Ballistics

Question 1

What is rifling?

Answer 1

Grooves inside the barrel, increasing accuracy by making bullets spin

Question 2

What are the 2 parts of rifling to look for?

Answer 2

Lands (raised) and grooves (lowered)

Question 3

What is calibre?

Answer 3

Numerical approximation of diameter of bullet

Question 4

What is calibre different from?

Answer 4

Diameter ( barrel is deliberately smaller)

Question 5

3 different types of cartridges

Answer 5

Rimmed, semi rimmed and rimless

Question 6

What is NABIS

Answer 6

National ballistics international service

Question 7

Where are firing pin marks found?

Answer 7

Head stamp

Question 8

What is the head stamp?

Answer 8

The bottom of a cartridge case

Question 9

What can we tell from spotting?

Answer 9

How far away from the target the weapon and firer were

Question 10

What class characteristics can you get from breech faces?

Answer 10

None (no known class characteristics)

Question 11

What is in the middle of an automatic cartridge?

Answer 11

Propellant

Question 12

What is inside a shotgun cartridge?

Answer 12

Shot and propellant powder

Question 13

What is unique to a shotgun cartridge?

Answer 13

Plastic wadding

Question 14

What gun does not have rifling in the barrel?

Answer 14

Shotgun

Question 15

Who is needed when a firearm/weapon is found?

Answer 15

ARV (armed response vehicle)

Question 16

What do you need from ARV before handling a firearm?

Answer 16

Red label - confirms weapon has been made safe

Question 17

What is the general rule for determining distance from shotgun spread?

Answer 17

2.5cm per metre

Question 18

What can affect the accuracy of determining distance from shotgun spread/ spotting?

Answer 18

Choke (narrows spread, if found, makes distance inaccurate)

Question 19

What can you get DNA from on ballistics evidence found?

Answer 19

UNFIRED cartridges

Question 20

How long does GSR stay on hands?

Answer 20

2-4 hours

Question 21

What is at the bottom of the cartridge?

Answer 21

Primer

Question 22

Difference of cartridges on revolvers and semi-automatic weapons

Answer 22

Cartridge stays in a revolver;
Cartridges in a magazine in a semi and ejected when fired

Question 23

How long does GSR stay on the face or hair?

Answer 23

6-12 hours

Question 24

How long does GSR stay on the surface of clothing?

Answer 24

24 hours

Question 25

How long does GSR stay on the inside of objects (clothing pockets, cars etc)

Answer 25

Indefinitely

Question 26

What are the 2 main components that make up GSR?

Answer 26

Antimony and Barium

Question 27

How relevant is finding a cartridge case and why?

Answer 27

Can be moved very easily, not too relevant and would depend on background information to determine the importance

Question 28

What does a coroner need to be able to be a coroner?

Answer 28

Either a medical or legal background

Question 29

What kind of deaths do coroners investigate?

Answer 29

Unknown deaths,
Violent or unnatural deaths,
Deaths in police custody, prison, or another type of state detention