The identification of fired bullets, cartridge cases or other ammunition components as having been fired from a specific firearm.
FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION
Forensic Ballistics is sometimes properly called
FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION
PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFICATION THROUGH BULLETS
a. No two barrels and microscopically identical as the surface of their bores all possess individual characteristics markings.
b. When a bullet is fired from a rifled barrel, it becomes engraved by the riflings and this engraving on a bullet fired from one barrel will be different from that on a similar bullet fired from another barrel. And conversely, the engraving on bullet from the same barrel will be the same.
c. Every barrel leaves its “thumbmark” on every bullet which is fired through it, just as every breech face leaves its “thumbmark” on the base of the fired
cartridge case.
PRINCIPLES INVOLVE IN SHELL IDENTIFICATION
PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFICATION THROUGH CARTRIDGE CASE/SHELLS
a. The breech face and striker of every single firearm leave a microscopically individualities of their own
b. The firearm leaves its “fingerprints” or “thumbmark” on every cartridge case which it fires.
c. The whole principles of identification is based on the fact that since the breech face of every weapon must be individually distinct, the cartridge cases which is fired are imprinted with this individuality. The imprint on all cartridge cases fired from the same weapon are always the same, those on cartridge cases fired from different weapons must always be different.
CLASS CHARACTERISTIC
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
● BORE DIAMETER
● NUMBER OF LANDS AND GROOVES
● WIDTH OF THE LANDS
● WIDTH OF THE GROOVES
● DIRECTION OF TWIST
● PITCH OF RIFLING
● DEPTH OF THE GROOVES
LAND MARKS
It appears as slight depressions or scratches the cylindrical surface of the fired bullet.
LAND MARKS
marks found on a fired bullet caused by the grooves of the barrel which is the same number as that of the landmarks.
GROOVE MARKS
Marks that are generally found on fired revolver.
SKID MARKS
It is more or less located at the anterior porti bullet due to its forward movement from the chamber the gun before it initially rotates.
SKID MARKS
STRIPPING MARKS
Worn-out in the rifling of the firearms can be cause by either chemical reaction brought about by rust(corrosion) or through excessive use (erosion)
STRIPPING MARKS
SHAVING MARKS
marks found on fired bullets passing through either on oily or oversize barrel
SLIPPAGE MARKS
FIRING PIN MARK
Considered as one of the most important marks for identification of firearms using fired shell.
FIRING PIN MARK
BREECH FACE MARK
sometimes called”Secondary Firing Pin mark” found in the primer near the firing pin mark.
SHEARING MARK
MAGAZINE LIP MARK
CHAMBER MARK
mark mostly found at the extracting groove of the fired cartridge case.
EXTRACTOR MARK