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Forensic Ballistic Notes
Forensic Ballistic Notes
BRANCHES OF BALLISTICS
SMALL ARMS – firearms which propel projectiles of less than one inch
in diameter.
a ) Small type – four grooves, right hand twist, grooves and lands of
equal width. (4R G-L)
b ) Smith and Wesson type – five grooves, right hand twist, grooves
and lands of equal width (5R G-L)
c ) Browning type – six grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands and
broader grooves (6R G2X)
d ) Colt type – six grooves, left hand twist, narrow lands and
broader grooves (6L G2X)
e ) Webley type – seven grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands and
broader grooves (7R G3X)
f ) Army type – four grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands and
broader grooves (4R G3X)
PARTS OF CARTRIDGES
a) Bullet c ) Gunpowder
b ) Shell d ) Primer
TYPES OF CARTRIDGES:
a ) Pin- fire – the pin extends radically through the need of the
cartridges case into the primer.
a ) Rimmed type – the rim of the cartridges case is greater than the
diameter of the body of the cartridges case. Ex: Cal .38 and Cal .22
c ) Rimmed less type – the rim of the cartridges case is equal to the
diameter of the body of the cartridge case. Ex: Cal .45 Auto Pistol .30
carbine .223
6. Does the body lie where the shooting took place? Often, before
the officer arrives the body will be moved by a bystander.
Frequently it will be picked up off the floor and put a bed or
taken from one room to another.
7. Take the names and addresses of all witnesses and take written
notes on the statement of as many persons as practicable.
9. Measure with a tape the exact distance of the body with relation
to the previously mentioned fixtures of the premises.
10. Note in writing the exact position where he found the body
whether he found it lying on the side, back or abdomen that
objects if any, were in the hands; reports what was the
conditions of the clothing and the amount of bleeding.
11. Examine the ceiling, floor and furniture for bullet holes, blood
stains, fired bullets, fired shell or shotgun wadding.
13. At the crime scene note down where the empty shells,
bullets and/ or firearms where found and make a diagram to
illustrates the same, to show their relatives distances from the
body of the victims, Photograph if possible.
16. Mark the bullets at the give (or nose) by scratching the
investigation’s initials of the victim but definitely NOT at the
rifling marks (landmarks and groove marks).
17. Mark the empty shotgun shells with indelible ink at the
body.
19. After marking the empty shells and bullets, wrap them
separately and individually with soft tissue paper and note down
on the wrapper where each was found the time and date. The
purpose of wrapping them separately is to avoid being
scratched.
20. When a lead bullet is found at the scene of the crime the
body of the victim, the presumption is that a Revolver was used.
23. When one empty shell is found at the scene of the crime,
the presumption is a Revolver was used.
1. Be prepared.
2. Be calm and well poised.
3. Tell the truth, nothing but the truth.
4. Be courteous.
5. Be natural and sit straight forward.
6. Do not volunteer.
7. Keep your temper.
8. Listen to the question asked before giving your answer.
9. Speak loud enough to be heard.
10. Watch your personal appearance and conduct in the
courtroom.
11. Answer only what you are asked, no more.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
13. BALL BULLETS – Bullets have soft lead course inside a jacket.
17. CALIBER – is the diameter of the inner surface of the barrel that
is measured from land to land.
19. EROSION – the mechanical wear and tear of the inner surface
of the gun barrel due to the mechanical abrasion or gliding.
29. EXTREME RANGE – the greatest distance the bullet will travel
the cartridge is fire.
34. LANDS – the raised portion between the grooves in the interior
surface of the gun barrel.
38. STOPPING POWER – power of the bullet which put the victim
out of the action instantly. So it should be understood that
stopping power is not necessarily the same thing as killing
power. However, stopping power depends very largely on the
location of the shot.
39. PRIMER – the complete assembly of cup, priming composition,
paper discs and anvil.
ORIGIN OF FIREARM
1245 – Gen Batu, The Tartar leader, used artillery in Liegnits when he
defeated the poles Hungarians, and Russians.
1247 – One of the earliest recorded uses of firearms in war far was
that of an attack on Seville, Spain.
1. Stones
2. Cubs Knives Spears and Darts
3. Sling shots to hurl objects
4. Bows and arrows
5. Cross – bows
6. Guns
7. Missiles
1. Col. Calvin H. Goddard M.D, OS Army – Father of Modern
Ballistics.
2. Horace Smith – Founded the great firm Smith and Weapon and
pioneered the making of breech – loading regales.
1350 ---Small arms, Gunpowder was first used only in cannons. It was
in the middle of the 14 t h century that portable hand, F.A was
introduced. These guns were ignited by a hand-held wire or lighted
match.
1858 ---Center fire Cartridge. The Morse Cartridge of 1858 marked the
beginning of the rapid development of the center fire cartridge.
1884 ---Automatic Machine Gun. Hiran Maxim built the first fully
Automatic gun, utilizing the recoil of the piece to load and fire the next
charge.
B. Rifled- the bore Firearms – Firearms that have rifling inside their
gun barrel.
Ex. Pistols, Revolvers, Rifles
A. Military Firearms
Ex. 1. Pistols 3. Rifles
2. Revolvers 4. Machine Guns
1. Paltik Pistols
2. Paltik Revolvers
3. PaltikRifles
4. Paltik Shot Guns
DETAILED PARTS
ADVANTAG E OF REVOLVER
4. It is slower to load.
3. When the gun is kept loaded for a long period of time, the
magazine spring is under tension and may deteriorate and cause
trouble.
SIDE PLATE SCREW – Hold the side plate and yoke in place.
DOUBLE ACTION SEAR – Built into the weapon to allow double action
fire.
NOMENCLATURE OF CARTRIDGE
CLASSIFICATION OF CARTRIDGE
A – Case
B – Priming mixture
C – Propellant powder/ gun powder
D – Bullet
E – Sensitive Area
B. According to Caliber
45-70 Cartridge
Contains 70 grains of gunpowder
Bullet / slugs
History – Bullet derive from a French word Boulette which means small
ball
In Government parlance a cartridges containing bullet is called
Ball- Bullet
CLASSIFICATION
B. According to shape
Solid Lead Solid Hollow point Solid Paper Metal Case point
Patched
KEY HOLE SHOT – The tumbling of a bullet in its flight and hitting the
target sideways as a results of spinning on its axis. (due to destroyed
barrel or loose barrel)
PURPOSE OF BULLETS
1. Ball Bullets
2. Armored Piercing
3. Tracer Bullet
4. Incendiary
5. Explosive (fragmentation)
B. All Bullets --- have soft lead cores inside a jacket and are used
against personnel only.
Armored Piercing --- have hardened steel cores and are a fired against
vehicle and other armored target is general.
Pointed Bullet --- is more effective ballistically than the round ball of
the same weight
Soft Point or Mushroom Bullet --- will expand on striking an object and
there for produce much more serious check, and have corresponding
greater stopping power.
Hollow Point Bullet --- a bullet with a cavity in the nose design to
increase the expansion when it hits the forget.
Metal Cased Bullet --- colonially use to indicate either a metal patched
or full patched bullet.
Metal patched --- any metal patched bullet
Bullet having soft steal jacket often clog or plated with gilding
metal to prevent rusting and reduce frictional resistance in the bore.
FUNCTION:
PARTS
4. THE HEAD – THE BODY – constitute the “cork” that plugs the
breech of the barrel against the escape of the gas.
mouth
neck
shoulder
shell cannelure
body
gun powder
vent
extracting grooves
rim
primer
shell head
A. --- straight
--- all rim fire shell and most center fire
revolver cartridges that are new manufactured
have straight cases.
B. --- Tampered
--- is very rare but presently being used in the
so called “magnum jet” cartridges cal .22
PRIMERS
-- Is that portions of the cartridge which consist of the brass
gilding metal-cup containing a highly sensitive mixture of chemical
compound, which when struck by the firing pin would detonate or
ignite. Such action is called Percussion.
-- Use for igniting the gunpowder, a blow from the firing pin on
the primer cup compresses the priming mixture and this causes the
composition to detonate on explodes. This detonating on explosion
produces “flame” which passes through the “event” on “flash hole” in
the cartridges case and this ignites the gunpowder.
ORIGIN
-- 1807 – Alexander John Forsyth
-- First one to conceive the idea of using detonating compounds
for igniting powder charges in small arms by percussion.
-- A scotch Presbytorian minister chemist and hunter.
-- A well known authority on firearms
-- First successful priming mixture was one composed of
Potassium chlorate, charcoal and sulfur in powder form.
- sulfur - 21.97%
- Potassium chlorate - 47.20%
- Antimony Sulfide - 30.33%
- German have their own composition barium nitrate in the
place of Potassium chlorate together with some Picric Acid
to strengthen mixture.
- This formula: Fulmirate of mercury - 39%
Barrium nitrate - 41%
Antimony Sulfide - 9%
Picric Acid - 5%
Ground glass - 6%
- Swiss Army has been using non-corrosive primer since
about 1911. This was base on the formula of a Swiss
inventor named ZIEGLER: Swiss formula.
GUN POWDER
Class or Composition:
Ingredients:
Potassium nitrate -75%
Sulfur -10%
Charcoal -15%
FIRST – when ignited it will burn by it self without aid from the
outside air.
SECOND – in burning, it gives off a large amount of gas.
THIRD – a considerable amount of heat is evolved.
a: Insure stability
b. Reduce flash or flame temperature (or both)
Double – base Propellant are gray green color and the grains are
similar in size and shape to the single – base propellants.
Almost all smokeless powder grains have perfectly definite shape
such as
2. Stereoscopic Microscope
No camera attachment and no photomicrograph can be taken for
court tampered serial number.
3. Shadowgraph
A series of microscopic lenses of different magnification use to
determine class characteristics of fired bullets and shells.
Also for orientation purposes.
It can take phomigrograph of the observations and comparisons
made in the circulation ground glass.
6. Helixometer
Used in measuring “pitch of rifling”. Distance traveled by the
bullet in one complete rotation.
7. Micrometer
Similar in use as caliper
8. Caliper
Use for making measurements such as bullet diameter barrel
length.
TECHNIQUES OF EXAMINATION
TEST FIRING: The firearms is test fired from a bullet recovery box
in order to obtain test bullets and test cartridges cases for comparison
with evidence bullets and cartridge cases, but before firing the
cartridge will be marked at the side of the case on the nose portion of
the bullet with letter T (test) followed (eg T- 77-1 to T- 77-3) in their
order of firing to distinguish the number 1 test from 2 and 3. After the
recovery of the test bullets and test cartridges cases, they will be
compared with the evidenced bullet and evidence cartridges cases,
under the bullet comparison microscope to determine whether or not
they have the congruency of striations or the same individual
characteristics.
Under the bullet comparison microscope, the two fired bullets or fired
shells are examine in a JUXTAPOSITION - That is, the two object-
evidence and the test bullet are examined and compared:
PERIPHERY
These are the sides of the bullet are in contact with the inner
surface of the barrel.
STRIATIONS
A individual characteristics of the cartridges found at the base
portion and of the side of the bullet come in contact with the inner
surface of the barrel.
TEST BULLETS
Are those recovered from bullet recovery box for a comparison
with the evidenced bullets under the bullet comparison microscope.
A fired or evidenced bullets or cartridges cases are those recovered
from the crime scene.
1. Prominent
2. Significant; and are
3. Consistent
Two things mark by one and same tool will bear the same markings,
likewise two or more things mark by different tools will have the same
markings.
DEFINITIONS
EXPERT – as used in, court includes all witnesses whose opinions are
admitted on grounds of specialized knowledge, training and
experience.
BREECHBLOCK – the steel block which closes the rear of the bore
against the force of charge or that part in the breech mechanism that
locks the action against the firing of the cartridges; the face of this
block is known as the breech face.
LANDS – that raised portion between the grooves inside a rifled gun
barrel.
RANGE – the straight distance between the muzzle of the gun and the
target.
FIRING PIN – that part of that firearm which strikes the primer causing
the firing of the cartridge.
BREECH end – the rear end of the bore of an arm where the cartridges
is inserted.
PANGASINAN COLLEGES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
COLLEGE OFCRIMINOLOGY
Urdaneta City
He perceived them to be “drawn into 1686 and spiral” at the end of the
fingers.
Apparently the significance of his observation escaped him, however,
for he purposed them to further. More than a century elapsed, and it
was not until, 1823 that John Evangelist Purkinje , Professor of
Anatomy at the University of Breslau, published a thesis in which he
commented upon the diversity of ridged patterns “especially on the
last phalange of each finger and evolved a vague differentiation of
these patterns into nine varieties. Purkinje’s paper was intended only
as a scholarly treaties and had no practical application to the problem
of personal identification, but thirty years later, in 1858 Sir William
Herschel, the British Chief Administrative officer for the Hooghly
district, Bengal, India, began the first known official used of
fingerprints on large scale. He required natives to affix their
fingerprints as well as their signature to contracts.
Apparently he had no idea originally that the marks were individual but
adopted the practice with the thought that this very personal type of
contract with official papers would be impressed to the native mind
and would discourage, dishonesty and default.
1902 is the year in which the first known systematic use of fingerprints
in the United States was begun with the establishment of the practice
of fingerprints by the New York Civil Commission to Prevent applicants
from having better qualified persons takes their tests for them. Dr.
Henry P. De Forest, an American pioneer in the fingerprint science,
installed the system in December 1902.
1903 is claimed by the New York State prison system as the date of
the first practical, systematic use of fingerprints in the United State for
the identification of criminals.
During the first quarter of the 20 t h Century more and more local police
identification bureaus established fingerprint systems and many sent
copies of their fingerprint records to the National Bureau of Criminal
Identification established by the International Identification,
Association of chief of Police. The obvious need and demand by police
officials led to an Act of Congress establishing on July.
1924 the identification Division of the FBI. The fingerprint records of
both the National Bureau of Criminal Identification and of Leavenworth
Penitentiary, totaling 810, 188 were consolidated to form the nuclear
of the FBI files. The national repository of criminal investigation date
quickly proved its worth to law enforcement officials faced with
problems of criminals moving rapidly from city to city and state to
state. Additional services were added in the FBI identification Division
as the need became apparent, on March 1, 1932. The International
Exchange of fingerprints date was initiated with a number of other
nations, on February 15, 1932.
Drawing the years just before and during the war, the number of civil
fingerprints, including of aliens, military personnel and civilian
employees in defense industries, far outstripped the number of arrest
prints. Both types together added to the swelling total until January
31.
1946 – the 100 millionth fingerprint card use was received in the
Identification Division of the FBI, the world’s largest repository of
fingerprint records. Although new methods of personal identification
are constantly being suggested even today, it is hard to conceive of a
system being devised, which can improve upon the combination of
facility, practically, and infallibilit y, which is characteristic of the
fingerprint system. As of January 1,1959. The total had grown to over
152,000,000 records as of May 11,1959.
3 BRANCHES OF DACTYLOSCOPY
INTERPRETATION OF FINGERPRINTS:
1. Arch 5%
2. Loops 60%
3. Whorls 35%
The three basic types of pattern are further subdivided into the
following:
RIDGE COUNTING:
1. PLAIN ARCH
In the tented arch, most of the ridges enters in one side of the
impression then flow or tend out upon the other side with a rise at the
center giving 90 degrees more or less and with a present of up thrust.
It has no delta and core.
The arches and some of the loop are often confused. It should be
remembered that the mere converging of two ridges does not form a
re-curve, without which there can be no loop. In the other hand, there
are many patterns which at first sight resemble tented arches but
which on abuse inspection are found to be loop, as when one looping
ridge will be found in an almost vertical position within the pattern are
entirely free from and passing in front of the delta.
ULNAR LOOP
A Type of fingerprint pattern, which possesses a delta, core, and one or more
ridge forming a sufficient recurve within the pattern area. The slope or
downward flow of the innermost sufficient recurve is towards the little finger or
to the ulna bone of the hand of origin.
RADIAL LOOP
A type of fingerprint pattern, which possesses one delta and one core, and
one or more ridges within the pattern area, formed a sufficient recurve. The
flow of the innermost ridges is towards the thumb or to the radius bone of the
hand of origin.
The plain has two deltas and one core and at least one ridge
making a complete circuit, which may be spiral, oval, circular or any
variant of a circle. And when an imaginary line drawn between the two
deltas it must touch or cross at least one of the re-curving ridges
within forming a complete circuit within the pattern area. A re-curving,
however, which an appendage connected with it in the line of flow
cannot be construed as a circuit. An appendage connected to the
points is considered to spin the re-curve on that side.
The central pocket loop type of whorl has two deltas and least
one ridge making a complete circuit, which may be spiral, oval,
circular, or any variant of a circle. An imaginary line drawn between
the two deltas must not touch or cross any of the recurving ridges
within the inner pattern area. A recurving ridge, however, which has an
appendage connected within the line of flow and on the delta side,
cannot be constructed as a circuit. An appendage connected at that
point is considered to spoil the re-curve on that side.
DOUBLE LOOP
A type of fingerprint pattern in which the core ridges of the two loops makes
their access or exit on the same side of the fingerprint impression.
ACCIDENTAL WHORL
Sir, Edward Richard Henry – Simplified the use of finger print and
made it applicable into police works
Note: The entire plan or further revision is based on the Henry System
of classification.
a) Primary classification
b) Secondary classification
b.1 Capital letter groups
b.2 small letter groups
c) Sub- secondary classification
d) Major classification
e) Key classification
f) Final classification
18 L 29 rW2u MO I 5
I 5 Xt OIO
Blocking- Is the process of writing below each finger print pattern the
corresponding symbol of its name.
A – Plain arch
T – Tented arch
R – Radial loop
U – Ulnar loop
W – Plain whorl
C – central pocket loop
D – Double loop
X – Accidental Pattern
Secondary classification by small lettered groups- the secondary
classification by small lettered refers to the 3 types of fingerprint
patterns that can be exhibited by small lettered groups.
- It can be applied to all fingers with a said patterns except
the two index fingers
Radial loop – r
Plain arch - a
Tented arch- t
1. When the ridge being traced (from the left to the right delta)
goes inside or in front of the right delta, and there are 3 or more
intervening ridges, the tracing is known as inner and
represented by capital letter symbol I.
2. When the ridge being traced goes either or inside to the right
delta and there are 2 or less ridges intervening the tracing is
known as meeting and represented by the capital letter symbol
M.
3. When the ridge being traced goes outside to the right delta and
there are 3 or more intervening ridges the tracing is known as
outer and represented by the capital letter symbol O.
In a large collection of prints where both thumbs are loop they are
divided into nine major divisions by counting the ridges of the thumb.
The ridge counts of the left thumb are represented in the denominator
by the symbol S, M, and L, which are arrived at as follows:
2.The ridge counts of the right thumb are represented in the numerator
by the same symbols, M and L. The count in this instance for the
small, medium and large is the same as just explained for the
denominator when an S or M appears as denominator.
The following symbols are used to illustrate the sequences of the nine
combinations in this division.
S M L S M L S M L
------------- ------------- -------------
S S S M M M L L L
In a large collection of prints when both thumbs are whorls they are
divided into nine major divisions by the result of ridges tracing inner
(1), Meet (M) and Outer (O) of both thumbs. The left thumb represents
the denominator and the right thumbs the numerator.
The following symbols are used to illustrate the sequences of the nine
combinations in this division.
I M O T M D I M O
------------- ------------- ------------
I I I M M M O O O
e. Key Classification - is the ridge count of the first loop is a set of
prints beginning with the right thumb, but not including either of the
little fingers.
f. Final classification - this is the ridge count of the loop in the little
finger of the right hand, placed in the numerator line
N= M 32 W MMM
D= M 32 W MMM
LATENT IMPRESSIONS
Each ridge of the finger, palms and soles bears a row of sweat
ports, which in the average person constantly exude perspiration. Also
the ridge of the fingers and palms are in intermittent contact with other
parts of the body, such as the hair and face, and with various objects,
which may leave a film of grease or moisture on the ridges. In
touching an object, the film of moisture and/ or grease may be
transferred to the objects, thus leaving an outline of the ridge of the
fingers or palm there on. This print is called a latent impression the
word “latent” meaning hidden, that is, the print many times is not
readily visible.
A gray powder and black powder are adequate for latent print
works. Many fingerprint powders of various colors and compositions
are available from fingerprint supply houses but none are superior to
the gray and black.
The original latent print and inked print with which it is identical
can be photographed 25 times the actual size. This procedure
eliminates guesswork in enlarging both the same degree. Whatever
areas of the two prints are deemed requisite to illustrate the method of
identification are then outlined (blocked) on negative with the masking
tape, so the only those areas will show in the subsequent
enlargements. Generally, if the legible area of the latent print is small,
it is well to show the complete print. If the area is large, however, as
in a palm print, an area which will not make the cart too bulky or
unwieldy may be selected.
Ordinarily, the numbers are placed on three sides and the type
of print (latent or ink) noted at the bottom. In any case, the manner of
numbering should be subservient to an explanation of the
characteristics in an orderly sequence; and, if the situation warrants it,
all of the points may be illustrated on a single side of the photograph.
DEFINITION OF TERMS