-caliber ammunition), the entry wound takes the brunt of the tissue damage. Most internal organs are rather elastic, which helps in these situations. The slug uses up most of its kinetic energy piercing the flesh to enter the body, and internal organs may bend and stretch a bit to avoid being pierced by the projectile.
• Time is of the essence in surviving any gunshot wound, of course, not only because of the resulting blood loss, but also due to the potential for infection. A shooting victim whose bowel or intestine gets nicked runs the risk of leaking fecal matter, which can cause deadly peritonitis.