Ballistics Vocabulary Terms Flashcards
Ballistics
examination of firearms used in a crime.
Barrel
metal tube from which a shot charge was fired.
Breech
rear end of firearms barrel.
Bullet
a metal projectile.
Caliber
diameter of a bullet or the bore of a gun barrel.
cartridge
A complete unfired round of ammunition consisting of a cartridge case, projectile (bullet), primer and smokeless powder.
Fully automatic
weapon that continues to fire rounds as long as the trigger is held down and ammunition is available.
Gunshot residue
cloud of debris expelled from a firearm.
lands and grooves
raised and recessed spiral markings inside a firearm barrel that impart spiral to a bullet.
muzzle
the opening at the end of a firearm barrel.
pistol
handgun that does not have a revolving cylinder.
revolver
handgun that uses a rotating cylinder to hold and fire multiple cartridges.
rifle
A firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder.
shotgun
smooth-bore firearm designed to fire multiple projectiles or a single projectile from a shot shell.
rifling
spiral grooves machined inside a firearm barrel that impart spin to a bullet, leaving unique marks on the bullet that can be used to identify the weapon that fired it.
shell casing
metal or plastic container that holds the bullet, propellant (gunpowder), and primer in a firearm cartridge, and is ejected from the gun after firing.
Trajectory
the path of flight it follows from being fired to reaching its target.
NIBIS
database of digital images of cartridge cases and bullets recovered from crime scenes, used to link firearms to crimes and aid in investigations.
