Firearms

Identifying a firearm that was used in a case

• can match a bullets rifling marks to a rifle that was used

• can match a round to a gun through serial numbers

• iron dust used to replicate obliterated serial numbers through a magnetic field

• these marks tested by re-shooting the weapon and comparing cartridge and rounds

Firearms terms:

The bigger the round the bigger the hole/damage

• Round = what you load the weapon with

• Bullet = the projectile at the tip of the round, what comes out when you fire the weapon

• Calibre = the internal diameter of the barrel in inches

• Rifling = spiral grooves inside the barrel, forces the bullet to spin and fly straight

How does gunshot residue work?

• firing a gun leaves residue on clothes, skin and surroundings like tables

• residue consists of gunpowder + what the bullets are made of

• identified by using Electron Microscopy

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