FORENSIC BALLISTICS

(FIREARM
IDENTIFICATION)
BALLISTICS

 Defined as the science of motion of

projectiles

 Derived from the Greek word

“BALLO” or “BALLEIN” which means
to throw and from the Roman war
machine “BALLISTA”
 BRANCHES OF BALLISTICS

Interior Ballistics

Exterior Ballistics

Terminal Ballistics

Forensic Ballistics
 INTERIOR BALLISTICS
• Refers to the motion of projectiles while still inside
the firearm.
 CHAIN OF REACTIONS THAT WOULD
TAKE PLACE IN INTERIOR BALLISTICS
Ω Pulling the trigger
Ω Firing pin strikes the primer
Ω Priming compound creates a small flame
Ω Flame ignites the powder charge
Ω Powder turns into a very high pressured
gas
Ω Gas pushes the bullet along as it travels to
the muzzle
 INITIAL VELOCITY

 The speed which the projectile

moves through and out of the
bore.
 EXTERIOR BALLISTICS
o The motion of projectiles from
the time it leaves the muzzle.
 PARTS OF EXTERIOR
BALLISTICS
∆ Muzzle Blast
∆ Bullet Trajectory
∆ Effective Range
∆ Horizontal Flight of Bullet
∆ Back Curve
∆ Maximum Range
∆ Final Vertical Drop
 MUZZLE BLAST
⌂ Refers to the noise created at
the muzzle part of gun.
 BULLET TRAJECTORY
† Refers to the curve path of
bullet due to air resistance.
 EFFECTIVE RANGE

↔The maximum distance at

which the projectile can be
expected to be lethal.
 MAXIMUM RANGE
≈ The greatest distance a
projectile can travel.
 BULLET BOW SHOCKWAVE
╤ Has supersonic speed
meaning faster than the speed
of sound.
 AIR RESISTANCE/ AERO
DYNAMIC DRAG

Resistance encountered by
the bullet while in flight.
 PARTS OF AERO DYNAMIC
DRAG

‡ Bow Resistance

‡ Skin Resistance

‡ Base Resistance
 BOW RESISTANCE
Due to the pressure disturbing
at the head portion of the
bullet.
 SKIN FRICTION
Due to the disturbance at the
middle portion of the bullet.
 BASE RESISTANCE
Due to the pressure at the
base portion of the bullet.
 TERMINAL BALLISTICS
It is the study dealing with
the effect of the impact of the
projectile on the target.
 KINDS OF TERMINAL
BALLISTICS

∞ Terminal Accuracy

∞ Terminal Energy

∞ Terminal Penetration

∞ Terminal Velocity
 TERMINAL ACCURACY

√ Refers to the size of the bullet

grouping on target.
 TERMINAL ENERGY

Refers to the fatal equivalent

of the projectiles when strikes
the target.
 TERMINAL PENETRATION

Refers to the depth of entry of

the bullet to the target.
 TERMINAL VELOCITY

Refers to the speed of bullet

upon striking the target.
YAW
☺Unstable rotating motion of
the bullet.

GYROSCOPE

☺The stillness behavior of

rotating motion of the bullet
 FORENSIC BALLISTICS

The science of firearm

identification by means of the
ammunition fired through them.
 DIVISION OF FORENSIC
BALLISTICS

∆ Field Investigation

∆ Technical Examination

∆ Legal Proceedings
 FIELD INVESTIGATION
Refers to the work of an
investigator in the field.

It concerns mostly with the

collection, marking,
preservation, packing, and
transmission of firearms
evidence.
 TECHNICAL EXAMINATION

∆ Refers to the examiners who

examine bullets and/ or shells
whether fired from the
suspected firearms submitted.
 LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

• Presentation of Ballistics
reports, firearms, bullets,
cartridge cases, and allied
exhibits in court.
 METHODS OF LABELING THE
DISCOVERED EVIDENCE

‡ Put Initial

‡ Number the Evidence according

to the Sequence of Discovery
 EXAMPLES OF LABELING THE
DISCOVERED EVIDENCE
♥ PTP-1
♥ PTP-2
♥ PTP-3
♥ PTP-1-A
♥ PTP-1-B
 METHODS OF MARKING ORIGINAL
TEST FIREARM WITH SERIAL
NUMBER

1) Mark capital T
2) Identify last two digits of serial
number of the firearm
3) Number according to the
sequence of fire
EXAMPLES OF MARKING ORIGINAL
TEST FIREARM WITH SERIAL
NUMBER

1) T-21-1
2) T-21-2
3) T-21-3
METHODS OF MARKING PALTIC TEST
FIREARM WITH SERIAL NUMBER

1) Mark P
2) Identify the last two digits of
the serial number
3) Number according to the
sequence of fire
EXAMPLES:

∞ P-21-1
∞ P-21-2
∞ P-21-3
 METHODS OF MARKING PALTIC
TEST FIREARM WITHOUT SERIAL
NUMBER

1) Mark T
2) Mark P after the first digit
3) Number according to the
sequence of fire
EXAMPLES:

√ T-P-1
√ T-P-2
√ T-P-3
 METHODS OF COMPARISON
♣ Juxta Position
☻2 specimens are compared under the
comparison microscope at the same
direction, the same level and at the
same magnification.
♣ Intermarriage
☻2 specimens are compared through
combination under the comparison
microscope.
 CARTRIDGE

♂ Complete unfired unit

consisting of bullet, cartridge
case, propellant powder, and
primer.
 PARTS OF CARTRIDGE

♠ Bullet

♠ Cartridge Case

♠ Gun Powder

♠ Primer
 BULLET
 Refers to the projectile from a firearm.

 CARTRIDGE CASE
 Tubular metallic container sometimes called
shell.

 GUN POWDER
 Refers to the propellant of the firearm.

 PRIMER
 Metal cap containing priming mixture.
 MISFIRE
 Term when the gun fails to
fire.

 HANGFIRE
 Term when the gun fails to
fire on time.
 FIREARM

♦ Refers to the instrument that

is used for the propulsion of
projectiles by means of
expansive force of gases
coming from burning
gunpowder.
♦ Includes rifles, muskets, carbines,
shotguns, revolvers, pistols, and all
other deadly weapons from which a
bullet, ball, shot shell, or other
missiles maybe discharged by means
of gunpowder or other explosives. The
term also includes air rifles except
such as being of a small caliber and
limited range used as toys. The barrel
of any firearm shall be considered a
complete firearm for all purposes
hereof.
 GROUPS OF FIREARM

Long Arm or Shoulder Arm

Short Arm or Hand Arm

 TYPES OF LONG ARM

↔Rifle

↔Musket

↔Shotgun

↔Carbine
RIFLE

• A firearm with a rifled barrel

designed to be fired from the
shoulder.
MUSKET

• Long smooth bored firearm

designed to prepare a single
shot.
SHOTGUN
• Shoulder gun with smooth
bored barrel (25-30 inches
long).
CARBINE

• A short barrel rifle (not longer

than 22 inches).
 TYPES OF SHORT ARM
HANDGUN

• Pistol

• Revolver
PISTOL

• Handgun that is magazine

feed.
REVOLVER

• Handgun having a revolving

cylinder.
GUSTAV GUN

• The largest gun ever in 1941.

TYPES OF GUN ACCORDING TO
RIFLING

• Smooth Bore Firearm

• Rifled Bore Firearm

 SMOOTH BORE FIREARM
• Has no rifling
Example:
• Shotgun
• Muskets
RIFLED BORE FIREARM
• Has rifling
Examples:
• Rifle
• Pistol
• Revolver
• Carbine
TYPES OF FIREARM ACCORDING
TO CALIBER

• Artillery

• Small Arms
ARTILLERY

• More than 1 inch bore

diameter
Examples:
• Cannons
• Bazooka
SMALL ARMS
• Less than 1 inch bore
diameter
Examples:
• Machine gun
• Shoulder arms
• Hand gun
 TYPES OF CARTRIDGE
ACCORDING TO LOCATION OF
PRIMER

• Pin Fire

• Rim Fire

• Center Fire
PIN FIRE

• The firing pin extends radially

through the head of the
cartridge case into the body.
RIM FIRE

• The primer is located at the

rim.
CENTER FIRE

• The primer is located at the

center of the head of the
cartridge.
TYPES OF CARTRIDGE ACCORDING TO
CONSTRUCTION

• Full Metal Jacketed

• Soft Point Partial Metal
Jacketed
• Hollow Point Partial Metal
Jacketed
 FULL METAL JACKETED

• Lead or steel core with copper

alloy jacketing (military use)
 SOFT POINT PARTIAL METAL
JACKETED
• Lead core exposed at the tip
(hunting use)
 HOLLOW POINT PARTIAL
METAL JACKETED
• Variant of soft point (hunting
and competitive shooting)
 NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY
ORGANIZATION (NATO)

• Standardized ammunition to
specifications to insure
interoperability and trajectory
matching of ammunitions
produced by its members
 CROSS INSIDE THE CIRCLE

• Indication of NATO
Ammunition
 KINDS OF SHOT OR PELLET
ACCORDING TO SIZE

• Birdshot
• Buckshot
• Slug
 BULLET

• Refers to a metallic or non-

metallic, cylindrical projectile
propelled from a firearm by
means of expansive force of
gases from burning gunpowder.
• Derived from a French word
“BOULETTE” means small ball.
PARTS OF BULLET
• Base
• Bearing Surface
• Cannelure
• Core
• Head Height
• Heel
• Jacket
• Meplat
• Ogive
• Point
• Shoulder
BASE
• A portion that receives the
thrust and heat of burning
gunpowder.
BEARING SURFACE
• Area of the bullet that
contacts the rifling
CANNELURE
• A ring depression around the
body of the bullet. Use to
receive the case crimp.
CORE

• The bulk of the mass in a

bullet.
HEAD HEIGHT

• Length from the shoulder to

the tip
HEEL

• The location on the bullet

where the bearing surface
begins
JACKET
• A material such as copper,
brass, or aluminum which
covers the entire core or
bullet.
MEPLAT

• The diameter of the

nose/point of the bullet.
POINT
• The most forward point of the
ogive.
SHOULDER
• The place of the bullet where
the parallel sides and the
ogive begins.
 CLASSIFICATION OF BULLETS

• Lead Bullets
• Jacketed Bullets
LEAD BULLETS

• Those which are made up of

lead. Soft point bullet which
cannot be used to shoot with a
high velocity because it will
deform during acceleration.
• Generally used for revolvers and
22 caliber rim fire ammunition.
JACKETED BULLET
• Those with a core of lead
covered by a jacket of a harder
material.
• Generally used for semi-auto
pistols/high velocity rifle.
 TYPES OF BULLET

• Hard Ball
• Armor Piercing
• Tracer
HARD BALL
• The standard projectile type
which is copper stealth giving
good penetration
 ARMOR PIERCING

• Hardened and steel cores and

fired against vehicles and
other armored targets.
• Generally used for M14 rifle.
 TRACER BULLET

• Contains compound at the

base usually barium nitrates.
It emits lights or smoke.
• Commonly used by aircraft
and M16 rifle.
 CARTRIDGE CASE/ SHELL/
CASING
• Refers to a tubular metallic or
non-metallic container which
hold together the bullet,
gunpowder and the primer.
PARTS OF CARTRIDGE CASE
• Rim
• Primer Pocket
• Flash Holes or Vents
• Head or Body
• Neck
• Cannelure
• Crimp
• Base
• Shoulder
• Extracting Groove
RIM

• Serves the limiting forward

travel of the cartridge.
PRIMER POCKET

• It holds the primer

 VENT OR FLASH HOLE

• The hole at the bottom of the

primer pocket through which
the primer “FLASH” imparts
ignition to the powder charge.
BODY
• Plugs the breach of the barrel
against the escape of the gas.
NECK
• Occupied by the bullet
CANNELURE
• A serrated groove found at the
neck that holds the end part
of the bullet.
CRIMP
• Part of the mouth that holds
the bullet in place.
BASE

• The bottom portion of the

case which contains the
priming mixture, the primer,
the caliber, the year of
manufacture and head stamp.
SHOULDER

• The portion which support the

neck.
 EXTRACTING GROOVE

• The circular groove near the

base of the case designed for
automatic withdrawal of the
case after each firing.
PRIMER

• A small, self contained

metallic ignition cap at the
center of the base of the
cartridge.
 PARTS OF PRIMER

• Primer Cap
• Priming Mixture
• Anvil
PRIMING CAP

• Container of the priming

mixture
 PRIMING MIXTURE

• Refers to a highly sensitive

chemical mixture contained in
a primer cup.
ANVIL

• Portion of the primer which

the priming mixture is
crushed by a blow from a firing
pin.
CORROSION

• The chemical wear and tear of

the gun barrel due to rust
formation.
EROSION

• The chemical wear and tear of

the gun barrel due to abrasion
and sliding friction.
KINDS OF PRIMER ACCORDING TO
PURPOSE

• Corrosive
• Non-corrosive
CORROSIVE

• Caused a speedy rusting of the

gun barrel
NON-CORROSIVE

• Does not cause rust on the

gun barrel
GUNPOWDER

• A chemical substance serves a

propellant
• Sometimes called low
explosives
 CLASSES OF GUNPOWDER

• Black Powder
• Smokeless Powder
BLACK POWDER

• The most dangerous

explosives to handle and store
because it can easily be
ignited by heat, friction, flame
or spark.
• Known as the oldest explosive
 SMOKELESS POWDER
• Most powerful propellant being
used
EXPLOSIVE

• Refers to any material capable

of undergoing an almost
instantaneous conversion
from one form to another
producing gases and heat.
 COMMON TYPES OF EXPLOSIVE

• Guncotton
• Trinitrotoluene (TNT)
• C4
• HMX
• Grenade
GUNCOTTON
• A nitrocellulose explosive
invented as smokeless
propellant for firearm.
 TRINITROTOLUENE (TNT)
• One of the most commonly
used high explosive in the
world which was discovered
for use in the dye industry in
1863.
C4
• An RDX plastic explosive
plasticized to be adhesive and
malleable.
HMX

• The most powerful explosive

in the world

• 29,900 ft./seconds
GRENADE

• A small bomb filled with

explosive which can be thrown
by hand.
 MARKS FOUND IN A FIRED
BULLET

• Land Mark
• Groove Mark
• Skid Mark
• Stripping Mark
LAND MARK
• Marks caused by land.
GROOVE MARK

• Marks caused by grooves.

SKID MARK
• Mark found when the bullet
starts move forward without
turning.
STRIPPING MARK

• Scratches on the bullet due to

worn out barrel which causes
the bullet to jump.
 MARKS FOUND IN A
CARTRIDGE CASE

• Striated Action Marks

• Impressed Action Marks
 STRIATED ACTION MARKS

• Produced when the cartridge

case moves laterally against
the inner surface of the
firearm
• Common to automatic and
repeating firearm
 IMPRESSED ACTION MARK

• Produced when the cartridge

case strikes the inner surface
of the firearm.
 2 GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS TO BE
CONSIDERED REGARDING BALLISTICS
EXAMINATION
• Class Characteristics
• Individual Characteristics
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
• Refers to the characteristics that are
determinable even before the manufacture
of the firearm.
 KINDS OF CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

• Caliber of the Firearm

• Number of Lands and Grooves
• Diameter of Lands and Grooves
• Width of Lands and Grooves
• Depth of Grooves
• Degree of Twist/Pitch of Rifling
• Direction of Twist
INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Refers to the characteristics that are
determinable only after the manufacture
of the firearm.
• Refers to the irregularities found in the
inner surface of the barrel and on the
breechface of the firearm as a result of the
failure of the tool beyond the control of
man.
TYPES OF PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS ACCORDING
TO RIFLING
• Steyr Type
• Smith and Wesson
• Browning Type
• Colt Type
• Webley type
BORE
• Refers to a cylindrical passage of a
barrel through which the bullet
travels.
.22 CALIBER
• The smallest caliber
.60 CALIBER
• The largest caliber
GUNPOWDER RESIDUE (GPR)
• Evidence to determine the
range/distance and to find out if a
person has fired a gun or not.
GONZALO ITURRIOZ
• The first person who used paraffin
test
PARAFFIN TEST
• A method which uses paraffin wax
with a hot temperature in order to
open the pores.
72 HOURS OR 3 DAYS
• Possible to take paraffin test
NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS (NAA)
• A more specific test employed by FBI
rather than the paraffin test.
PROPER LIFTING OF EVIDENCE FIREARM
• Insert a string in the trigger guard
PROPER MARKING OF BULLETS
• Mark at the ogive/nose or base.
PROPER MARKING OF CARTRIDGE CASE
• Inside or near the open mouth
• Outside or near the open mouth
PROPER MARKING OF SHOTGUN SHELL
• Scratch a part of the shell with knife
the initial with the ink or indelible
pencil.
PROPER MARKING OF SUSPECTED
FIREARM
• Use sharp pointed instrument at the
gun barrel or receiver.
BULLET COMPARISON MICROSCOPE
• Piece of optical equipment frequently
employed by firearm identification
expert for comparison.
SHADOWGRAPH
• Series of microscopic lenses use to
determine class characteristics.
HELIXOMETER
• Use to measure pitch of rifling
CALIBER
• Use to measure bullet diameter, bore
diameter and barrel length.
RULE IF ONLY BULLET IS RECOVERED
• Determine the caliber
 RULES IF BULLET AND SUSPECTED
FIREARMS ARE RECOVERED
• Compare the caliber of the two
• Compare the individual and the other
class characteristics.
 INTERNATIONAL BALLISTICS
IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (IBIS)
• A computerized identification system
that stores ballistics information on
bullets and cartridge cases
submitted as evidence in connection
with a crime.
MARSHALL AND TEMARI TEST
• Test to determine the distance of the
firearm.
GREISS TEST
• Detects presence of nitrates.
ABRASION
• Scratches caused by using improper
cleaning material.
SINGLE ACTION
• Manually cocks the hammer
DOUBLE ACTION
• Cocks and releases the hammer
simultaneously.
JOHN H. FISHER
• Invented the helixometer.
COL. CALVIN GODDARD
• Father of Ballistics
STYLUS
• Use to mark bullet, and cartridge in
the crime scene.
BALLISTIC PENDULUM
• Device measure the velocity of
muzzle and air drag.
BENJAMIN ROBINS
• Invented the Ballistic Pendulum.
KULIBRI
• Smallest firearm in the world.
MAGNUM
• The most powerful handgun in the
world.
SHAVING MARKS
• Marks commonly found in bullet from a
revolver due to poor alignment of cylinder.
BEST METHOD OF FIRING A REVOLVER
• Both eyes open
THE SECRET OF GOOD SHOOTING FORM
• Relaxed and natural position.
ACTION TAKEN AFTER THE DRAW OF THE
REVOLVER IS COMPLETED
• Touch the outside of the trigger
guard.
BAIL
• Earliest term for bullet.
BOTTLE NECK
• Type of cartridge designed to
accommodate large amount of
powder.
GAUGE
• Refers to the caliber of the shotgun.
CHRONOGRAPH
• Instrument use to measure the
velocity of projectile.
CORDITE
• A nitroglycerin smokeless powder
used primarily in England
MUSHROOM
• The capacity of certain bullet to
expand.
Good Luck and God Bless!!!