FORENSIC

BALLISTICS
Firearms which propel projectiles of less than one inch in diameter.
 Smooth – bore – firearms which do not have rifling
Example: shotgun, muskets

 Rifled – bore – firearms, which contain rifling marks.

Example: Pistols, revolvers, and rifles
– small arms ammunition consists of cartridges used in rifles, carbines,
revolvers, and pistols, sub machineguns and shell used in shotgun.
 Caliber .22 – About 5. 56 mm.
 Caliber .25 – About 6. 35 mm.
 Caliber .32 – About 7.65 mm.
 Caliber .30 – About 7.63 mm. (mauser)
 Caliber .38 – About 9 mm.
 Caliber .45 – About 11 mm.
 Caliber .30 – About 7. 56 mm. (Luger)
– consist of a number of
helical grooves cut in the
interior surface of the
bore. The rifling in the
firearms may be divided
into the following types:
 Steyr type –four grooves, right hand twist, grooves and
lands of equal width. (4R G-L)
 Smith and Wesson type – five grooves, right hand twist,
grooves and lands of equal width (5R G-L)
 Browning type – six grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands
and broader grooves (6R G2X)
 Colt type – six grooves, left hand twist, narrow lands and
broader grooves (6L G2X)
 Webley type – seven grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands
and broader grooves (7R G3X)
 Army type – four grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands
and broader grooves (4R G3X)
 Microriflings- it appear as striated lines around the fired
bullet.
– is to impact a motion of rotation to a bullet during its passage inside the
barrel in order to insure gyroscopic in the flight, and so that it will travel
nose-on towards the target.
 Smoothbore firearms - firearms without rifling (land and grooves)
inside the barrel.
Example : Shotguns and muskets
 Rifled – bore Firearms – those that have rifling inside the barrel.
Example : Pistols, Revolvers, Rifles
 Artillery – Those types of firearm that propel
projectiles more than one inch a diameter
 Small Arms - Propel Projectiles less than 1 inch in
diameter can be operated by one man.
Example: Machine guns, shoulder arms and hand
arms
 Shoulder Arms – Fired at the shoulders
 Hand Arms - using one hand or both
 Single Shot F.A. – type of firearms designed to fire only one shot for every loading.
Example: Pistols, Rifles, Shotgun – single shot
 Repeating Arms - Fire several shots in one loading.
Example: Automatic Pistols, Revolvers, Rifles, and Shotguns
 Bolt Action Type - Reloading is done by manipulation of the bolt.
Example: Rifles, shotguns, machine guns
 Automatic Loading Type - After the first shot is fired, automatic loading or feeding of the
chamber takes place.
Example: Rifles, Shotguns
 Slide Action Type (Trombone) - Loading takes place by back and forth manipulation of
the under forearm of the gun.
Example: Rifles, Shotguns
 Lever Type (Break Type) - Loading takes place by lever action of the firearm.
Example Rifles, Shotguns
A. Military Firearms:
Example
 Pistols
 Revolvers
 Rifles
 Machine Guns

An M4 with an M203 quadrant sight

and vertical fore grip
 Example
 Pistols
 Revolvers
 Rifles
 Shot Guns

A Browning 9 millimeter
Hi-Power
 Example:
 Pistols
 Revolvers
 Rifles

M21 sniper rifle

 REVOLVERS – Cal .38
 Barrel Assembly
 Cylinder Assembly
 Frame or Receiver

 RIFLES – Cal .30

 Barrel Assembly
 Slide Assembly
 Stock Group

 PISTOLS – Cal .45

 Barrel Assembly
 Slide Assembly
 Frame or Receiver

 SHOT GUN – Gauge 12

 Barrel Assembly
 Magazine Assembly
 Stock Group
 REVOLVER .38
 Barrel Assembly
 Breech end point of entry of bullet
 Muzzle end point of exist of bullet
 Bore
 Rifling (lands and Grooves)
 Front sight
 Make
 Model
 Cylinder Assembly
 Chamber
 Extractor
 Extractor
 Racket
 Cylinder grooves
 Yoke
 Cylinder locking notches

 Frame or Receiver
 Top Strap
 Rear sight
 Breech face
 Frame or Receiver
 Top Strap
 Rear sight
 Breech face
 Hammer
 Spur
 Thumb latch
 Side plate
 Back strap
 Firing pin
 Butt
 Front strap
 Trigger guard
 Trigger
 Cylinder lock
 Right side stock
 Left side stock
 Trade mark (monogram)
 Serial number
 Barrel Assembly
 Breech end point of entry of bullet
 Muzzle end point of exist of bullet
 Bore
 Rifling (lands and grooves)
 Chamber
 Interlocking ribs
 Barrel lug
 Barrel link
 Barrel link pin
 Barrel lead (lead)
2. Slide Assembly
 Top strap
 Front sight
 Ejection port
 Rear sight
 Breech block
 Breech face
 Extractor
 Firing pin
 Firing pin stop
 Serration
 Trade mark
 Model
 Interlocking lugs
 Ejector
 Hammer
 Spur
 Grip safety
 Thumb safety
 Disconnector
 Back strap
 Butt
 Front strap
 Magazine well
 Right side stock
 Left side stock
 Trigger
 Trigger guard
 Model
 Plunger
 Serial number
 Recoil Plug
 barrel bushing
 Slide stop in
 Recoil Spring
 Recoil Spring
 Barrel – initiates the path of the bullet.
 Frame – houses the internal parts.
 Yoke – connecting pivots between the frame and
cylinder.
 Extractor – pull the empty shell from the cylinder
simultaneously.
 Extractor Rod – activates the extractor and is a locking
device.
 Center Pin – serves as a locking device for the cylinder.
 Center Pin Spring – holds the center pin in a locked
position.
 Side Plates – provide access to the internal parts.
 Side plate screw – hold the side plate and yoke in place.
 Hammer Block – safety device that prevents hammer blow to
primer.
 Double Action Gear – built into weapon allows double action
fire.
 Hammer - strikes the blow that initiates or ignites primer.
 Bolt – disengage center pin to allow opening of cylinder and
block the hammer.
 Thumb latch – actuates bolt to release the cylinder.
 Hand (pawl) – rotates the cylinder alignment for firing.
 Trigger – actuates the parts necessary to fire the weapon.
 Trigger Guard – guards the trigger from necessary action to
avoid accidental firing.
 Rebound slide – return trigger actuates hammer block, and
locks hammer.
 Trigger spring – provide energy for return movement of
rebound slide.
 Trigger Level –contact rebound slide to return trigger.
 Main Spring – provides energy to hammer to activate
firing mechanism.
 Strain Screw- controls tension of the mainspring.
 Trigger Stop – prevents excessive rearward movement
after hammer release.
 Racket – helps in the withdrawal of the Cartridges or
shells from the chambers of the cylinder.
 Cylinder Notch – it helps hold the cylinder in place
and aligned ready for firing.
Ammunition is a generic term meaning (the assembly of) a
projectile and its propellant. It is derived through French
from the Latin munire (to provide).

Ammunition– under the National Internal Revenue Code the

word “Ammunition” shall mean loaded shell for rifles,
muskets, carbines, shotguns, revolvers and pistols from
which a bullets, ball shot, shell or other missile may be
ammunition for air rifles.
 Bullet – the projectile propelled through the barrel of a
firearm by means of the expansive force of gases coming
from burning gunpowder.
 Cartridge Case – the tubular metallic container for the
gunpowder. Sometimes called shell or casing.
 Gunpowder – the powder charge which, when ignite by the
primer flash, is converted to heated gas under high pressure
and propels the bullet or shots charge through the barrel and
to the target. Sometimes called propellant or powder charge.
 Primer – the metal cup containing the highly sensitive
priming mixture of chemical compounds which when hit or
struck by the firing pin would ignite. Such action is called
percussion.
   
A modern cartridge consists of the
following:
1. the bullet itself, which serves as the
projectile;
2. the casing, which holds all parts
together;
3. the propellant, for example
gunpowder or cordite;
4. the rim, part of the casing used for
loading;
5. the primer, which ignites the
propellant.
 Pin – Fire – the pin extends radically through the head of the
cartridge case into the primer.
 Rim – fire – the priming mixture is placed in the cavity
formed in the rim of the head of the cartridge case. The flame
produced is in direct communication with the powder charge.
Used in the caliber’s .22, .25 and .45 Derringer pistols.
 Center – fire – the primer cup is forced into the middle
portion of the head of the cartridge case and the priming
mixture is exploded by the impact of the firing pin. The flame
is communicated to the power charge through the vents
leading into the powder charge.
 A) Rimmed type – the rim of the cartridge case is greater
than the diameter of the body of the cartridge case is
greater than the diameter of the body of the
cartridge case. Example: Cal. .38 and Cal. .22.
 B) Semi – rimmed type – of he cartridge case is slightly
greater than the diameter of the body of the cartridge case.
Example: Cal. .38 auto, pistol, .32 and .25.
 C) Rimless type – the rim of the cartridge case is equal to
the diameter of the body of the cartridge case. Example:
Cal. .45 Auto Pistol .30 Carbine .223.
 According to the type of firearms used
 Revolver cartridges – used in revolver
 Pistols cartridges – used automatic pistol
 Rifles Cartridges – used in rifles
 Shot Cartridges – used in shot gun