Forensics, Ballistics

Ballistics

The study of bullets and firearms

Stock

support of the gun when it is against an individuals body

Rear and Fore Sights

used to accurately aim at a specific target

Safety

blocks the trigger from being completely pulled to prevent misfires

Trigger

lever which must be pulled in order to release the bullet

Trigger Guard

prevents accidental pulling of the trigger

magazine

storage place for ammunition prior to being loaded into the chamber

Barrel

metal tube which the ammunition travels through prior to exiting the gun

Muzzle

Located at the end of the barrel; where the ammunition exits

Chamber

portion on the barrel which the bullet is inserted before being fired

Bolt

inserts the bullet into the chamber

Firng Pin

movable pin which strikes the bullet and causes it to fire

Rifling

arrangement of spiral grooves on the inside of a barrel

Revolver

holds bullets in a revolving cylinder

Multi-chambered

consist of a cylidrical chamber surrounding the barrel which bullets are loaded into

Semiautomatic

fires one bullet per trigger pull; consist of an automatic reloading process

fully automatic

continuously releases bullets in one trigger pull until the trigger is released

Caliber

diameter of a bullet

Cartridge Casing

container which holds the components of the ammuniton together

Gunpowder

chemical mixture which burns rapidly and converts to a expanding gas when ignited

Primer

explosive chemical compound which ignites the gunpowder when struck by a firing arm

Wad

prevents gas from escaping through the shot and holds the shot together as it passes through the barrel

Projectile

Object expelled from the barrel usually containing lead, fired through a handgun barrel

Interior Ballistics

ammunition behavior from the time it has been ignited to the point at which it exits the firearm

Exterior Ballistics

study of how the bullet travels once it has exited the barrel via muzzle until it reaches its target

Trajectory

path a projectile follows while in flight

Terminal Ballistics

Focuses on the behavior of bullet once it strikes the target and the effect it has on the target

Gunshot Residue

consists of both burned and unburned particles from the explosive primer dispersed from the bullet once the firearm is discharged

Hammer

part of the gun that you pull down in order to pull the trigger

cylinder

where the bullets are held

barrel

part of the gun where the bullet fires out of

sight

shows you where to aim

muzzle

part of the barrel where the bullet shoots out of

trigger guard

round part surrounding the trigger

trigger

pull it to shoot the gun

stock

handle type of thing, also used to hit people with when you run out of bullets

How is ballistics used in forensic science?

determining the type of firearm used, type of bullet used, number of shots used, and the location of the shooter