3.

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF FIRED PROJECTILES AND CARTRIDGE

CASES
Aim: To collect, package, seal, and preserve and examination of various characteristics of
fired projectiles and cartridge cases
Materials required:
Glasswares:
Chemicals:
Miscellaneous:

Diagram:

Figure 1 Centrefire and rimfire Cartridge cases having firing pin marks

Figu
re 2 Breech face marks Figure 3 Extractor and Ejector marks
Theory:

The rifling of each weapon will possess a series of family resemblances which will be present
in all weapons of the same make and model. Correctly called ‘class characteristics’, they
relate to the number of lands and grooves, their direction of twist, inclination of twist, width
and profile. Whilst these dimensions can be extremely useful in identifying the calibre, make
and model of the weapon which fired a particular bullet, they cannot be used to individualize
the weapon. Whilst all weapons of the same make and model will have the same class
characteristics, statistically and empirically, it can be shown that no two weapons will have
exactly the same individual rifling characteristics. These individual characteristics are caused
by small defects in the rifling which are produced during the manufacturing process. They
are totally random and, as such, are as individual to a particular weapon as fingerprints are to
a person. These marks are called individual characteristics. It is thought by many that the
individual characteristics in a weapon’s rifling result from the actual cutter which makes the
rifling. Whilst the actual cutter does wear very slightly with each pass it makes, and factors
such as inclusions in the metal of the barrel and swarf build - up, do produce individual
characteristics, this is not the primary source of the marks used when individualizing a
weapon. The marks inside a barrel which characterize that weapon are not longitudinal, as
produced by rifling cutters, but are rotational or spiral. These rotational marks are produced
during the initial drilling and reaming of the weapon’s bore and, as such, are totally random.
They result from wear of the drilling tool, build - up of swarf on the cutting edge and hard
inclusions in the metal’s crystalline structure. Being rotational, they leave far more
characteristic marks on a bullet passing over them than longitudinal striations. Despite any
actions subsequent to the rifling, for example, lead lapping and ball burnishing, it is
exceedingly difficult to eradicate totally these rotational marks.
manually opened and the cartridge cases are ejected. Unless all the rounds have been fired
and the weapon has been reloaded, it is unusual to find fired cartridge cases from a revolver
at the scene of a shooting incident.
With fully automatic weapons and self - loading pistols, rifles and shotguns, the empty
cartridge case is automatically ejected from the weapon after firing. Unless there is a
mechanical fault, a fired cartridge case will always be found at a crime scene where one of
these weapons has been fired. In pump, bolt action and other repeating weapons, it is also
possible that after firing, the action will be manually cycled to load a fresh cartridge into the
chamber. During this process, the fired cartridge case will be ejected from the weapon. As a
result, a fired cartridge case will often be recovered from a crime scene where a repeating
weapon has been used. The absence of a cartridge cannot, however, rule out the use of a
repeating weapon. As in the case of fired bullets, these fired cartridge cases will also possess
‘class’ and ‘individual characteristics’. These class characteristics will include the position
and shape of the extractor claw (the hook at the end of the extractor which clips over the
cartridge rim to enable extraction) and ejector pin, marks made by the lips of the magazine
and feed ramp into the barrel, cut - outs on the standing breech face, marks made by the edge
of the ejector port on the slide and, in certain weapons, the actual shape of the tip of the
firing pin. These will, once again, enable the calibre, type, make and model of the weapon to
be ascertained with a high degree of accuracy.

Procedure:

Packing, sealing and disposal of examined case exhibit and case report
1. The exhibit(s) examined in the Ballistics Division are resealed alongwith their original
wrapper with the seal of the concerned reporting officer/division.
2. The cover of the sealed parcel should contain the case reference and details of articles
contained therein.
3. The sealed parcel(s) should be kept in the outgoing strong room of the division. 4. Hand
over the original report in sealed condition and sealed exhibit parcel(s) to authorized
messenger under proper receipt or send original report by registered post, wherever
necessary.
5. Keep the first copy of the report in case file.
6. Keep the second copy of the report in the master record file of the laboratory.
7. Send attested photocopy of the report, if forwarding authority requests, by registered post
or by authorized special messenger.

For comparison between test fired bullets and exhibits, following procedure should be
followed:

a) Test Firing
1. Conduct test firing with the available firearm.
2. Obtain at least two test bullets from each barrel or at least two test specimens. 3. Mark the
test bullets/test specimens.
b) Removing debris from bullet(s)/bullet fragment(s)
1. Any bullet(s)/bullet fragment(s) having biological fluids/residue should be handled with
gloves, eye wear, and rinsed in hypochlorate solution prior to any other examination.
2. Attempt must be made to remove loose material by hand or rinse with methanol. Light
brushing with an old toothbrush will help.
3. Swabs, moistened with methanol, lightly wiped over the surface, taking care not to
damage individual characteristics should be taken.
4. Stubborn residue may be removed by placing the item in a ultrasonic cleaner, then rinse
with methanol and allow to dry.
5. Acetic acid will remove plaster debris, but if caked on heavily it may need to be soaked
for several minutes.
c) Microscopic Examination
Class Characteristics Examination
1. Examination and measurement of class characteristic rifling marks on crime
bullet(s)/bullet fragment(s)(if firearm not available) under stereo/comparison microscope.
Essential class characteristic rifling parameters, a) direction of rifling (right/left) b) number
of lands and grooves c) Groove width/Land width and d) Twist of rifling must be
ascertained. Comparison of class characteristic data with the available data must be made
and the probable types of firearm involved must be ascertained.
2. Comparison of class characteristic rifling marks on test fired bullets with crime bullet(s)
under stereo and comparison microscope with specific reference to number of lands and
grooves, direction/angle of rifling, land width as well as groove width whether similar or
otherwise or insufficient. If class characteristics on test and crime bullets are similar, then
examination and comparison of individual characteristics must be made.
3. Fragmented bullet even having only one land and groove for tallying class characteristic
should also be compared with test bullets for individual characteristic marks.

Individual Characteristics Examination:

1. Examination and comparison of individual characteristic marks present on all
grooves/lands on test bullets must be made under comparison microscope and similar
individual characteristic marks on them should be identified.
2. Comparison of the identified individual characteristic marks present on the tests with
those present on the crime bullet(s)/bullet fragment(s) under comparison microscope whether
similar or otherwise or insufficient must be determined.
3. Comparison of inter se class as well as individual characteristic marks present on crime
bullet(s) whether similar or otherwise or insufficient to ascertain number of firearm involved
must be made.
d) Photo Documentation:
Photomicrograph(s) showing individual characteristic matching duly labelled, marked and
signed must be taken for record.
Note: Shotgun slugs/shots carrying sufficient comparable striations are to be compared with
the test fired slug/shot/test specimen for establishment of linkage.
Packing, sealing and disposal of examined case exhibit and case report:
1. The exhibit(s) examined in the Ballistics Division are resealed along with their original
wrapper with the seal of the concerned reporting officer/division.
2. The cover of the sealed parcel should contain the case reference and details of articles
contained therein.
3. The sealed parcel(s) should be kept in the outgoing strong room of the division. 4. Hand
over the original report in sealed condition and sealed exhibit parcel(s) to authorized
messenger under proper receipt or send original report by registered post, wherever
necessary.
5. Keep the first copy of the report in the case file.
6. Keep the second copy of the report in the master record file of the laboratory. 7. Send
attested photocopy of the report, if forwarding authority requests, by registered post or by
authorized special messenger.

For comparison between test fired cartridges and exhibits, following procedure should be
followed:

a) Test Firing:
1. Conduct test firing with the available firearm
2. Obtain at least two test cartridges from each barrel or at least two test specimens when test
firing is not possible.
3. Mark the test cartridges/test specimens.

b) Removing debris from cartridge case(s):

1. Any cartridge case(s) having biological fluids/residue should be handled with gloves, eye
wear, and rinsed in hypochlorate solution prior to any other examination.
2. Attempts must be made to remove loose material by hand or rinsed with methanol. Light
brushing with an old toothbrush will help.
3. Swabs, moistened with methanol, must lightly be wiped over the surface, taking care not
to damage individual characteristics.
5. Acetic acid will remove plaster debris, but if caked on heavily it may need to be soaked
for several minutes.

c) Microscopic Examination:
1. Examination and comparison of individual characteristic marks present on the test
cartridges under stereo/comparison microscope with special reference to firing pin and
breech face marks must be made. Other marks such as chamber, extractor, ejector, magazine,
etc. if available also should be examined and compared.
2. Comparison of individual characteristic marks present on the tests with those present on
the crime cartridge(s) under comparison microscope whether similar or otherwise or
insufficient should be made.
3. Comparison of inter se individual characteristic marks present on crime cartridge(s)
whether similar or otherwise or insufficient to ascertain number of firearms involved must be
made.

d) Photo Documentation:

Photomicrograph(s) showing similarities duly labelled, marked and signed for record must
be taken.

Observation:
Documenting the bullets observed.

Observation Table:
Bulle Direction No. of Weight Diameter Shap Striation Remar
t of twist lands of the of the e marks ks
no. and bullet bullet of the
groov (g) (mm) bullet
es

4
 5

Sr. Typ Headsta Bree Base Materi Weig Firing Extractor Chamber Sh Rema
N e mp ch Diamet al ht pin Marks/ marks a rks
o of Mark face er used (g) impres ejector p
. cartri mark (mm) sion marks e
dge s

Result: Various characteristics formed on fired bullets and cartridge cases were examined.