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FIREARMS

IDENTIFICATION
Amidon Anan
Zury Azreen
NFI SERVICES

OBJECTIVE
AT THE END OF THE SESSION,
PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO
UNDERSTAND THE SCIENCE AND
FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES BEHIND
THE FIELD OF FIREARMS
IDENTIFICATION

SCOPE
DEFINATION
DUTIES
TERMINOLOGY
BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF FIREARMS
BASIC KNOWLEDGE OF
AMMUNITION DESIGN
MECHANISM OF FIRING
CYCLE OF FIRING
DATA BANK

DEFINATION
FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION IS THE STUDY
BY WHICH A BULLET, CARTRIGDE CASE
OR SHOTSHELL CASING MAY BE
IDENTIFIED AS HAVING BEEN FIRED BY A
PARTICULAR WEAPON TO THE
EXCLUSION OF ALL OTHER WEAPONS

DUTIES
COMPARISON OF AMMUNITION COMPONENTS
TO FIREARMS
TESTING FIREARMS TO DETERMINE IF THEY
FUNCTION PROPERLY OR NOT
EXAMINE CLOTHING AND OTHER ITEMS FOR
GUNSHOT RESIDUES AND/ OR SHOT PATTERNS
FOR MUZZLE- TO- GARMENT DISTANCE
DETERMINATION
DETERMINE CALIBER AND MANUFACTURER OF
AMMUNITION COMPONENTS

DETERMINE THE MANUFACTURER(S) OF


FIREARMS THAT MAY HAVE FIRED A
PARTICULAR BULLET OR CARTRIDGE CASE

TERMINOLOGY
BALLISTICS
It is a branch of applied mechanics
which deals with the motion and
behaviour characteristics of missiles
and accompanying phenomena

Ballistics is divided into:


INTERIOR BALLISTICS
EXTERIOR BALLISTICS
TERMINAL BALLISTICS

FIREARMS

RIFLED WEAPON
SMOOTH BORE
WEAPON

RIFLED WEAPON
REVOLVER
PISTOL
RIFLES, ASSAULT RIFLES
MACHINE GUNS
OTHERS

FEATURES OF RIFLED
WEAPON
BARREL CUT LONGITUDINALLY
NO OF LANDS AND GROOVES
DIRECTION OF TWIST (i.e. RHT or
LHT)
AMOUNT OF TWIST
RELATIVE WIDTH OF LANDS AND
GROOVES

SMOOTH BORE WEAPON


SHOTGUN:- a. Choked
b. Unchoked
MUZZLE LOADER
TRAP GUNS
IMPROVISED GUNS

Why is the
determination of calibre
important to the
forensic firearms
examiner ?

GENERAL RIFLING
CHARACTERISTICS
Calibre
Number of lands and grooves
Their dimensions
Direction of twist

What is a cartridge ?
Cartridges are single units of
ammunition comprised of :
A. Casing
B. Primer
C. Powder Charge and
D. Bullet

GUN POWDER
Black powder C, S, KNO3

Smokeless powder ( modern gun powder ) nitroglycerine / nitrocellulose ( single base or


double base gun powder )
Primer: Lead azide, lead styphnate, mercury
fulminate, lead thiocyanate, antimony
sulphide.

When cartridge
explodes.
Large volume of gas N2 , CO2 , CO
Heat
Flame
Smoke
Unburnt and half burnt gun powder

When the gun is fired


Increased pressure within the chamber
Only way out is through the muzzle end
Cartridge case distends, causing tool marks
from the gun chamber and breechface to be
transferred to the case and base
Bullets, pellets with other components pushed
out at high velocity
Bullets get rifling marks from the barrel
Percussion cap show specific firing pin mark
In automatic weapons, spent cases at the
scene

How is a cartridge fired in a


firearm ?
A. Cartridges fired in any firearm are subjected to a
series of steps during its operation :
1. LOADING
2. CHAMBERING
3. COCKING / ARMING
4. FIRING
5. EXTRACTING
6. EJECTING
B. The order of these steps is the same in all
firearms. What differs with each firearm is the
mechanism involved in achieving each step. For
eg in semi-auto, all steps in the cycle fire are
performed automatically when the trigger is
pulled, except firing of the next cartridge.

When projectiles leave


the muzzle end.
Flame, smoke, gas, powder,pellets,
bullets, wads, CO, etc.
Bullets travels spinning on its own axis

Pellets travel together and then begin to


disperse

TYPES OF EXAMINATIONSINFORMATION OBTAINED


What make and model of firearm was used?
Can be determined through class
characteristics/GRC/SAF.
RIFLED ARMS
From bullets calibre
number and width of
lands and grooves
angle and direction of
twist
ALL ARMS
From cartridges - calibre
position of firing pin
marks from breechface,
ejectors, extractor and
others

Was this particular


firearm used?
No two firearms will produce the
same markings on bullets or
cartridge cases.
These markings are individual
characteristics and can therefore be
used to identify a firearm.

OTHER INFORMATION
EXAMINATION
Bullet/cart. case,
security firm
Bullets/ cart. case
Pellets, wads, cart.
case
Bullet/cart. case

INFORMATIOIN
What kind of firearm
was used?
Was this particular
firearm used?
What kind of
shotgun ammunition
used?
What kind of rifled
ammunition was
used?

COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE
At the crime scene
1. Search for the firearm
2. Photograph the firearm in situ
3. Examine the firearm taking
particular note of the position of the
hammer and safety catch
4. Note position of cartridges and
cartridge cases in weapon, using
diagram if necessary. REMOVE THESE
AND DO NOT RETURN THEM TO THE
FIREARM
5. Render the weapon safe by removing
unfired cartridges

6. Note any odour of discharge


7. Normal powder fingerprinting
techniques are suitable at the scene
8. Search for fired bullets, cartridge
cases, wads and pellets, and any unfired
ammunition. Mark the location on a plan
and photograph these then collect them.
Package them individually in plastic or
paper bags
9. Remove bullets in a manner not likely
to cause further damage
10. Never interfere with the sights or the
adjustable choke of the weapon

Collection of evidence
from a suspect
Collect weapons and samples of
ammunition

Some of the important


Equipments
Comparison microscope
Stereo Microscope
Bullet Recovery Tank
Firing Range
Firearm/Ammunition
Reference Books/Library
Mobile Ballistic Box

Modern Integrated
Computerized systems
Drugfire System Acquired since 1998
Mybid since Dec 2004
Help to link crime and build database,
an area Chemistry Dept. was not able to
do so.

National Guns
Registration Exercise
With aid of these modern, integrated,
computerized identification systems, we
are now able to embark on a nationwide
Guns Registration Exercise.

Conclusion
A fired bullet or fired cartridge case can
be positively associated with a particular
firearm to the exclusion of all others, a
claim most other areas of forensic
science cannot make. Something like
mechanical fingerprint

PISTOL CARTRIDGE

SHOTGUN
SHOTSHELL

REVOLVER CARTRIDGE

RIFLE CARTRIDGE

PISTOL

REVOLVER

TYPICAL BOLT ACTION RIFLE

AUTO LOADING SHOTGUN

PUMP ACTION SHOTGUN

SMITH&WESSON, 38 SPECIAL CALIBRE REVOLVER


MODEL 49

JENNING FIREARMS, 22 LONG RIFLE CALIBRE


SEMIAUTO PISTOL, MODEL J-22

S&W 357 MAGNUM CALIBRE REVOLVER


MODEL 13-4

RG INDUSTRIES, 38 SPECIAL CALIBRE


REVOLVER, MODEL 31

RUGER 22 CALIBRE SEMIAUTO PISTOL


STANDARD MODEL

S&W 9mm LUGER SEMIAUTO

PISTOL, MODEL 910

DAVIS INDUSTRIES, 32 AUTO CALIBRE SEMIAUTO


PISTOL, MODEL P-32

RUGER, 9mm LUGER SEMIAUTO PISTOL


MODEL P 89

SIG SAUER, 9mm LUGER SEMIAUTO PISTOL


MODEL P226

BRYCO ARMS, 380 AUTO CALIBRE SEMIAUTO


PISTOL, MODEL BRYCO 58

GLOCK, 9mm LUGER CALIBRE SEMIAUTO PISTOL


MODEL 19

9mm LUGER CALIBRE ( FIOCCHI ) FMJ BULLETS

22 CALIBRE COPPER WASHED & PLAIN LEADBULLETS

38 / 357 CALIBRE PLAIN LEAD CAST BULLET

32 S&W LONG CALIBRE PLAIN LEAD AND COPPER


WASHED LEAD BULLETS

9 mm LUGER FMJ BULLETS

380 AUTO CALIBRE JHP BULLETS

25 AUTO CALIBRE FMJ BULLET

380 AUTO CALIBRE FMJ BULLETS

Mybid System

Drugfire

LAND IMPRESSION STRIATIONS


9 mm LUGER CALIBRE FMJ BULLETS FIRED FROM
A BROWNING PISTOL

GROOVE IMPRESSION
38 SPECIAL CALIBRE SJHP BULLETS FIRED
FROM A TAURUS REVOLVER

LAND IMPRESSION
9 mm LUGER CALIBRE FMJ BULLETS FIRED
FROM A RUGER PISTOL

LAND IMPRESSION

38 SPECIAL + P CALIBRE SJHP BULLETS FIRED


FROM A SMITH & WESSON REVOLVER

LAND IMPRESSION STRIATIONS

38 SUPER AUTO + P CALIBRE FMJ BULLETS


FIRED FROM A COLT PISTOL

BREECH MARKS
12 GAUGE SHOTSHELLS FIRED IN
AN UNKNOWN SHOTGUN

BREECH MARKS
38 SUPER AUTO CARTRIDGE CASES
FIRED IN A COLT PISTOL

FIRING PIN IMPRESSION

22 LR CALIBRE RIMFIRE CARTRIDGE CASES


FIRED IN A RUGER PISTOL

BREECH MARKS

357 MAGNUM CALIBRE CARTRIDGE CASES


FIRED IN A TAURUS REVOLVER

BREECH MARKS

38 SPECIAL CALIBRE CARTRIDGE CASES


FIRED IN AN RG INDUSTRIES REVOLVER

THE END

Terima Kasih

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