Forensic Ballistic

Question 1

1. What is ammunition and its parts?

Answer 1

○ A loaded cartridge

○ Consists of a primed cartridge case, propellant and with or without one or more projectiles.

Question 2

2. What are the three types of ammunition?

Answer 2

○ Centerfire
○ Rimfire
○ Shot shell

Question 3

3. What is a cartridge case?

Answer 3

○ Container for all other components that contains all the components of a bullet:

i. Cartridge
ii. Bullet
iii. Propellant
iv. Primer

Question 4

4. What material is a cartridge case made of?

Answer 4

○ Brass
○ Steel
○ Aluminum
○ Plastic

Question 5

5. What is a primer?

Answer 5

○ It starts the explosion for propellant to burn

i. Rimfire: Priming mixture in the rim cavity of the case
ii. Centerfire: Separate self contained primer assembled centrally in the head of the cartridge case

Question 6

7. What is a propellant

Answer 6

○ The chemical composition that fills the cartridge case.

○ When ignited by the primer, large volumes of gas are produced, propelling the bullet from the firearm.

Question 7

8. What is shotgun ammunition?

Answer 7

○ Differs from rifle and handgun

○ Designed to propel multiple pellets from a smooth bore firearm

Question 8

9. Define Calibre

Answer 8

○ Term designated for the specific cartridge which a firearm is chambered
○ There is no limit or rules on how calibres are named

Question 9

10. What is the gauge of a firearm and how is it determined?

Answer 9

○ Not a unit of length but a division of Weight

Question 10

11. How is ammunition identified?

Answer 10

○ Headstamp: Stamped on the head of the cartridge case or shotshell to identify the manufacturer.
○ Measurements: Measuring the case length, rim, shoulder, neck, bullet and cross referencing with manufacturing standards.

Question 11

12. What is a wildcat cartridge?

Answer 11

Altered existing cartridges to suit their own needs and are not mass produced
Any cartridge not standardized domestically within the SAAMI.

Question 12

13. What are the types of firearms?

Answer 12

○	Rifle
○	Handgun
○	Shotgun
○	Homemade/modified
○	Black powder: Rifles, pistols (muzzleloaders), revolvers

Question 13

What is the specific actions of a Rifle?

Answer 13

i. Bolt action
ii. Single shot or repeater firearm
iii. Lever action
iv. Self loading
v. Pump action

Question 14

What is the specific actions of a Handgun?

Answer 14

i. Pistol (Self loading)
ii. Revolver
iii. Double or single action

Question 15

What is the specific actions of a shotgun?

Answer 15

i. Single or double barrel
ii. side/side
iii. under/over
iv. Self loading
v. Break action
vi. Pump action

Question 16

14. What does a self loading pistol (glock) contain?

Answer 16

○ A mag, Barrel, Muzzle, Slide, Trigger, Frame, grip

Question 17

15. What is GSR?

Answer 17

Gun Shot Residue:
○	Smoke:  burning of the propellant
○	Gun must contain to produce GSR:
i. Lead
ii. Barium
iii. Antimony

Question 18

16. What is a handgun?

Answer 18

○ A firearm designed to be fired with one hand
○ Appears in 2 major types
i. Revolvers
ii. (semi)Automatic pistols

Question 19

17. What are the different types of shoulder arm guns?

Answer 19

○ Rifles
○ Automatic rifles
○ Machine guns
○ Shotguns

Question 20

What are the Land and Grooves in the rifle represent?

Answer 20

Part of Handguns & Rifles. It is the spiral ridges and valleys in the inside the barrel.
The raised portions between the grooves are called Lands.
When the bullet fires, it creates impressions of the microscopic imperfections of the interior barrel surface called striations or striae.

Question 21

What are the striations or striae represent?

Answer 21

When the bullet fires, it creates impressions of the microscopic imperfections of the interior barrel surface called striations or striae.
These striations or striae are then transferred to a bullet’s outer surface when it is fired.
Striations are considered to be unique to a particular barrel, through manufacturing and use.

Question 22

What is the difference between a round and a shell?

Answer 22

A round is a single cartridge containing a projectile, propellant, primer and casing.
A shell is a form of ammunition that is fired by a large caliber cannon or artillery piece.

Question 23

How is a shotgun different from a rifle?

Answer 23

A shotgun is like a rifle but fires many small, round pellets (grouped) or a single large slug.
Therefore, shotgun barrels do not have rifling and have a limited effective firing range.
Shotguns can fire pellets or slugs.
Shotguns do not have rifling but smoothed bore.

Question 24

What is the purpose of a Choke in a shotgun?

Answer 24

Choke is the Measure of Constriction of a Shotgun Barrel.

Intended to Group the Pellets, and Produce a Tighter Pattern at Impact.

Question 25

How if the The Size of a Shotgun Barrel is Measured?

Answer 25

in Gauge, Except for the Smallest, because the barrel’s internal diameter is wide

Question 26

What are the striations or striae represent?

Answer 26

When the bullet fires, it creates impressions of the microscopic imperfections of the interior barrel surface called striations or striae. These striations or striae are then transferred to a bullet’s outer surface when it is fired. Striations are considered to be unique to a particular barrel, through manufacturing and use.

Question 27

What are the two basic types of Ammunition?

Answer 27

bullets and shells.

Question 28

How is a bullet & Shell differ?

Answer 28

Bullets have a SINGLE solid projectile, propellant, a primer to ignite the propellant, and a casing to hold the components together until fired. Shells are similar to bullets, except that the PELLETS or shot must also be held together and WADDING is inserted between them and the propellant. The wadding maintains an even pressure on the pellets, pushing them all out of the barrel at about the same time.

Question 29

What does a primer do?

Answer 29

The primer is what ignites the propellant.

Question 30

What is a propellant?

Answer 30

The propellant is the fuel that propels the projectile down and out of the firearm’s barrel. (the black colour looking powder thing inside a bullet) Smokeless powder is the most common propellant by far. Black powder is the 1st [propellant used in firearms.