Firearms and Tool marks

Question 1

What does the Firearm and Tool mark unit do?

Answer 1

Classification, Identification (tool mark and firearm), gun testing, suppressor testing (silencer?), shooting scene reconstruction, distance detrmination, serial number restoration and present findings in court

Question 2

What are the three common type of firearms?

Answer 2

Handgun, shotgun and rifles

Question 3

How can you determine the difference between a shotgun and a rifle?

Answer 3

Rifles and pistols have a series of grooves, cut in a spiral pattern, down the interior of the barrel. Shotgun typically do not

Question 4

What are the three main types of ammunition and explain

Answer 4

• Rimfire: primer is in the rim of the cartridge
• Center fire: Primer is a separate self-contained component in the centre of the base of the cartridge
• Shotgun shell: typically also centre-fire, but is designed for a shotgun and is constructed differently from the other two types of ammunition

Question 5

What are the 4 components of centerfire and rimfire?

Answer 5

Bullet, cartridge case, powder and primer

Question 6

What are the 5 components of a shotgun?

Answer 6

Shot or slug, hull, powder, primer and wad

Question 7

What do you do in a firearm exam?

Answer 7

Record info, measurements, classification, test firing, range determination

Question 8

What do you do in a ammunition exam?

Answer 8

Calibre determination, microscope exam, test fire, disassemble ammunition, caliber determination

Question 9

T or F

Tool marks are either impressed or striated

Answer 9

True

Question 10

What are the three conclusions of an identification?

Answer 10

Identification, elimination, inconclusive

Question 11

What does IBIS stand for?

Answer 11

Integrated Ballistics Identification System

Question 12

What is IBIS

Answer 12

Rapid screening tool, acquired digital images of fire ammunition components and they are then correlated against other images in the databse

Question 13

How is distance determination done?

Answer 13

• Residue can be used to estimate how far away the muzzle was from the target
• Chemical testing, infrared photography can be used when FDR patterns are obscured in some way

Question 14

Does soot travel far?

Answer 14

No, Closer range= more residue, dark soot, medium range= soot doesn’t travel as far

Question 15

What are the three methods of applications for serial numbers?

Answer 15

Tamped, tolled and laser

Question 16

What happens in trajectory analysis?

Answer 16

Determination of direction and angle of impact and a backtrack vie laser to determine line of origin is used

Question 17

How are shooting scene reconstructions examined?

Answer 17

-Leave characteristics marks that a trained forensic examiner can decode and help examine the scene