17 Questions
What is the primary concern of firearms identification in forensic science?
Determining if a bullet was fired by a particular firearm
Which branch of ballistics involves the investigation and identification of firearms using ammunition fired through them?
Forensic Ballistics
What is the main focus of field investigation in forensic ballistics?
Collecting and preserving firearms evidence
Which activity is performed during technical examination in forensic ballistics?
Inspecting bullets to determine if fired by the suspected firearm
According to the technical definition provided, what instruments are classified as firearms?
Rifles, muskets, carbines, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, and other deadly weapons
What category of air rifles are excluded from the definition of 'firearms' as per the Revised Administrative Code?
Air rifles of small caliber and limited range used as toys
What is the basis for the identification of cartridge cases/shells?
Unique markings on the breech face and striker of a firearm
What do the imprints on cartridge cases fired from the same weapon signify?
They are always the same
What are class characteristics in firearms identification based on?
Factory specifications before firearms manufacture
What are individual characteristics in firearms identification related to?
Determinable markings after firearm manufacture
How are class characteristics different from individual characteristics in firearms identification?
Class characteristics determine a certain group of firearms
What is the main reason that all cartridge cases fired from the same weapon have identical imprints?
Unique details found on the breech face of each firearm
What does wound ballistics primarily focus on?
Studying the effects of bullets on a target
Which type of gunshot wound occurs when the weapon is pressed against the body?
Contact
What is forensic ballistics primarily used for?
Identifying firearms through fired ammunition
What phenomenon does ricochet refer to in ballistics?
Bullet glancing off an object or skipping like a stone
What do shot ballistics study primarily involve?
Study of shots from smooth bore firearms like shotgun and muskets
Study Notes
Forensic Ballistics
- Refers to the investigation and identification of firearms through ammunition fired from them.
Division of Forensic Ballistics
- Field Investigation: involves collecting, marking, preserving, packing, and transmitting firearms evidence, including studying class characteristics of firearms and bullets.
- Technical Examination: examines bullets and/or shells to determine if they were fired from a suspected firearm and whether cartridges were loaded and ejected by the same firearm.
Firearms Identification
- A discipline of forensic science that determines if a bullet, cartridge case, or other ammunition component was fired by a particular firearm.
Firearms
- Defined as any instrument used to propel projectiles by means of expansive force of gases from burning gunpowder.
- Includes rifles, muskets, carbines, shotguns, pistols, revolvers, and other deadly weapons that can discharge bullets, balls, shots, shells, or missiles through gunpowder or other explosives.
Cartridge Case/Shells Identification
- Every firearm has unique microscopic individualities on its breech face and striker, leaving "fingerprints" or "thumb marks" on every cartridge it fires.
- The principle of identification is based on the fact that imprints on cartridge cases fired from the same weapon are always the same, and those from different weapons are different.
Governing Characteristics in Firearms Identification
- Class Characteristics: determined prior to manufacture, based on factory specifications, and identify a group or class of firearms.
- Individual Characteristics: markings peculiar to a particular firearm, determined after manufacture, and beyond the control of the manufacturer.
Terminal Ballistics
- Penetration: depth of entry of the bullet on the target.
- Phenomena that may occur: indentation, penetration, perforation, ricochet, fragmentation, detonation, combustion, and incendiary effects.
Other Branches of Ballistics
- Shot Ballistics: study of shots from smooth bore firearms like shotguns and muskets.
- Wound Ballistics: study of the effects of a projectile on a target and the conditions that affect them, including the nature and medical implications of physical injury and shock caused by bullets and explosively driven fragments.
Types of Gunshot Wounds
- Contact: gun muzzle is pressed against or within an inch or two of the body.
- Close Discharge: 6” to 2ft distance from the body.
- Distance Discharge: over 2 or 3 ft distance from the body.
Explore the field of forensic ballistics, focusing on the investigation and identification of firearms through ammunition. Learn about the divisions of forensic ballistics, including field investigation for evidence collection and preservation, and technical examination of fired bullets and shells.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
