To provide an understanding of the principles of Forensic Ballistics through firearms identification

and how they are used in forensic investigations… Let us familiarize ourselves with the Crime
Laboratory Office…

1. PNP Crime Laboratory Office (CLO) FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION DIVISION

Is one division of the PNP Crime Laboratory that is scientifically and technically competent
in firearms identification through the comparison of bullets and cartridge cases to a specific
firearm.
a. Mission
To provide scientific and technical assistance to the different units of the PNP, AFP and
other investigative agencies of the government in so far as firearms identification is concern.
b. Capabilities
The highly trained, capable, effective and credible Forensic Firearms Examiners,
Ballisticians and Technicians of the PNP Crime Laboratory are on 24 hours duty ready to respond
to crime scene anywhere in the country to conduct investigation of cases involving firearm.
c. Functions
The Firearms Identification Division is one of the “Core” Competencies of the PNP
Crime Laboratory devoted to the specific discipline of forensic firearms investigation and
identification. This office comprised of Forensic Firearms Examiners, Ballisticians and Firearms
Technicians with the following mandates:
1) Examines evidence firearms, fired bullets/cartridge cases, pellets, bullet fragments,
cartridge components and related specimen;
2) Conducts test firing of evidence firearms to obtain test bullets and cartridge cases for
comparison with the evidence bullets and cartridge cases;
3) Conducts scene of the crime operations and field laboratory works;
4) Appears and testify in court of justice anywhere in the country as expert witness;
5) Conducts lectures to different police/military institutions, government agencies, and
public and private schools upon request;
6) Conducts test firing and stencil tracing of firearms for licensing; and
7) Performs all other functions as may be directed by the Director, Crime Laboratory.

DIVISION OF FORENSIC BALLISTICS

1) FIELD INVESTIGATION – refers to the work of an investigation in the field. It

concerns mostly with the collection, marking, preservation, packing and transmission of firearms
evidences. It includes the study of the class characteristics of firearms and bullets.

2) TECHNICAL EXAMINATION – refers to the examiners who examine bullets and/or

shells whether fired from also whether or not cartridges were loaded and ejected made by the
suspected firearm submitted. Reports are made by the examiners and testify in court regarding
their reports.
 RIFLE – a type of weapon designed or
intended to be operated from the shoulder & uses the
energy of the gunpowder to propel projectile through a
rifled bore.

MUSKET – is an ancient smooth-bore and muzzle

loading military shoulder arm which are designed to
fire a single round lead ball in every charge.

CARBINE – a short-barreled rifles designed for mounted troops and the barrel of these are
not longer than twenty-two (22) inches.

SHOTGUN – a smooth-bore type of weapon designed to fire a

number of lead pellets or a single rifled slug in one charge.

PISTOL – is a magazine fed type of handgun designed

to fire a single projectile through a rifled bore for every press of the
trigger. It applies to a semi-automatic or self-loading pistols.

REVOLVER – a type of handgun equipped with a rotating cylinder, serving as a

magazine that successively places a cartridge into firing position. It can either be a single action or
double action.
 CALIBER/ BORE
DIAMETER OF THE
FIREARM
The caliber of the firearm is the
diameter of the bore of the barrel
measured
from land
to land in a
firearm.

BORE= the interior of the firearm

LAND = the raised portion between the grooves

GROOVES = low lying portion between lands, it gives a fired bullet spins so it flies.

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF LANDS & GROOVES? They make the bullet spin as it exits the gun barrel.

Mechanical Operation of Firearms

a) Single Action – a firearm that must be manually cocked before firing. The trigger
performs single function of releasing the hammer to fire the gun.
b) Single Action Semi Automatic – needs only be cocked for the first shot, the
hammer is cocked automatically for subsequent shots.
c) Double Action – a handgun that can be fired without first cocking the hammer.
The trigger performs two functions of cocking and releasing the hammer.
d) Gas Operated – An automatic/semi automatic firearm with a locked breech that
uses a small amount of the expanding gases created by the burning powder charge to cycle the
action.
e) Automatic – Technically, a firearm that chambers and fires rounds continuously
as long as its trigger is held down.
f) Semi-Automatic – a repeating firearm that uses some of the energy generated
upon firing to eject the empty shell and chamber a fresh round. Only one shot is fired each time
the trigger is pulled. It may also be called self loaders or autoloaders.