-- MRI safety --
Most all modern pistol bullets are either solid copper (.44 magnum 305 grain solids by cor-bon for bear and other large animals, as an example) or a copper jacket around a lead core with a hollowed out cavity in the front to aid expansion, although entering a toe, it's highly unlikely any bullet (except perhaps a .25 cal) would have sufficient time to expand (mushroom) or fragment at all. The reason I mention this, is that I'm unsure of the effect of an MRI on a basically non-magnetic metal. I do however think that using an MRI for a toe wound would be overkill.
-- 9mm size --
A 9 mm bullet isn't actually that 'large' (it's approximately .354 inch in diameter) in the whole scheme of firearms, but does travel quite swiftly (Fed. Hydra-shock approx 1120 fps at the muzzle) adding to the damage done.
-- Damage done by a 9mm --
If a 9mm directly struck the bone of the great toe, I'd believe it would have a probability of removing most of the toe or at least doing enough damage to require removal of the remaining tissue, mostly due to the fragmentation of the bone as the bullet passes through. A hit off to one side in which only the relative soft tissue was struck
probably would not do a whole lot of damage.
Just remember that damage done by a bullet is dependent upon multiple things, just a few of which are: What is actually hit (tissues/bones, organs, vessels), compliance of the tissue that is hit (does it stretch or does it tear when exposed to the hydrostatic forces exerted on it), how is the bullet constructed (solid points, hollow points, prefragmented, mini-shot shells, etc), how fast the bullet is going when it hits, is the bullet stable or unstable (does it tumble when it hits), the diameter of the bullet, material intervening (clothing can "stop up" some hollowpoints preventing their expansion), did the bullet pass through or remain in the target, etc, etc... There have been several attempts to create an 'equation' for a bullet's stopping power, most of which have had little success in predicting 'one shot stops' (none have been entirely successful).
Also a person's reaction to being shot can have as many or more variables.
-- Semi-useless information --
I've had a female patient who was shot in the left ankle (anterior-posterior) approximately 3 inches up from the sole of the foot with a 9mm and she was not in shock, nor was she screaming/writhing. As best we could tell, she was not intoxicated, the bullet passing into her ankle simply did not cause her (individual response) to perceive enough pain to bother her. External bleeding was easily controlled, oddly enough it was not a through and through. We did not, however, let her walk on it.
-- Useless Information Follows --
9mm is sort of considered the "minimum" size of handgun round to use as a defensive weapon, often used by police (and gangs
) due to the large number of rounds that can be held by many 9mm magazines (Glock 17 can hold 19 rounds), although I believe several law enforcement agencies are moving to .40 caliber, which is a slightly larger bullet, but still retains the ability to hold several rounds in a standard size pistol. Some people use firearms of lower power as backup or hideout guns (check out a .380 auto or a .38 airweight Smith & Wesson).
People who know far more than I have spoken of the 9mm as somewhat inadequate in stopping power when used against a person under the influence of drugs (unless of course a vital organ is hit), also historically when used with "ball ammo" (the solid round nose bullets) had a tendency to pass through the initial target and threaten people or objects behind that initial person who was hit.
-- -- -- -- --
Sorry for the excess information, I'm sort of a gun nerd even though I don't own but a couple, but I love debating various firearms & ammunition combos.
Take care
-B
h34r:
