Ballistics + Documents Test

Ballistics

Juveniles are the typical carriers of firearms.

The most used guns in crimes have been stolen and are typically semi or automatic.

Juveniles (Between 16 and 19) also tend to be the most frequent victims of gun violence.

Effective firearms have:

  1. reliability of firing

  2. accuracy

→ both need reliability

a good firearm adds:

  1. ergonomics

  2. caliber (barrel diameter)

Percussion Caps: contains a small amount of mercuric fulminate in a pre-made cap, the cap is attached to the nipple which leads to the barrel, the cap then can ignite the gunpowder in the barrel.

  • Percussion caps are more weather resistant than flintlocks.

Matchlock: uses a glowing wick to ignite the main powder charge

Wheel Lock: a spinner striker wheel created the sparks to ignite gunpowder in the pan (like a cigarette lighter).

Ballistics History

  • Begins with the invention of gunpowder (containing charcoal, saltpeter, potassium nitrate, and sulfer).

  • The first chemical explosive discovered by the Chinese- initially used to scare away evil spirits.

  • Initally, guns had the name “hand cannons” due to the hollow tube with one closed-off end, gunpowder, and a projectile.

  • These were NOT effective weapons due to: inaccuracy, slow to reload and often times were dangerous to the shooter.

  • There was an ADVANTAGE of gunpowder-based weapons: they were ranged weapons.

  • The development is now mostly in the military.

  • There was a new design: projectile-shaped for propulsive gas from escaping around the shot that was found.

    • This new shape allowed for weapons to shoot with farther trajectory and greater accuracy.