Evidence Beyond the Firearm

Evidence Beyond the Firearm


Fingerprints on Gun
Fingerprints may be found on casings but usable prints are rarely found on the firearm.

Obliterated and/or altered firearm serial numbers can sometimes be restored.

Firearms can be test fired to obtain known specimens for comparison to evidence ammunition components such as bullets, cartridge cases, and shotgun shell casings.


Trigger-pull examinations
Firearms examinations can determine the general condition of a firearm and whether the firearm is mechanically functional.

Trigger-pull examinations can determine the amount of pressure necessary to release the hammer or firing pin of a firearm.

Examinations can determine whether a firearm was altered to fire in the full-automatic mode.


Gauge and Manufacturer
Shot Pellets, Buckshot, or Slugs
Examinations of shot pellets, buckshot, or slugs can determine the size of the shot, the gauge of the slug, and the manufacturer.
Wadding
Examinations of wadding components can determine the gauge and the manufacturer.


Firearms Accessories
Shot pattern examinations can determine the approximate distance at which a shotgun was fired by testing a specific firearm and ammunition combination at known distances.

Silencers are muzzle attachments can reduce the noise of a firearm by suppressing sound during firing.
Testing can determine whether a muzzle attachment can be classified as a silencer based upon a measurable sound-reduction capability.

Gun Parts examinations can determine the caliber and model of gun from which the parts originated.




Link to Lecture Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vSTF...

*Due to the description character limit the full work cited for "Evidence Beyond the Firearm" can be viewed at... https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yBgZ...