FORENSIC BALLISTICS

TOPIC: : BULLET & CARTRIDGE CASE

 BULLET

- It is a metallic or nonmetallic, cylindrical projectile propelled

from a firearm by means of an expansive force of gases coming
from burning gunpowder.

The term may also include projectiles propelled from shotguns,

although strictly speaking, these projectiles designed for shotgun
are called "shots" or "pellet"
Origin
- The term bullet originated from the French word
"boulette", which means "small ball". The
projectile of most small arms ammunition
primarily means a projectile from a rifled arm
which is cylindrical or cylindro-conoidal in shape
as opposed to round projectiles which are
commonly called either a ball or shot.
Classification of Bullets
1. According to Use
A. Ball bullets - those have soft cores inside a
jacket and are used against personnel only
B. Armor piercing bullet - those that have steel
cores and are fired against vehicles and other
armored targets in general
c. Tracer bullet- those that contain compound at its
base which is set on fire when the bullet is projected.
The flash of smoke from this burning permits the flight of
the bullet to be seen, especially at night time.
D. Incendiary bullet - those that contain mixture, such
as phosphorous or other material, that can be set on fire
by the impact.
E Explosive (fragmentary) bullet those types of bullets
that contain a highly charged explosive. Because of their
small size, it is difficult to make a fuse that will work
reliably in small arms ammunitions
2. As to Mechanical Construction
A. Lead bullets-those which are made of lead or alloys of this
metallic lead, tin and antimony which are slightly harder than
pure lead
B. Jacketed bullets- those with a core of lead covered with a
jacket of a harder material such as: gilding metal, a copper
alloy of approximately 90% copper and 10% zinc.
C. Synthetic bullets- those made of plastic/plasticize and other
compositions or those made of sand polymer mixed. Such
bullets were designed for special purposes
3. Bullet designed for Handguns
a. Full metal jacket - lead core is enclosed by a strong metal
jacket on this non-expanding.
b. Jacketed hollow point - the exposed lead at the tip of the
jacketed hollow point, rapidly initiates hat progresses uniform
controlled expansion that to the depth of the hollow point
cavity. It has excellent accuracy and bullet integrity.
c. Semi-jacketed hollow point - it has more exposed lead at
the tips, which expand less than a jacketed hollow point
bullet.
d. Full metal cone- the lead core of this bullet is enclosed in a
light copper jacket, which has a cone shape and a flat point.
3. Bullet designed for Handguns.
e. Lead wadcutter - the full wadcutter profile of this solid lead
cuts clean signature in paper targets for precise scoring.
f. Lead semi-wadcutter - solid lead bullet with the semi-
pointed nose. Formed by a swaging process with a sharp
shoulder for clean hole punching in paper targets.
g. Soft point - Exposed lead soft point initiates reliable
expansion, provides deeper penetration than hollow point
bullets.
h. Lead round nose - solid lead bullet with rounded ogive for
downrange accuracy.
4. Bullet designed for Rifles.
A. Full metal jacket - the lead core of this bullet is enclosed in
a heavy copper jacket, which results in little or no expansion
and deep penetration.
B. Full metal jacket boat tail- same with the full metal jacket
with boat tail heel to further reduce drag to improve
downrange velocity.
C. Hollow point boat tail - extremely accurate hollow Hollo
bullet with a pointed aerodynamic design
D. Soft point - Exposed lead tip on this bullet and broader point
diameter provide rapid, controlled expansion at somewhat
lower velocities.
4. Different Types of Bullets
1. Hard ball- a copper sheath, the jacket, over a core of lead. It
is the standard projectile type expanding very little, but giving
good penetration.
2. Depleted Uranium- it is ideal for use in armor penetrators
because it has an exceptional performance against armored
targets.
3. Semi-wadcutter - a bullet with a flat nose in front of a sharp
wad-cutter style shoulder.
4. Silver tip Winchester - trademarks for certain bullet
designs. The jacket will disintegrate into small pieces that will
precisely cause hemorrhage
5. Fragmentation or explosive bullet- split to fragment when
hitting soft tissues, creating big wounds but tends to retain its
form when penetrating armor.
6. Spitzer - a type of bullet having a sharply pointed nose. This
type of bullet when this type of bullet hits a hard object like
bones inside the body, it changes its bullet track hence, and the
tendency is that, the bullet travels sideways which will create a
wider size of the exit wound.
7. Dumdum bullet - outlawed for use in war, any bullet with the
core exposed.
8. Soft point or mushroom bullet- expand as it strikes an
object and produces much more.
Parts of a Bullet
1. Base - the portion of the bullet that receives the thrust and
heat from the burning gunpowder.
2. Bearing- surface the area of the bullet that contacts the
barrel riffling. A tight fit is required to prevent chamber
pressure leaks and to provide good contact with the rifling
grooves.
3. Cannelure/crimping- the serrated groove or depression
rolled around the body of the bullet usually used in bottle
neck cartridge.
4. Core- the bulk of the mass in the bullet.
5. Head- height length of the bullet from the shoulder to
the tip.
6. Heel- the location of the bullet where the heel ends
and the bearing surface begins.
7. Jacket- the material that covers some or the entire
core.
8. Meplat- the diameter of the flat or blunt end of the
nose of a bullet
9. Ogive- the radius of the curve between the
bearing surface and the point usually stated with
respect to the caliber.
10. Point - the most forward point of the ogive.
11. Shoulder - the place on the bullet where the
parallel sides' end and the ogive begins.
 CARTRIDGE CASE

It refers to a tubular metallic or nonmetallic

container which holds together the bullet,
gunpowder and primer. Another term used is shell
or casing.
The cartridge case is the portion of the cartridge
that is automatically ejected from an automatic
firearm during firing and these remain in the crime
scene.
Drawing- refers to the machine operation of
making cartridge cases.
Functions of Cartridge Case
-It holds the bullet, gunpowder and primer
assembled into one unit.
-It serves as a waterproof container of the
gunpowder and gas seal at the breech end of the
barrel.
Parts of Cartridge
Case Rim - limits the forward travel of cartridge
into their chambers and thus also limits the
clearance between the heads and supporting.
Primer pocket - holds the primer securely in the
central position, provides a means to prevent the
escape of gas to the rear of the cartridge and solid
support of primer anvils, without which the latter
could not be fired.
Vents/flash hole it is the hole in the web
which serves as an opening or canal that
connects the priming mixture with the
gunpowder.
Head/body constitutes the cork that plugs the
breech of the barrel against the escape of gas.
Neck-it is occupied by the bullet.
Cannelure- the serrated grooves that are
sometimes found rolled into the neck and body of
the case at the location of the bases of the bullet;
they prevent the bullet from being pushed back or
loosened.
Crimp- this is the part of the mouth of a case that
is turned in upon the bullet
 THREE TYPES OF CRIMPS

A. Roll Crimp
- The cartridge case neck was rolled into the bullet material of
groove in the bullet, to secure it, and ensure even from the
tension of the cartridge case.
 THREE TYPES OF CRIMPS

B. Taper Crimp
- It is used primarily in the cartridge with headspace on the
cartridge case mouth, with lead bullets. While it can be used to
secure jacketed bullets, this can lead to bullet distortion.
 THREE TYPES OF CRIMPS

C.Stab/Rim Crimp
It is used only on jacketed ammunition, which consists either
several impressed dimples or a groove, pressed into the cartridge
case mouth by collet.
- Classification According to Case Shape
Straight - where the case diameter is approximately the
same along its length. All rimmed shells and most
centrefire revolver cartridges
Bottle neck- where a wide-bodied case is, just before the
case mouth, reduced in diameter to that of the bullet.
Tapered (obsolete) - where a wide based cartridge case
is gradually reduced in diameter along its length. It is very
rare but is used in the so-called "magnum jet" Cal. .22.
Classification According to Case Rim
1. Rimmed the diameter of the base of the cartridge is
very much bigger than the diameter of the body of the
cartridge. (44 magnum, 303 British, 38 special, 357
magnum, etc.)
2. Rimless the diameter of the rim is equal with the
diameter of the body of the cartridge case. (.30-06,
270, .308 etc)
3. Semi-rimmed - the diameter of the rim is slightly
greater than the diameter of the body of the cartridge
case. (.25 ACP, .38 Super)
4. Belted - has a protruding metal around the body of the
cartridge case. (.7mm Remington Magnum, 300
Winchester, .375 H&H Magnum)

5.Rebated – the diameter of the rim is smaller than the

body of the cartridge case. (.41 AE, 50 Beowulf)
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