Review Lecture

Forensic Ballistics
 Definition of Ballistics
• Ballistics - is the science • A projectile, such as a
of the motion of bullet, is an object
projectile that leaves the source
of its energy behind
• Ballistics - is the science and is affected only
that deals with the by the pull of gravity
flight, behavior and
effect of a projectile.
• The flight path, or
trajectory, of the
projectile is also
studied.
 Origin of the Word Ballistics
(from the Online Etymology Dictionary)
The term Ballistics is derived
from
•“Ballista” a Latin word
which means an ancient
military machine for hurling
stones;
•“Ballo” or “Ballein” a Greek
word which means to throw.
• “Ballistes” also a Greek
word
 Brief History of Forensic Ballistics

 Ballistics was first used in crime scene investigation

in 1923

 Charles Waite and Philip Garavell and Calvin Goddard

were the pioneers of Forensic Ballistics. It is from them
where Forensic Ballistics had started.

 COL CALVIN H. GODDARD, MD (US Army)

Father of Forensic Ballistics
 Forensic Ballistics or Firearms
Identification

• Forensic Ballistics- is the science of firearms

identification by means of the ammunition or bullet
fired through them*

• It is also known as Firearms Identification

• The PNP Forensic Group (formerly Crime Laboratory)

conducts ballistics examination through the Firearms
Identification Division (FAID)
*Forensic Ballistics by Del Rosario, 1996 NBI Firearms Examiner, page 3
 Branches of the Science of Ballistics

• Forensic Ballistic- is the science of firearms identification

by means of the bullet fired through them. (Firearms
Identification)
• Interior Ballistics- what physically occurs inside the gun
barrel once a projectile is fired. (Internal Ballistics)
• Exterior Ballistics- what physically happens to the
projectile once it leaves the barrel. (External Ballistic)
• Terminal Ballistics- how a projectile acts when it
encounters a target. WOUND BALLISTICS (pertains to
human or animal target)
 Forensic Ballistics
• Forensic Ballistics is the science
• Forensic science is a of analyzing and identifying
scientific discipline used firearms, bullets and bullet
to answer legal issues impacts.
involving crime. • Forensic from the word
“Forensis” which means public
• Forensic Ballistic is used forum where issues are being
discussed or debated upon
in criminal investigation
where shooting with the • “Ballistic fingerprinting” is
use of firearms is analyzing firearm evidence to
involved determine if that particular
firearm was used in the crime.
Architecture- Forensic Architecture
Six (6) Principal Types of Problems
in Forensic Ballistics
 Problem 1

 Recovered evidence
bullet or projectile
Given a bullet. To
determine the type
make and caliber of a
particular firearm from
which the bullet was
fired.

Type: Pistol
Make or Model: Beretta Glock, colt
Caliber, 9mm, 45 inch
 Problem 2
 A bullet and a
firearm. Two (2)
specimens

Given a bullet
and a firearm.
To determine
whether the
bullet was fired
from that
particular
firearm.
 Problem 3

A fired cartridge case or

“basyo” (as specimen)

Given a fired
cartridge case
(“basyo”).
To determine the type
make and caliber of a
particular firearm
from which it was
fired.
 Problem 4
A bullet and a fired
cartridge case (“tingga
at basyo” (as specimen)

Given a bullet (projectile) and a

fired cartridge case (shell).
To determine whether the bullet
and the fired cartridge case
were fired from the same
firearm.
 Problem 5

A Firearm (as specimen)

Given a firearm, - to determine the

type, make and caliber of that
particular firearm.
 Problem 6

A Suspect Firearm (as

specimen)

Given a suspect firearm, - to

determine whether the said firearm
(FA) was recently fired
FORENSIC BALLISTICS
(Firearm Identification)
 Types of Problems in Forensic Ballistics

• Problem 1 – Given a bullet, to determine the type make and

caliber of a particular firearm from which it was fired.
• Problem 2 – Given a bullet and a firearm, to determine
whether the bullet was fired from that particular firearm.
• Problem 3– Given a fired cartridge case (“basyo”) to
determine the type make and caliber of a particular firearm
from which it was fired.
• Problem 4- Given a bullet and a fired cartridge case (shell),
to determine whether the bullet and the fired cartridge case
were fired from the same firearm.
• Problem 5- given a firearm, to determine the type, make
and caliber of that particular firearm.
 Application of Forensic Ballistics

1. Recovered Bullets
2. Gunpowder residue
3. Recovered Guns/firearms
4. Recovered Fired cartridge case
5. Recovered slug
6. Results of Paraffin Cast

Paraffin Cast (melted wax)- Dermal Nitrate Test

DPA or Dyphenilamine is a reagent used in the test
 Evidences of Forensic Ballistics

1. Bullets- a small metal projectile, part of a

cartridge, for firing from small arms. Bullets
can be used to determine what certain firearm
was used by looking at the bullet

2. Gunpowder- an explosive mixture.

Gunpowder can be used to determine what
type of firearm was used at the crime scene

Paraffin Cast (melted wax)- Dermal Nitrate Test

DPA or Dyphenilamine is a reagent used in the test
3. Guns- a weapon that propels the
bullets at the target.

- guns can have fingerprints off of the

guns using the super glue method and
then match it to other fingerprints to
determine who shot the gun(or any
traces of blood, hair, fibers, tissue)
4. Casings- a hard piece of metal that
surrounds the bullet to protect it. Casings can
be used to determine the position of the
shooter

5. Bullet Markings- an imprint left in a target

left by a bullet being lodged into it. Bullet
markings can be used to help determine what
type of bullet left the marking
 DEFINITION OF FIREARMS

FIREARM - any handheld or portable weapon, whether

a small arm or light weapon, that expels or is
designed to expel a bullet, shot, slug, missile or any
projectile which is discharged by means of expansive
force of gases from burning gunpowder or other form
of combustion or any similar instrument or implement.

For purposes of the law, the barrel, frame or

receiver is considered a firearm.

RA 10591- Comprehensive Law on Firearms

ANATOMY OF THE BARREL
 Categories or Types of Firearms
Three categories of firearms:
• Handguns – includes pistols, revolvers and
derringers (short FA)
• Long Guns – includes rifles and shotguns
• Mounted Guns – includes cannons and anti-
aircraft gun, helicopter gunship (.50 cal, 30.
cal machine guns)
 Parts of a Handgun
.38 Caliber Revolver
8
2 3

1 9

4
5

10
butt
Parts of a Handgun
 Technical Definition of Terms

• Barrel - the long metal tube, bored out to

provide an exit path for the discharging
projectile. Once the projectile is fired, it’s
forced down the barrel and out of the muzzle
by expanding gas forces.
• Hammer - the part that strikes the firing pin or
the cartridge primer directly, detonating the
primer which discharges the gun.
• Magazine: spring-operated container, that
can be fixed or detachable, which holds
cartridges for a repeating firearm
• Muzzle: The muzzle of a gun is the front end
of the barrel where the projectile exits the
firearm.
• Trigger: the lever that’s squeezed to initiate
the firing process
Parts of a Bolt-Action Rifle
Parts of a Pump-Action Shotgun
Components of Ammunition
Components of Ammunition
SHOTGUN SHELL
 Determining the true caliber of a firearm

• The diameter of a
rifled gun barrel is the
CALIBER. o op pos i t e
be t ween tw BER
t er ALI
Diame ds is the C
• Caliber is normally lan

measured in
millimeters. For
example, a 9 mm
handgun.
Lands are the raised portion inside the barrel
Grooves are the depressed portions
RIFLING -consists of lands and grooves markings

Stop: from here: Oct 1 Next Session – October 8

 Image of Cartridge Case
with firing pin mark on the primer
The Shotgun Barrel
• Unlike rifled firearms,
shotguns have a smooth
barrel.
• They fire small lead balls
or pellets contained within
a shotgun shell.
• The diameter of a
shotgun barrel is
expressed in terms gauge.
• The higher the gauge
number, the smaller the
barrel’s diameter.
 Inside the Gun Barrel
• Most gun barrels are
hollow tubes of steel.
Except for a shotgun,
the inside surface of
the gun barrel is rifled.
• The process of rifling
creates spiral grooves
in the barrel.
• The areas between the
grooves are called
lands.
 FBI Database
• The General Rifling
Characteristics File is a record
maintained by the FBI.

• This file lists land and groove

width dimensions for known
weapons.

• For example, Marlin rifles

undergo a unique rifling
process known as micro
grooving.
• A gun
manufactured by
Colt has lands
and grooves that
have a left hand
Lands
twist.
• Are these from a
Colt?
 FORENSIC BALLISTICS
(FIREARM IDENTIFICATION)
Online Session
 Riflings- are spiral cuts inside the gun barrel
Land
consisting of Lands and Grooves
Groove
Land

Diameter
Caliber

Groove

Caliper- an instrument use to measure the true caliber of the FA

 Striations
• As the bullet travels
through the barrel,
Striations the
grooves guide the bullet
and cause it to spin.

• Striations, or fine lines,

in the gun barrel make
the same striations on
the bullet. These
striations are unique to
the firearm.
 Bullet Comparisons
Every bullet can be matched to a particular weapon
through comparing striation marks.
 Bullet Comparison Microscope
(Reference and Crime Scene Bullets)

When the suspected

weapon is retrieved, a
reference bullet will
be fired from the gun.

The “ballistic
fingerprint” of the
crime scene bullet is
then compared to
that reference bullet
using a BULLET
COMPARISON
MICROSCOPE.
 Do they look the same ?
Is this a Match?
Bullet A
(Crime Scene Bullet
or Evidence Bullet) Bullet B
(Reference Bullet
Test Bullet)
BULLET RECOVERY TUBE OR CYLINDER
 How Exact is the Comparison?
• A perfect match is rare.

• Dirt, rust, minute changes in the gun barrel as more

bullets are fired and distortion of the bullet on
impact may change the STRIATIONS (Fine line marks)
 Other Marks on a Fired Bullet

• All guns are being fired by

applying explosive pressure
behind a projectile to
launch it through a barrel.

• This firing process also

leaves unique marks or
impressions on the bullet
and bullet case.
 What is the Firing Process?

• The ammunition is loaded

into the gun, the hammer is
cocked and then the trigger
is pulled.

• Pulling the trigger initiates

the process and a firing pin
strikes and ignites the
primer.

• The primer explodes and

ignites the propellant.
What is the Firing Process? (cont)

As the propellant burns, gases

build up inside the bullet
case and the bullet is
pushed forward into the
barrel.

The bullet is forced down the

barrel by the expanding
gases and the bullet case is
slammed back against the
breech face.

Imperfections in the barrel and

on the breech face are
transferred to surfaces of
the bullet and bullet case.
What is the Firing Process? (cont)

• As the bullet moves

down the barrel and
exits the gun, the
cartridge either stays in
the back of the barrel
or it is ejected by an
ejector mechanism.

Session Stop: October 8, 2021

 Identifying Marks from the Firing Pin

• Metal-to-metal contact between the bullet

case and the firing pin leaves an impression on
the case. This impression is in the shape of the
firing pin.
 Identifying Marks from the Breech Face
and Ejector Mechanism
• Markings from the breech • Markings from the ejector
face that occur when the mechanism that occur when
bullet case is slammed back the bullet case is ejected
as the bullet moves from the gun.
forward.
 Identifying marks on a Shotgun
Cartridge Shell
• A shotgun has a smooth
barrel so the projectile is
not marked with any type
of striation.

• However, the shotgun

cartridge may have the
same markings as a bullet
case.
 The Data Base for Firearm
Information
• Originally, the information about firearms,
ammunition and identifying marks was kept
by two different agencies; the FBI and the
ATF&E.
• The FBI maintained a system known as
DRUGFIRE and the ATF&E maintained a
system known as Integrated Ballistics
Identification System (IBIS).
 The Data Base for Firearm Information

This two agency system was confusing and

unproductive. So in 1999, the two systems
were combined into the National Integrated
Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). This
system has over 800,000 computerized images.
 Gunpowder Residues
When a firearm is discharged, unburned and
partially burned particles of gunpowder in
addition to smoke are propelled out of the
barrel along with the bullet towards the target.
 Gunpowder Residues

If the muzzle of the

weapon is sufficiently
close to the target,
gunpowder residue is
deposited on the
target.
 Distance Determination
• The process of determining
the distance between the
firearm and the target is
usually based on the
distribution of powder
patterns or the spread of a
shot pattern (shotgun).

• As the distance increases

the residue decreases.
Contact Shot
DISTANCE – 9 inches

.
DISTANCE – 15 inches
DISTANCE – 27 inches
 Distance Determination of a Shotgun.
Up close, the pellets create similar patterns as
residue.
 Distance Determination
• Distance determination is necessary for many
gunshot wounds. If the shooter pleads self-
defense, it is very important to know the
distance between the shooter and victim.
• Suicide victims will also have residue on close
wounds. Lack of residue may indicate foul
play.
 Residue on Clothing
• Clothing of the victim is chemically tested for
gunshot residue to confirm the distance
determination. The Griess Test indicates a
positive result with a color change to pink.
 Gunshot Residue (GSR) on Hands
• When a weapon is fired
residue is propelled both
forward and backward.
• The residue that is
propelled backwards
leaves traces on the
shooter’s hands as well
as anyone within very
close range.
 GSR on Hands
• In a suicide, the hands
• The GSR is most likely will be bagged and
concentrated on the tested for GSR at the
thumb web and the Medical Examiner’s
back of the firing hand. office.
• The GSR stays on the
hands for
approximately 2 hours
and is easily removed
by washing or wiping
the hands.
 GSR on Hands
• The DERMAL NITRATE TEST, developed in 1933, was used for
many years. However, it gave many false positives with
cigarette ash, urine and cosmetics.

• During the test, the suspects hands were covered in wax.

After the wax hardened it was removed and chemically
tested.

• A blue color indicated a positive result for GSR.

 Today’s tests for GSR on Hands
Barium and Antimony are both components in GSR.
Several techniques are used to test for these
elements.
1. First, the investigator will remove the GSR particles
with tape or swabs.
2. Next, the particles may be examined with a Scanning
Electron Microscope, Neutron Activation Analysis or
Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry.
The presence of Barium and Antimony is considered a
positive for GSR.
 Wound Ballistics
• Wound ballistics is the cross road between
medicine and terminal ballistics.
• It is the study of what a bullet does to tissue,
bone and organs. (Ballistic gel)
• The force of the bullet and the energy
transferred to the body determines the
characteristics of the wound.
 Wound Ballistics
• The injury inflicted is directly related to the
kinetic energy of the bullet.
• When a bullet enters the body, it creates a
path that is 30 times wider than the
trajectory.
• This cavity closes less than a second after the
bullet passes through.
 Wound Ballistics
• A bullet passing through the body (and
creating an exit wound) generally does less
damage than a bullet that does not exit the
body.
• A bullet that remains in the body transfers all
of its kinetic energy to the surrounding
tissues.
 Serial Number Restoration
• Firearms are “ stamped” with an
identification serial number.
These numbers are linked to the
buyer of the firearm.

• Identification numbers are

usually etched on the metal
body, frame or plate of the gun.

• Many times, criminals “erase”

the serial number and it has to be
restored once the weapon is at
the crime lab.
 Serial Number Restoration
To restore a serial
number that has been
removed or obliterated,
the area must be
thoroughly cleaned and
polished. An etching
reagent is applied which
will react with the
strained area faster than
the unaltered metal,
allowing the numbers to
appear.
 Collection and Preservation of Firearm
Evidence
Firearms:
Safety is the most important precaution,
preventing all accidental discharge of a loaded
weapon in transit.
All firearm evidence should be marked for
identification with evidence tag attached to the
trigger guard.
Firearm recovered from an underwater
location should be transported submerged in the
water it was found in to prevent rust.
Ammunition:
Bullets recovered at a crime scene
are scribed with the investigator’s initials and
should be wrapped in tissue paper before transport
to protect any trace evidence.

The exact location of shell casings should be noted.

Gunpowder Deposits:
A firearm victim’s clothing must be preserved to
prevent damage or disruption to the gunpowder
residues deposited around the bullet hole.

Wet clothing should be air dried, in an area out of

direct sunlight and then folded for protection.

Each item should be placed in a separate paper bag.