PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFICATION (BULLETS)

1. No two barrels are microscopically identical as the surface of their

bores all possesses individual characteristics markings of their
own.

2. When a bullet is fired from rifled barrel, it becomes engraved by

the rifling and this engraving will vary in its minute details with
every individual bore. So it happens that the engraving on the
bullets fired from one barrel will be different from another bullet
fired from another barrel.

3. Every barrel leaves its thumb mark or fingerprint on very single

bullet fired through it just as every breech face leaves its thumb
mark on the base of every fired cartridges case.

PRINCIPLES OF IDENTIFICATION (SHELLS)

1. The breech face and striker of every single firearm leave

microscopical individualities of their own.

2. The firearm leaves its “fingerprints” or “thumb mark” on ever

cartridges case which it fires.

3. The whole principles of identification is based on the fact that

since the breech face of every weapon must be individually
distinct, the cartridges cases which it fires are imprinted with this
individuality. The imprints on all cartridges cases fired from the
same weapon are always the same; those on cartridges cases fired
from different weapons are different.

TYPES OF PROBLEMS: There are six (6) types of problems in Forensic

ballistic, namely:

Type 1-Given bullets, to determine the caliber and type of firearm from
which it was fired.

Type 2-Given a fired cartridge case, to determine the caliber and type of
firearm from which it was fired.

Type 3-Given a bullet and a suspected firearm, to determine whether or not

the bullet was fired from the suspected firearm.

Type 4-Given a fired cartridge case and a suspected firearms, to determine

whether or not the cartridge case was fired from the suspected firearm.

Type 5-Given two or more bullets, to determine whether or not they were
fired from only one firearm.

Type 6-Given two or more cartridges cases, to determine whether or not they
were fired from only one firearm.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS – Those which are determine prior to the

manufacturer of the firearm and are within control of man. These serve as
basis to identify a certain class or group of firearm.
 a ) Caliber (Bore Diameter) e ) Width of grooves
b ) Number of lands f ) Direction of twist
c ) Number of grooves g ) Pitch of rifling
d ) Width of lands h ) Depth of grooves

INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS – Those which are determinable only

after the manufacture of the firearm. They are characteristics whose
existence is beyond the control of man and which have random distribution.
Their existence in a firearm is brought about by the tools in their normal
operation resulting through wear and tear, abuse, militilations, corrosion,
erosion and other fortuitous causes.

SMALL ARMS – firearms which propel projectiles of less than one inch in
diameter.

TYPES OF SMALL ARMS GENERAL:

A. Smooth-bore – firearm which do not have rifling

Ex: shotguns, muskets

B. Rifled-bore – firearm which contain rifling marks.

Ex: pistols, revolvers, rifles

SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION – small arms ammunition consists of

cartridges used in rifles, carbines, revolvers, pistols, sub-machineguns and
shell used in shotgun.

EQUIVALENT OF CALIBERS IN INCHES AND MILLIMETERS:

a ) Caliber .22 – About 5.59 mm.

b ) Caliber .25 – About 6.35 mm.
c ) Caliber .32 – About 7.65 mm.
d ) Caliber .30 – About 7.63 mm. (mouser)
e ) Caliber .38 – About 9 mm.
f ) Caliber .45 – About 11 mm.
g ) Caliber .30 – About 7.56 mm. (Luger)

RIFLING – consist of a number of helical grooves cut in the interior surface

of the bore. The rifling in firearms may be divided into the following types:

A. Small type – four grooves, right hand twist, grooves and lands of equal
width. (4R G-L)

B. Smith and Wesson type – five grooves, right hand twist, grooves and
lands of equal width (5R G-L)

C. Browning type – six grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands and broader
grooves (6R G2X)

D. Colt type – six grooves, left hand twist, narrow lands and broader
grooves (6L G2X)

E. Webley type – seven grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands and broader
grooves (7R G3X)
F. Army type – four grooves, right hand twist, narrow lands and broader
grooves (4R G3X)

PURPOSE OF RIFLING – is to impact a motion of rotation to a bullet

during its passage inside the barrel in order to insure gyroscopic in the
flight, and so that it will travel nose-on towards the target.

PARTS OF CARTRIDGES

A. Bullet c. Gunpowder
B. Shell d. Primer

TYPES OF CARTRIDGES:

A. Pin-fire – the pin extends radically through the need of the cartridges
case into the primer.

B. Rim-fire – the priming mixture is placed in the cavity formed in the rim
of the head of the cartridges case. The flame produced is in direct
communication with the powder charge. Used in the calibers .22, .25 and .45
Derringer pistols.

C. Center-fire – the primer sup is forced into the middle portion of the head
of the cartridges case and the priming mixture is exploded by the impact of
the firing pin. The flame is communicated to the powder charge through the
vents leading into the powder charge.

TYPES OF CENTER- FIRE CARTRIDGES :

A. Rimmed type – the rim of the cartridges case is greater than the diameter
of the body of the cartridges case. Ex: Cal .38 and Cal .22

B. Semi rimmed type – the rim of the cartridge case is slightly greater than
the diameter of the body of the cartridges case. Ex: Cal. Super .38 auto,
Pistol, .32 and .25

C. Rimmed less type – the rim of the cartridges case is equal to the diameter
of the body of the cartridge case. Ex: Cal .45 Auto Pistol .30 carbine .223

PROCEDURE AT THE SCENE OF SHOOTING CASES

When an officer arrives upon the scene of a shooting case, he is usually

confronted by a condition of utter confusion. Neighbors and onlookers
are crowded around the place; relatives are weeping and hysterical. In
his career as an officer he will meet with other situations which
require as much as much poises tact and common sense when he
appears upon the scene of homicide.

His first duty is to clear the premises of all persons so that an intelligent
investigation is not a matter of five or ten minutes, but it requires that
a definite routine shall be followed, if mistakes are to be avoided.
 Things should be done, which may appear wholly unnecessary at the
time, but only to become vitally important later. One can never forces
the angels that will develop and it is far better to do a hundred things
unnecessarily than to miss doing one that might mean the solution of
the case. The victim is dead and will stay dead. The officer may be
important by reporters or other to do things which he is not yet ready
to do – to give statement to the press or to draw conclusion. In spite
of all persuasions, he should bear in mind that there is one purpose
and one purpose only, and that is to carry out an intelligent
investigation.

Upon receiving a cell to the sense of a shooting case, the officer should
always take along with him a loose-leaf notebook and fountain pen to
make notes at the time and on the place and not trust to his memory to
reconstruct the situation at his convenience.

When the officer is summoned on such an errand, his procedure should

follow a logical pattern. His observation should be put in writing at
the time of his investigation to keep for future references and to
produce in court if necessary. These steps are as follows:

1. Note accurately in writing the time he received the call and by whom
it was sent.
2. Note accurately the time he arrive at the scene and the correct
address.

These first two items seem to be trivial, but it is amazing how often
in court they become of vital importance. It is not uncommon that
the officer is unable to fix the time accurately within an hour to the
satisfaction of a jury.

3. He should ascertain if the victim is dead, and if not non-medical aid

or remove the body to a hospital, otherwise the body should not be
disturbed.

4. Immediately clear the premises of all bystanders and under no

circumstances allow anyone to touch or remove anything in the
vicinity.

5. Use every effort and means to identify the deceased.

6. Does the body lie where the shooting took place? Often, before the
officer arrives the body will be moved by a bystander. Frequently it
will be picked up off the floor and put a bed or taken from one room
to another.

7. Take the names and addresses of all witnesses and take written notes
on the statement of as many persons as practicable.

8. Photograph the body from all angels to show its relationship to doors,
windows, furniture’s and other objects in the room.

9. Measure with a tape the exact distance of the body with relation to the
previously mentioned fixtures of the premises.
10. Note in writing the exact position where he found the body whether he
found it lying on the side, back or abdomen that objects if any, were
in the hands; reports what was the conditions of the clothing and the
amount of bleeding.

11. Examine the ceiling, floor and furniture for bullet holes, blood stains,
fired bullets, fired shell or shotgun wadding.

12. If there is a firearm at the scene, he should mote in writing the

following observations:

a. Exactly where found.

b. Type of weapon – automatic pistol, revolvers, rifle, or shot
gun, caliber or gauge designation.
c. Make and serial numbers and at that time he should mark his
initials on the butt or frame of the weapon for future
identification.
d. Other distinct features.

13. At the crime scene note down where the empty shells, bullets and/ or
firearms where found and make a diagram to illustrates the same, to
show their relatives distances from the body of the victims,
Photograph if possible.

14. Be careful in handling a firearm found at the scene of the crime for
they may have latent fingerprint on the parts of the firearm. Note
down the type, kind, make caliber and serial number. If there are
fingerprints, submit said firearm to a fingerprint technician but be
sure that the firearm should not be disturbed.
15. Mark the empty cartridges cases inside or near the mouth by
scratching the initials to the investigation or the initials of the
victims.

16. Mark the bullets at the give (or nose) by scratching the
investigation’s initials of the victim but definitely NOT at the rifling
marks (landmarks and groove marks).

17. Mark the empty shotgun shells with indelible ink at the body.

18. The barrel of the firearms must be marked too.

19. After marking the empty shells and bullets, wrap them separately and
individually with soft tissue paper and note down on the wrapper
where each was found the time and date. The purpose of wrapping
them separately is to avoid being scratched.

20. When a lead bullet is found at the scene of the crime the body of the
victim, the presumption is that a Revolver was used.

21. When a jacketed bullets is found at the scene of the crime or in the
body of the victim, it can be measured that a presumed that a
Automatic Pistol or Automatic Weapon was used.

22. When an empty shell is found at the scene of the crime, the
presumption is an Automatic Pistol or Weapon was used.
23. When one empty shell is found at the scene of the crime, the
presumption is a Revolver was used.

24. In the bore of a barrel, the depressed portions are the grooves, and the
raised are the lands.

25. On a fired bullet, it is the reverse. The landmarks are the depressed
portions, and the groove marks are the raised portions.

26. To determine the real direction of the rifling twist in a rifled barrel,
peep thru the barrel, place a land or groove in inclines to the right,
then it has a right twist and if it inclines to the left, then the rifling
twist is left.

27. To determine the direction of the twist of a bullet, look on the bullets
in an elongated position. If the landmarks and groove marks incline to
the right, then it has a right twist and if it is inclines to the left, then
the rifling twist is right. If the inclination is left then it is a left twist.

28. A fired bullet will acquire the class characteristics of the bore of the
barrel from which it was fired. So therefore if a bore has class
characteristics of .45 caliber, .6 lands, .6 grooves, right twist, groove
wider than the land, each characteristics will be marked on the bullet
it fires.

29. It is the rifling of the bore that marked a fired bullet.

30. So if a fatal will have the same class characteristics as the bore of the
suspected gun, then it is possible that the bullets could have been
fired from the suspected gun.

31. To determine definitely if the bullet above was fired or not from a
suspected gun, then the case must be sent to a Forensic Ballistics
Experts who will conduct the proper examinations.

32. If two bullets do not have the same class characteristics, definitely
and conclusively they were NOT fired from the same barrels.

33. If a fatal bullets does not have the same class characteristics as the
suspected firearm (barrel), then conclusively the bullets was not fired
from said barrel.

The following are suggestions for the investigator to observe in testifying

in courts of justice:

1. Be prepared.
2. Be calm and well poised.
3. Tell the truth, nothing but the truth.
4. Be courteous.
5. Be natural and sit straight forward.
6. Do not volunteer.
7. Keep your temper.
8. Listen to the question asked before giving your answer.
9. Speak loud enough to be heard.
10. Watch your personal appearance and conduct in the courtroom.
11. Answer only what you are asked, no more.