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NOTES ON CRIMINALISTICS
FORENSIC BALLISTICS
Ballistics is the science of the motion of the projectile and the condition that
affects their motion. It is a science in itself for it is an orderly arranged knowledge, which
is a product of series of experimentation, observation and testing. Ballistics is not an
exact science rather it is applied physics or applied science, which is subject to changes
and improvement depending upon the demands of the modern civilization. Motion
refers to the mobility or movement of the projectile from the time it leaves the shell
empty, it leaves the gun muzzle and until it reach its target or fall in the ground. A
projectile is any metallic on non-metallic ball which is propelled from a firearm. Its
motion can be categories into three general types: Direct motion, Rotatory motion
and Translation motion.
3 Types of Motion
1. Direct Motion = is the forward motion of the bullet or shots out of the
shell by the action of the expansive force of gases from a burning gunpowder.
2. Rotatory motion = is the action of the bullet passing through a rifled
bore barrel firearm which is either twisted to the left or to the right.
3. Translational = is the action of bullet once it hits a target and
subsequently ricocheted.
Branches of Ballistics
1. Interior (Internal) Ballistics = it treats of the motion of the projectile while it is still
inside the firearm (chamber /barrel) which extends from the breech to the muzzle. The
conditions attributed to internal ballistics are as follows:
a. Firing pin hitting the primer
b. Ignition of the priming mixture
The priming mixture (composing of the KCLO3, sulfur and carbon) located
either at the cavity rim or at the center of the primer upon the striking effect of the
firing pin will ignite and such action is known as “Percussion action”.
c. Combustion of the gun powder/powder charge or propellant.
d. Expansion of heated gas.
e. Pressure developed
f. Energy generated
g. Recoil of the gun
Is the equal and opposite reaction of the gun against the forward
movement of the bullet upon explosion. The backward or rearward movement of
the gun in relation to the forward movement of the bullet.
Jump is another portion of the recoil action characterized as the backward
and upward movement of that takes place before the bullet leaves the muzzle.
h. Velocity of the bullet inside the barrel
It is the relative speed of the bullet per unit of time while it is still inside the
barrel expressed in feet per second.
i. Rotation of the bullet inside the barrel
j. Engraving of the cylindrical surface of the bullet
Firearms
Legal Definition of Firearm
Firearms or arms as herein used, includes rifles, muskets, carbines, shotgun,
pistol, revolvers, and all other deadly weapons, to which a bullet, ball, shot, shell, or
other missiles maybe discharge by means of gun powder or other explosives. This term
also includes air rifle, except such of being of small caliber and limited range used as
toys. The barrel of any firearm shall be considered a complete firearm for all purposes
hereof. (Sec 877 Revised Administrative Code/ Sec. 290 national Internal Revenue
Code).
Technical Definition
Firearm is an instrument used for the propulsion of projectile by means of the
expansive force gases coming from burning gunpowder. (FBI manual of Firearms
Identification).
A. Classification of Firearms
A. Two General Classification of Firearms
(According to Interior Barrel Construction)
1.Smooth Bore Firearms = Firearms that have no rifling (lands and grooves) inside
their gun barrel.
Examples: Shotguns and Musket
2. Rifled Bore Firearms = Firearms that have rifling inside their gun barrel.
Examples: Pistols, Revolvers, and other modern weapons.
C. Types of Firearms
(According of Mechanical Construction)
1. Single shot firearms = types of firearms designed to fire only one shot every
loading.
Examples: Single shot pistols, Revolvers and shotguns.
2. Repeating Arms = A type of firearms designed to fire several loads (shot) in one
loading.
Examples: Automatic pistols revolvers rifles and shotguns.
3. Automatic F/A = type of firearms that constitutes a continuous firing in a single
press of the trigger and while the trigger is press.
Examples: Machine guns and rifles
4. Slide Action type = types of firearms in which loading take place by back and
forth manipulation of the under/over forearms of the gun.
Examples: Shotgun and pistols
5. Bolt Action Type = Type of firearms in which reloading takes place by
manipulating the both back and forth.
Examples: Rifles, shotguns and machine guns.
6. Lever type (Break type) = loading takes place by lever action on the firearms.
Examples: Rifles and shotguns.
Ammunition
Legal Definition
Ammunition refers to loaded shell for rifles, muskets, carbine, shotgun,
revolvers and pistols from which a ball, shot shell or other missiles maybe fired by
means of gun powder or other explosive. The term also includes ammunition for air
rifles as mentioned elsewhere in the code. (Chapter VII, Sec.290 of NIRC as well as
Sec 877 RAC)
Technical Definition
Ammunition refers to a group of cartridge or to a single cartridge. Cartridge is a
complete unfired unit consisting of bullet (ball), primer (cap), cartridge case (shell) and
gunpowder (propellant).
Origin
The word cartridge was derived from the Latin word “Charta” meaning – a
“paper” and also from the French word “Cartouche” meaning – a rolled paper. This
only indicates that the first type of cartridge was made up of a rolled paper. It was about
the turn of the 16th century that the term “cartridge” comes to use.
Inches MM.
Cal. .22 about 5.59 mm- used in revolver, pistol and rifles
Cal. .25 about 6.35 mm- used in pistols and rifles.
Cal. .30 about 7.63 mm- (mauser) – for carbines and other rifles
Cal. .30 about 7.63 mm (luger)
Cal. .32 about 7.65 mm for automatic pistols and revolvers
Cal. .380 about 9 mm- used for pistols
Cal. .357 used in magnum .357 revolvers
Cal. .45 about 11 mm – used in automatic pistols
Cal. .50 used in .50 cal. Machine gun
Shotgun Cartridge
It refers to a complete unit of unfired cartridge consisting of the pellets, primer,
case, wads and gunpowder .
Gauge of Shotgun
Compared with other types of firearms, shotgun has very unique characteristics
in terms of its diameter designation both for its firearm and cartridge use. The unit of
measurement used in shotgun is expressed in Gauge. This is determined by the
number of solid lead balls of pure lead, each with diameter of the barrel that can be
prepared from one pound of lead. At present the 10-gauge shotgun is considered with
the biggest diameter while the .410 as the smallest one. Listed below are the
equivalents of diameter in gauge to inch.
Gauge Inch
10 .775 inch
12 .729 inch
16 .670 inch
20 .615 inch
28 .550 inch
.410 .410 inch
Types of Shots
1. Soft or Drop Shots = made by pure or nearly pure lead, to which a small
amount of arsenic has been added to make it take on the form of a spherical drop as
it falls down the shot tower. This type is easy to deformed or flattened, loose their
velocity quicker, low penetrating power and string out more.
2. Chilled or Hard Shot = is a type of shot with a small amount of antimony
mixed with lead to increase hardness. It does no deform easily, better patterns, less
string and more uniform velocity and penetration.
3. Coated or Plated Shot = also called as “lubaloy” shot. A chilled shot coated
with thin copper through electroplating design for greater strength and elasticity,
great resistance to deformation and leading and better pattern.
Buck Shot = a large size lead shot for used in shotgun
Bullets
The word “Bullet” was derived from French word “Boullette” which means a
small ball. This term is generally used when we are referring to projectile fired from any
small arms, which has a variety of form, especially during the earlier history. In a more
technical sense, bullet refers to a metallic or non-metallic cylindrical ball propelled from
a firearm it is sometimes called as shots or slugs.
Bullets have various types depending upon their specific nature and purpose. In
general bullet can be classified as either Lead or Jacketed.
Cartridge Case
Cartridge Case is the metallic or non-metallic tabular container usually of brass
(70% copper and 30% zinc) designed to unite the bullet, primer and the gunpowder into
one unit. It is also known as shell or casing.
Functions of the Cartridge Case
1. It locates the bullet properly relative to the bore of the firearm.
2. It is used to carry the means of ignition.
3. It provides gas seals at the breech against an unwanted escape of propellant
gas upon firing.
4. Serves as waterproof container for the propellant or powder charge.
5. Acts as the insulator between the propellant and the hot walls of the chamber
in a rapid firing of firearms.
Primer
Primer (also called CAP) is the ignition system of the cartridge used in a center
fire type, containing a highly sensitive chemical compound that would easily ignite or
bursts into flame when struck by the firing pin. It may either be Berdan or Boxer type. It
is also known as the percussion cup.
The Berdan is a type of primer construction, which was designed in 1860s by
Colonel Hiram S. Berdan of the U.S Army Ordinance Department.
The Boxer on the other hand, was developed by Col. Edward M. Boxer of the
Royal Laboratory at Woolwich Arsenal in the year 1866
Gun Powder
Gunpowder (also called as propellant or Power Charge) is that mixture of
chemicals of various compositions designed to propel the projectile by means of its
expansive force of gas when burned.
Two of the most popular individual whose name is always attached to
gunpowder discovery were Roger Bacon and Berthold Schwartz. Let’s take a short
description of how their names are always mentioned in the history.
Roger Bacon, (1242 A.D.) a Franciscan monk, who wrote the ---“De Mirabili
Potestate Artis et Naturae” (On the Marvelous Power of Art and Nature), including an
anagram.
Berthold Schwartz (whose real name was Constantin Anklitzen), a mysterious
monk of Freiburg, who according to legend that is supported by an engraving dated
1643, while experimenting on some powder in a cast iron vessel, he ignited a charge
and thus blew off the lid, and from this deduced the principle of containing a charge in a
tube and propelling a shot (Encyclopedia of ammunition).
The Black Powder
Black powder, the oldest known explosive, was initially made from saltpeter
(75%), charcoal (15%) and sulfur (10%).
These problems in the used of black powder was later remedied with the
introduction of the smokeless powder. According to Harrison, Captain E. Schultze of
the Prussian Army, made the 1st successful used of smokeless powder in shotgun in the
year 1864. (Although historically nitroglycerine compound was first discovered in 1846).
The basic ingredient used for smokeless powder is a nitrocellulose that was first
produced by adding a nitric acid to cellulose fiber.
Later, M. Vieille of French developed the first smokeless powder for riffle in the
year 1884 and named it “poudre B” taken after Gen. Boulanger’s name. In 1887, Alfred
Nobel invented a smokeless powder with nitroglycerine ( 40%0 and nitrocellulose (60%)
as the main composition and called it “Ballistite”. In Great Britain, they utilized picrid acid
in addition to cellulose powder which they called “Lyddite” and in germany TNT (Tri-
nitrololeune ) was the one used, more powerful than picric acid but much difficult to
detonate. Also In the year 1889, Prof. Abel, a British War dept. Chemist developed
“Cordite” a smokeless powder with same composition as Nobel in the form of cords or
sticks. And in early 1890’s smokeless powder had replaced black powder and became
uniformly used worldwide by the year 1900.
Firearms Characteristics
Stages in the manufacture of barrel
A. Drilling
B. Reaming
C. Rifling
This process necessary for the making of the helical groves inside the barrel and
such can be performed in any of the following methods:
1. Hook – cutter system (cutter)
2. Scrape – cutter system (scraper)
3. Broaching system – (broach)
4. Button – system (button)
D. Lapped
The Breech face
Just like any barrel of every firearm, the breech face also bears with it the same
important.
Types of Rifling
1. Steyer Type= is the type of rifling having four (4) lands and grooves, right
twist and the width of the lands grooves. (4 RG=L)
2. Carbine Type = rifling having (4) lands and grooves, right twist, the width
of the grooves is two (2) times the width of the lands (4RG2X).
3. Smith and Wesson = rifling having (5) lands and grooves, right hand twist
, the width of the land and grooves are equal. (5RG=L)
4. Colt = type of rifling having six (6) lands and grooves, left twist, the width of
the grooves is twice (2) the width of the lands. (6LG2X)
5. Browning = type of rifling having (6) lands and grooves, right hand twist,
the width of the grooves is twice the width of the lands. (6RG2X)
6. Webley = Rifling having seven (7) lands and grooves, right hand twist, the
width of the groove is three time larger than the boarder of the lands. (7RG3X)
7. Winchester = Rifling having six (6) lands and grooves, right hand twist, the
width of the grooves is three time larger the width of the lands.