Forensic Ballistics

TOPICS/SUBJECTS ASKED IN THE april

2013 BOARD EXAMINATION
• 1. RICOCHET
• 2. BALLISTICS
• 3. FORENSIC BALLISTICS
• 4. VELOCITY
• 5. RIFLING
• 6. TAPER GAUGE
• 7. RIFLE
• 8. BULLET
• 9. MOST POWERFUL PROPELLANT
• 10. EXPLOSIVES
• 11. TESTIFYING IN COURT-LEGAL
PROCEEDING.
 October 2013 board exam.

• Humidity of gunpowder
• Smokeless gunpowder
• Explosives
• Revolver-e.g. rifling
• Are all bullets metallic- yes or no
• Most explosive propellant
• Barrel
• Which will ignite the primer(barrel, trigger guard,
hammer and none of these)
• Interior ballistics- definition-yes
• Artillery
• Rifling- lands and grooves.
• Helixometer- It is used in measuring pitch of riflings of
firearms.
• April 2014 board exam.
• Copper- outer covering of bullet
• Terminal ballistics- impact on the target
• Small arms-less than one inch barrel
• artillery.-more than one inch barrel
• Yes- forensic ballistics aka firearm identification
• Lead bullet
• Composition of bullet
• Ballistician
• Ballistics engineer-determine designs of bullet
• Same- no. of lands and grooves
• Point of entry-damage
 BOARD EXAM. COVERAGE

• DIVISION OF BALLISTICS
• DIVISION OF FORENSIC BALLISTICS
• FIREARMS AND FIREARMS LAW
• CARTRIDGE AND AMMUNITIONS
• BULLET
• SHELL
• GUNPOWDER
• PRIMER
• MARKING OF FIREARMS EVIDENCE/TOOLMARK
EXAMINATION
• IBIS AND NIBIN
Were
these

Bullets
and
these

Shells
fired
from
these?

Guns
Ballistics can
tell…

Questioned Standard Questioned Standard

 Introduction:

In most advance countries today,

Forensic Ballistics or Firearms Identification
plays an important role in the administration
of justice.

This science has an advantage over

extracted confessions, direct witnesses and
other circumstantial evidence.
 Introduction (Cont’d)

It is regarded as the highest form of

uncontestable and conclusive piece of
evidence with the utmost legal significance.

The term “Ballistics” itself was derived

from the Greek word “Ballo” or “Ballein”
which literally means “To throw”.
 Introduction (Cont’d)

In 1920, Col. Calvin H. Goddard the

father of modern ballistics pioneered the
introduction of this science in Criminology
courses in different Universities in the
United States.

Subsequently, it was universally practiced

and accepted as manifested in the different
courts dockets throughout the world.
 Ballistics defined…..

- as the Science of Motion and

Projectiles.
What are the different
effects of Projectile?
1. INDENTATION – entry point (hole -
GWE)

INVERTED WOUNDS
2. PENETRATION – depthness (cavity)
3. PERFORATION – exit point (hole -
GWE)

DIVERTED WOUNDS
 Ballistics defined.. (cont’d)
• Why Science?
• - Systematic study or
knowledge
- Research &
Development
- Education
- Training
- Experience
- Using scientific
instrument
Bullet Comparison Microscope
Ballistics defined.. (cont’d)
• Why Motion?

- refers to movement or
mobility of projectiles.
This includes:

- Direct
- Rotary
- Translational
Ballistics defined.. (cont’d)
• Why Projectiles?

- refers to metallic & non-

metallic object propelled
to the firearm.
 Parts of a Cartridge

Bullet
Casing

Primer
Shotgun Shot shells

Shot
Gun
Wad/shot
Shotshell
Primer
Powder
cup
(pellets)
hull
Shotshell Components
 Why 12 Gauge?
• The diameter of bore is equivalent to the lead
ball weighing 1/12 of a pound.
• 1 Lb = 381.6 grams
• 381.6 grams, divide by 12 = 31.8 Grams
which is equivalent to 1/12 of a pound.
• =31.8 grams equivalent to the wt of 9 pellets,
divide by 9 again
• =3.5 grams weight of every pellets in12
Gauge OOBK Size.
 Determination of Caliber
Groove

• The Caliber is Land

measured
between two
lands.

• Width of lands
and grooves
varies between
manufacturers
PISTOL BULLETS
RIFLE BULLETS
 TRIARCHIC STUDY OF FORENSIC BALLISTICS
MODEL

- INTERNAL BALLISTICS - FIELD INVESTIGATION

- EXTERNAL BALLISTICS - TECHNICAL EXAMINATION
- TRANSITIONAL BALLISTICS - LEGAL PROCEEDING
- TERMINAL BALLISTICS

FIREARM Identification LEGAL BALLISTICS

TRIARCHIC STUDY OF FORENSIC BALLISTICS
MODEL
FORENSIC BALLISTICS

Act. No. 2711, (March 10, 1917 – Revised Administrative Code , RAC
P.D. 1745( NOV. 20, 1980)
P.D. No. 1866, (June 26, 1983)
R.A. No. 8294, (June 6, 1997)
R.A . NO. 10591, MAY,29, 2013
What are the Branches
of Ballistics?
BRANCHES OF BALLISTICS

The science of Ballistics or Firearms

Identification is divided into the
following branches:

. Interior Ballistics,
. Exterior Ballistics,
. Terminal Ballistics &
. Forensic Ballistics
Branches of Ballistics (Cont’d)
Interior Ballistics –
That has something
to do with the
properties &
attributes of the
projectile (bullet)
while inside the gun.
 Interior Ballistics (Cont’d)

• This include the following:

– 1. Firing pin hitting the primer.
– 2. Ignition of the priming mixture.
– 3. Combustion of the gun powder.
– 4. Expansion of the heated gas.
– 5. Pressure developed.
– 6. Energy generated.
– 7. Recoil of the gun.
– 8. Velocity of the bullet inside the barrel.
– 9. Rotation of the bullet inside the barrel.
– 10. Engravings of the cylindrical surface of the bullet
Branches of Ballistics (Cont’d)

This extends to the movement of a

bullet as it travels down the barrel either
left or right twist.
 Branches of Ballistics (Cont’d)

Exterior ballistics – study of a bullet in

flight from time it leaves barrel until it
reaches to the target.
 Exterior ballistics (Cont’d)
• This includes the following:
• 1. Muzzle blast - the noise created at muzzle point.
• 2. Muzzle Energy – force generated at muzzle point.
• 3. Trajectory – actual curve path of the bullet.
• 4. Range – straight distance between muzzle & target.
(Effective & Maximum)
• 5. Velocity – rate of speed of the bullet per unit of time.
• 6. Air resistance – encountered by the bullet while in
flight.
• 7. Pull of gravity – downward reaction of the bullet.
• 8. Penetration – depth of entry on target.
 What is the difference
between Trajectory from
Parabola?
Trajectory and Parabola are
both curve path of the bullet.
Trajectory
Parabola
 Branches of Ballistics (Cont’d)
Terminal ballistics – deals with the
effects of the impact of the projectiles on
the target.
 Terminal ballistics (Cont’d)
• This includes the following:

• 1. Terminal accuracy – size of bullet groupings

on the target.
• 2. Terminal energy – force of the bullet when it
strikes the target.
• 3. Terminal velocity – speed of the bullet upon
striking the target.
• 4. Terminal penetration – depth of entry of the
bullet in the target.
 Branches of Ballistics (Cont’d)

Forensic Ballistics - is actually involves in

the Investigation & identification of firearms by
means of bullets/cartridges fired through them.
A firearm, being harder than a bullet and
cartridge case.
Every time you fire a cartridge on it, its
signature leaves on its fired bullet and a thumb
mark on its fired cartridge case.

Impressed marks – Direct pressure contact

Striated marks – Sliding contact
 Forensic Ballistics (Cont’d)

• This includes the following:

– 1. Filed Investigations – This is the job done

by the first officers on the case in the field or
the officers of the case when they investigate
a case or cases wherein firearms had been
used.
 Sketching the Crime
house
0 meters

100meters

Light
pole
Bullet Impacts in side of car
Elevation View (Side View)
Exploded View
Bullet holes in
Birds eye view wall

Exploded
view
Paraffin Casting of shooting victim
b.) TECHNICAL EXAMINATION –
refers to the examiners who examine
bullets/ or shells, whether fired from
also whether or not cartridges were
loaded and ejected made by the
suspected firearms submitted. Reports
are made by the examiners and
testify in court regarding their reports.
Removal of bullets from the cadaver
Collection of fired cartridge cases at the crime scene.
Conducting autopsy
Conducting Autopsy
c.) LEGAL PROCEEDINGS – Court Trials –
wherein the ballistics report of the firearm
examiner and the ballistics exhibits are
presented during the trial of the case in a
court justice.
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT OF MAN’S WEAPONS

1. Stones 6. Bows & Arrows

2. Clubs 7. Cross-Bows
3. Knives 8. Guns and
4. Spears and darts 9. Missiles
5. Slingshot
Firearms for Ballistics Examination
Firearms for Ballistics Examination
Firearms for Testing Firing
 What is
Firearm?
Slide

Barrel

Trigger

Frame
“Firearms” or “Arms” are herein used includes
rifles, muskets, carbines, shotguns, revolvers, pistols
and all other deadly weapons from which a bullet,
ball, shot, shell or other missile may discharge off by
means of gunpowder or other explosives. The term
also includes air rifles except such as being of small
caliber and limited range used as toys. The barrel of
any firearm shall be considered a complete
firearm for all purposes hereof (Sec. 877, Revised
Administrative Code)
FIREARM
Refers to 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 this Act, the
barrel, frame or receiver is considered a
firearm. (Section 3 (L) of the Republic Act No.
10591, May 29, 2013)
What are the laws of
Firearm?
• Revised Administrative Code
(RAC) Sec. 877 Defines Firearm
• Act No. 2711, March 10, 1917
• PD NO 1745- JUNE 29, 1983
• P.D. No. 1866, June 26, 1983
• R.A. No. 8294, June 6, 1997
• R.A . NO. 10591,MAY 29, 2013
• (COMPREHENSIVE FIREARM AND
AMMUNITION REGULATION ACT)
 What are the four
(4)types of Firearm?
1. Revolver - a hand firearm in which a
rotating cylinder successively places
cartridges into position for firing.
2. Pistol - a hand firearm usually applied to
simple shot and automatic loading.
3. Rifle - a type of weapon designed to be
fired from the shoulder.
4. Shotgun - a smooth-bore weapon
designed to shoot a number of lead
pellets in one charge.
 Why barrel is complete firearm?

• Because once you insert a cartridge

correspond to the caliber of the barrel
& strike the primer with any pointed
hard object, the tendency is to
explode, & once it explode, the bullet
will pass through a rifled barrel & will
attain its highest momentum &
stability in flight in penetrating power.
 What is the purpose of the rifling in a
barrel?

• To impart rotary motion of the bullet in

order to attain maximum penetration.
 Why there are toy guns (Replica) are
prohibited by law?
• .Because there are toys guns that are
the same sizes with real guns which
can be used to harm or threatened
individuals and to commit a crime. It
can be also modified by replacing the
parts with steel in order to propelled
cartridges.
 GUNPOWDER

Is the propellant which, when ignited by the primer flash, is

converted to gas under high pressure and this propels the bullet or
shot charge through the barrel and to the target.

TYPES OF GUNPOWDER

1. Black powder – (Quick flash and considerable smoke). Is

the oldest propellant, Black powder consists of irregular grains which
depending on the manufacturing process, have either a dull or shiny
black surface. When fired it produces large volume of grayish smoke
and considerable residue is left in the barrel. When ignited, it also
burns with reasonable great rapidity.
 Standard Ingredients for Black Powder
Potassium Nitrate - - - - - - - 75%
Sulphur - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10 %
Charcoal - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15%

2. Semi – smokeless - medium rate flash with

less smoke.

3. Smokeless Powder – Is a type of powder

commonly used now in modern small arms
ammunition? It is the most powerful of the
propellants. Smokeless powders are manufactured
from nitrate cotton, commonly called Nitrocellulose.
 TWO MAIN CLASSES OF SMOKELESS POWDER

• 1. Single – Base Propellant – contains only

pure nitroglycerine gelatinized with nitro –
cellulose.

• 2. Double – Based Propellant – are those

having nitro-cellulose and nitroglycerine as
their major ingredients, accompanied by one
or more minor phthalate, inorganic salts, etc.
How to Mark firearms & its
Cartridges
Markings on Cylinder
•Marked cylinder shows chamber
•Under the hammer
 Cylinder marks

Note direction
of cylinder Fired
rotation
Unfired Unfired

empty Unfired

Unfired

Note caliber and brand of

ammunition
 Forensic Ballistics (Cont’d)
– 2. Technical examinations of the ballistics
exhibits – This is the job performed by
Firearms Examiners within the laboratory
involving marking of evidence fired bullets,
fired cartridge cases, evidence firearms, test
firing of evidence firearms to obtain test
bullets/cartridge cases for comparative
examination. Photomicrography, preparation
of comparative charts and the final reports on
findings & conclusions of Firearms
Examiners.
, Forensic Firearms Examiner conducted microscopic examination
& comparison of evidence fired cartridge case found at the crime
scene with the test cartridge cases from suspected firearms.
PRINCIPLES OF FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION

–Based on the theory of two things,

marked by one & the same tool will
bear the same markings.
– Likewise, no two things marked by
two different tools will bear the
same markings.
 BULLET IDENTICATION
• 1. No two barrels are microscopically identical as to the
surface of their bores all posses individual characteristics
markings of their own.

• 2. When a bullet is fired from a riffled barrel, it becomes

engraved by the rifling, and this engraving will vary on its
minute details with every individual bore. So it happens
that the engravings on the bullet fired from one barrel will
be different from that on a similar bullet fired from
another barrel. And conversely, the engraving on bullet
fired from the same barrel will be the same.

• 3. Every barrel leaves its signatures on every bullets

fired through it, just as every breech face leaves its
thumb marks on the base of every fired cartridge case.
 SHELL IDENTIFICATION
• 1. The breech face and the striker or firing pin of every
single firearm leaves microscopic individualities of their
own.

• 2. The firearm leaves its “Fingerprints” or thumb marks

on every cartridge it fires.

• 3. The whole principle of identification is based on the

fact that since the breech face of every weapon must
be individually distinct, the cartridge cases which it
fires are engraved by this individuality. The same
weapon are always the same, those cartridge cases
fired from different weapons must always be different.
 PROBLEMS IN FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION

1. Given a bullet, to determine the caliber, type

and make of firearm from which it was fired.
2. Given a cartridge case, to determine the
caliber and type of firearm from which it was fired.
3. Given a fired bullet and a suspected firearm,
to determine whether or not the bullet was fired from
the suspected firearm.
4. Given a fired cartridge case and a suspected
firearm, to determine whether or not the cartridge
case was fired from the suspected firearm.
 PROBLEMS IN FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION (Cont’d)

5. Given the two or more bullets, to determine

whether or not they were fired from one and the
same firearm.
6. Given two or more fired cartridge cases, to
determine whether or not they were fired from one
and the same firearm.
7. Given a firearm, and determine whether or it
is serviceable.
 General Characteristics
Class Characteristics
- that are determinable
prior to the manufacture
of the firearm. Such as:
1. Caliber or gauge
2. Nr of lands & grooves
3. Width of lands &
grooves
4. Depth of grooves
5. Twist & Pitch of rifling
Individual Characteristics
- that are determinable
after the manufacture of
the firearm. These
irregularities found in the
inner surface of the barrel
& on the breech face or
the breech block of the
firearm. As a result or
failure of the tool to make
them smooth as a mirror
beyond the control of
man.
Electronic Digital Caliper
 CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
Grooves
Right Hand twist
Lands
 Class Characteristics of Different Firearms

MAKE/MODEL TYPES CALIBER CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

Amalite Rifle .22 6R-G3X
Texas Scout Revolver .22 4R-G2X
Moroko Japan Pistol .22 5L-G+
Squibman Rifle .22 4R-G2X
Llama Revolver .22 Magnum 6R-G+
Star Machine Pistol 9mm 6R-G2X Browning
Sterling SMG 9mm 6R-G+
German Luger Auto Pistol 9mm 6R-G=L
Beretta Auto Pistol .380 6R-G2X Browning
Smith & Wesson Revolver .38 5R-G=L S&W type
Thompson SMG .45 6R-G2X Browning
Smith & Wesson Auto Pistol .45 6R-G2X Browning
 Class Characteristics of Different Firearms

MAKE/MODEL TYPES CALIBER CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

Llama Auto Pistol .45 6R-G2X
Colt Auto Pistol .45 6L-G2X –Colt type
Remington Auto Pistol .45 6L-G2X –Colt type
Grease Gun SMG .45 4R-G3X – Army Type
Ithaca Auto Pistol .45 6L-G2X – Colt type
Springfield Armory Auto Pistol .45 6L-G2X – Colt type
Swissvale Auto Pistol .45 6L-G2X – Colt type
AK - 47 Assault Rifle .30 4R-G3X Army Type
Garand Rifle .30 4R-G3X Army type
U.S. Carbine Round Nose .30 4R-G3X Army Type
Bullet Comparison Microscope
 Individual Characteristics

• Breech face marks

▪Ejector marks
• Magazine lip marks
• Extractor marks

• Chamber marks
Hairlines
Hairlines
Distance Determination Test
 Contact / Close Intermediate Distant
Close contact
Ejection pattern test

Firearm
Average point

= Casing locations
Ejection Pattern
Testing
Location of
shooter

Trajectory Analysis
Defensive Wounds

Gunshot wounds
Gunshot wounds
Gunshot Wounds
Gunshot Wounds
 Gunshot Wounds
• Entrance hole in
• If bullet strikes intermediate skull
object it will cause bullet to
yaw or tumble and will create
irregular shaped entrance
hole

• Called keyhole entrance

 Shotgun Wounds

• Close shotgun wound

 Shotgun Wounds
Intermediate shotgun wound
 Shotgun Wounds

Distant shotgun wound

 Gunshot Wounds

• If a bullet enters at an angle, there may be

an elliptical abrasion around the hole.
 Gunshot Wounds
Stippling
• Leaves small bruises or punctate
wounds on skin
 Gunshot Wounds
Tattooing
• Occurs when particles of burned or unburned
gunpowder are imbedded into skin
 Gunshot Wounds

• Close gunshot wounds will have dense

pattern of gunshot residue around wound
 Gunshot Wounds

• Dense pattern on net shirt

Gunshot Wounds
• Contact gunshot
wounds may have a
muzzle impression
around the wound
Gunshot Wounds
 Gunshot Wounds
• Skin may
stretch
beyond
its limits
and tear
around
bullet
wound
Gunshot Wounds
 Gunshot Wounds

• Gunshot wounds to head may cause eye

orbits to fracture and fill soft tissue with
blood.
• Giving appearance of beating
• Referred to as “raccoon eyes”
Forensic Ballistics –(Cont’d)
– 3. Legal Proceedings – (Court trials) –
wherein Ballistics Reports of the
Firearms Examiners and Ballistics
exhibits such as: Fired bullets, fired
cartridge case, evidence firearms and
allied exhibits are presented during trial
of the case in the court of justice.
Thank you!