Ballistics Flashcards
What are the 4 areas of ballistics?
-Interior
-Exterior
-Terminal
-Wound
What is interior ballistics?
Study of projectiles in weapons
What is exterior ballistics?
Study of projectiles in the air
What is terminal ballistics?
Study of projectile penetration of solids
What is wound ballistics?
Study of projectile penetration of tissues
How does the wounding effect of a projectile occur?
Transfer of kinetic energy from projectile to tissue
What is the legal definition of a firearm?
‘A lethal barrelled weapon of any description from which any shot, bullet or missile can be discharged’
What is the role of the firearm?
-Discharge projectile with sufficient energy to kill
-Ensure projectile travels required direction
-Ensures bullets arrive at targets nose first
What are small arms?
-Explosive-operated small arms of every description
What are examples of small arms?
-Shotguns
-Rifles
-Pistols
-Revolvers
-Cattle killers
-Line throwers
-Nail guns
What is proofing of small arms?
-Compulsory and statutory testing of every new small arm before sale
What is reproofing of small arms?
-Similar testing of small arms which have been previously proved
What is a bullet?
The part of the ammunition that is projected from the firearm
What is a cartridge?
Metal or plastic casing which contains the primer and propellant and forms a gas tight seal with the bullet
What is the propellant?
A compound which will burn explosively to produce a large volume of gas within the cartridge
What is the rim?
Extraction feature
What is a headstamp?
-Details of calibre and manufacturer
-Series of letters, numbers, symbols, trade names
What is the primer?
Mixture of compounds that explode when compressed, igniting the propellant
Where can forensic evidence be found on a firearm?
-Firing pink mark
-Breech marks
-Rifling marks
-Ejector marks
-GSR
-Gun oil traces
-Fingerprints
-DNA
What is the role of ballistics?
Examine what happened to the bullet inside of the firearm during flight and when it reaches the target
What is the analysis of gunshot residue?
Examine the hands and or clothing for primer residue from a person who’s fired a weapon
What is physical fit analysis and microscopic comparisons?
Examine any marks that may have transferred to a bullet as it is fired from a weapon
What are rifled weapons?
Can be centrefire or rimfire, refers to location the firing pin will strike the primer
What are types of handguns?
-Pistol
-Revolver
-Single action
-Double action
