What made this hole in my helmet?

[Datrus]

Looks like a tumbling pistol projectile, 9mm/45 ACP IMHO. The hole have an almost perfect pistol projectile silhouette. Try to pass a 9mm projectile sideways through the hole, or a .45 cal.

[talltom]

if it was found in the east it would be more likely 7.62x25 tt33 or 7.62x54r mosin nagant and others

[SteveR]

I agree.
As clean as the hole is, rifle or light automatic weapon.

[Styx]

Great! Thanks for the help, ammunition detectives. One day I hope to be so adept in these matters
Do you think the bullet killed the wearer? :/

Robbie

[talltom]

Great! Thanks for the help, ammunition detectives. One day I hope to be so adept in these matters
Do you think the bullet killed the wearer? :/

Robbie

either the wearer was dead already or he would have been killed slowly with a bullet though the neck if you have a mannequin head put the helmet on it and stick a pensil through and you will see where the bullet "probably" would have hit

[Styx]

Yikes :/ ah well, I suspected as much as it was. Not a nice way to go at all.
Still, it could be a much nastier battle damage helmet which is a lot more obviously gruesome...

[Jerry B]

It is also the right shape for a garden fork, or a US military issue pick mattock, but I'm happy to think it's a tumbling bullet after bouncing off a tank etc...

Just offering alternative scenarios, as sadly, you will probably never know for certain unless you have access to a scientific lab that can examine it for traces of lead. A good hi-power microscope might do the trick.

[talltom]

It is also the right shape for a garden fork

lol

[Thanatos]

Air burst shrapnel would also be a possibility.

[Paul D]

Guys this lid could have just been lying on the ground when damaged , helmets were lost on the battlefield for many reasons and subsequently damaged by small arms , schrapnel , target practice/zeroing etc etc so it's impossible to draw any conclusions as to where it was damaged !!