FORENSIC BALLISTICS

Ballistics
 It is a science which deals with the motion of projectiles.
Motion
 It refers to the movement of the projectile.

Kinds of motion
1. Direct
2. Rotary
3. Translational

Projectiles
 It refers to the bullets or slugs propelled

Ballistics
It is the science that deals with the motion, behavior, and effects of projectiles, especially
bullets, gravity bombs, rockets, or the like; the science or art of designing and hurling
projectiles so as to achieve a desired performance.

Ballistics

• It is a science dealing with the motion of bodies projected through space.

• Ordinarily, ballistics is concerned with projectiles fired from cannons or small arms, but
it may be concerned also with the free flight of bombs and the powered flight of rockets.

Origin of Ballistics
The word “Ballistics” originated from the Greek word ballo or ballein which means “to
throw”

It is also derived from a Roman war machine called ballista------a machine used to hurl a
stone or a catapult.
 Four (4) Branches of Ballistics

A. Interior (internal) Ballistics

B. Exterior (external) Ballistics
C.Terminal Ballistics
D. Forensic Ballistics

Interior Ballistics
treats of the motion of projectile while still inside the firearm. This extends from the “breech” to
the “muzzle” of the gun. In involves all reactions that take place while the bullet is still in the
gun. These include the following:

• Firing pin hitting the primer

• Ignition of the priming mixture
• Combustion of gunpowder
• Expansion of heated gases
• Pressure developed
• Energy generated
• Recoil of the firearm
• Velocity of the bullet
• Rotation of the bullet inside the barrel
• Engraving on the cylindrical surface of the bullet

Exterior Ballistics
treats of the motion of projectile after leaving the muzzle of the gun barrel. It refers to the
attributes and movements of the bullet after it has left the gun muzzle.

This branch involves the following:

1. Muzzle blast
2. Muzzle energy
3. Trajectory
4. Range
5. Velocity
6. Air resistance
7. Pull of gravity
8. Penetration

1. Muzzle blast
  the sound created at the muzzle end of the barrel of firearm after the explosion.

2. Muzzle energy
 energy generated after leaving the firearm.

3. Trajectory
 the actual pattern or the curved path of the bullet in flight.

Bullet Trajectory
The trajectory of a bullet is the path the bullet takes from the muzzle of the gun to the
target. It is not a straight linear line. The bullet begins to drop the second it emerges from the
barrel because of the force of gravity and air resistance. If the gun is fired horizontally to the
ground the trajectory is illustrated

range

Stages of Trajectory: target

1. Horizontal straight line

2. Parabolic like flight
3. Vertical drop
If the barrel is tipped up slightly the trajectory will look similar to this figure.

BULLET TRAJECTORY

THINGS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED ON

TRAJECTORY ANALYSIS
1. Notation
2. Conditions at the final position of the projectile
2.1 Distance travelled
2.2 Time of flight
2.3 Angle of reach
3. Conditions at an arbitrary distance x
3.1 Height at x
3.2 Velocity at x
3.2.1 Derivation
4. Angle θ required to hit coordinate (x,y)
 5. Trajectory of a projectile with air resistance

4. Range
 the distance between the firearm and the target.
o Effective Range - the maximum distance at which the projectile can be expected
to be lethal
o Maximum Range - the greatest distance a projectile can travel when fired at the
optimum angle of elevation of the barrel.

5. Air resistance
 air encountered by the bullet in flight.
6. Velocity
 the speed of the bullet
7. Pull of gravity
 the downward movement of the bullet.
8. Penetration
 the entry of the bullet on target.

IMPACTS INTO VERTICAL STRUCTURE

All entry angles can be determined by two planes:

Ground plane (G.P.) - The vast majority of the shooting incidents are in relationship of the
shooter on the ground surface.
The entry angle in relation to ground plane can only be in one of the three directions:
(a) Downward
(b) Parallel to ground plane
(c) Upward

This angle will determine the corresponding height of the muzzle of the weapon and
the course of trajectory relative to the impact.

Terminal Ballistics
treats the effects of the impact of the bullet towards the target
.
• Terminal accuracy - the size of the bullet grouping on the target.
• Terminal energy - energy of the bullet.
• Terminal velocity - the speed of the bullet.
• Terminal penetration - the depth of the bullet on target.
SHOTS BALLISTICS - deals with the attributes and properties of shots and pellets.

CHOKE - When the diameter of a barrel of a shotgun is the same throughout the bore, it is
called true cylinder.

The bore of the gun is sometimes constricted near the muzzle end. That is, the diameter
near the muzzle end is slightly smaller than the diameter of the bore of the rest of the barrel.
The barrel is said to be choked.

Full – if reduced by one mm; half if reduced by one-half mm; quarter if reduced by ¼
mm; and improved cylinder if reduced by about 1/10 mm.

The amount of spread in the shot is controlled by the choke. If a barrel will put 70
percent of its shot charge in a 30-inch (76-centimeter) circle at 40 yards (37 meters), it is called
full choke. Modified choke will deliver about 60 percent; improved cylinder about 50 percent. A
full choke 12-gauge gun will kill ducks that are about 60 to 65 yards (55 to 59 meters) away.

Chilled Shot – shotgun pellets made from lead especially hardened by the addition of a slight
amt. of antimony.

WOUND BALLISTICS – It is the study of the effects of projectile to human body.

Gunshot Wound (GSW). It is an open wound produced by the penetration of bullet slug
within the tissues of the body. The bullet which was propelled from the gun as well as the flame
from the heated expanded gases in short range fire is the one that produces injury.

Three Basic Kinds of GSW Distinguished by the Proximity of the Weapon

1. Contact – gun muzzle pressed against, or within an inch or two, of the body.
2. Close discharge – 6 inches to 2 ft.
3. Distance Discharge – over 2 ft. or 3 ft.

Range of Fire - an important aspect of forensic ballistics.

1. Muzzle Pattern – indicates contact wound and are often observed in suicide cases. The
whole charge (projectile, wads, if any, smoke, unburnt or semi-burnt powder particles
and hot gases) enter into the target. No burning, blackening and tattooing are observed.
Instead, they are observed inside the hole through careful examination. The edges are
found ragged (torn in star shape) and the wound is like an exit wound.
2. Scorching – caused by the flame or hot gases not by the ho0t projectiles as is commonly
believed. It is also known as burning or charring.
 3. Blackening – caused by the deposition of smoke particles by all types of powders at close
ranges. Being light particles, they soon lose their velocity and get deposited on any
material available in the path.
4. Tattooing (a.k.a. peppering) – caused by the embedding of unburnt and semi-burnt
powder particles into the surface of the target. These particles are slightly heavier than
the smoke particles. They retain motion to somewhat longer intervals and consequently
cause tattooing to a distance of about one and a-half times blackening range.

Other GSW Characteristics

1. Pink Coloration – caused by absorbed carbon monoxide in the skin and flesh.
2. Dirt Ring – deposited by some projectile (which carry greases on them) around the
wound. Existence of this indicates the entrance side of a firearm injury & does not
indicate range.
3. Contusion – caused by the impact of the projectile (reddish dark to bluish black - varies
somewhat with the age of the injury). It takes the form of a belt around the wound. It is
of uniform in thickness.
4. Foreign Materials – Their presence not only permits the identification of the firearms
injury but they also permit a fairly reliable guess of firearm.

1. Kind of weapon - The higher power the weapon is the more destructive to the tissues of
the body.
2. Caliber of the weapon - The higher the caliber of the wounding bullet, the greater will be
the size of the wound of entrance, hence, greater destruction to the tissues.
3. Shape and composition of the missile - The conical shape free end of the bullet slug has
more penetrating power but less tissue destruction, while bullet slug with hemispherical
free end had less penetrating but more destruction to the tissues.

* Some  bullets  were   made to be deformed   upon  heating   the target   like  the hallow
point, dum-dum and  soft  point   bullet. Bullets made of hard metals like the magnum 44 and
the armor-piercing bullet are not usually deformed upon hitting the target. Other bullets and the
fragments may cause further injury to the body. The tracer bullet is in flame during its flight to
the air and may caused burn upon hitting the body and this bullet is also used in targeting the
low flying airplane.

4. Range of fire - the injury is not only due to the missile but also due to the pressure of the
heated expanded gases, flame and articles of gunpowder.  However, in long range fire,
the characteristic effect of the bullet alone will produce the injury.
5. Direction of fire - A right angle approach of the bullet to the body will produce a round
shape wound of entrance in short distance fire, while in acute angle of approach the
bullet will produce an oval shape wound of entrance with contusion collar widest on the
side of the acute angle of approach and a tendency for the bullet to deflect to another
direction upon hitting the target.
6. Part of the body involved - When the bullet hit the soft tissues of the body; the bullet
penetrates and usually without any change in direction, however upon hitting the bones
and other hard body structures the bullet may fracture the bones causing further injury
or may deflect to another direction.
Description of the wound of entrance is based on the distance of the body from the fired gun

1. Contact fire. This is burst due to the explosion of the powder which produces the heated
and expanded gases.  There is burning of the tissues because it is within the flame zone;
singeing of the hair; and particles of gunpowder in and around the wound of entrance;
skin is separated from the underlying tissues in the affected area and the blasted tissues
are cherry red in color because of the presence of carbon monoxide; pressure of the
bullet will caused caving-in or excavation of tissues and the contusion collar is seen
around the wound of entrance. The size of the wound is rather small.
2. Near contact up to six inches distance. There is bursting of tissues, burning and
blackening of the skin as in contact fire but the particles of gunpowder are present inside
as well as around the wound of entrance. The shape of the wound maybe lacerated or
slit-like and the size is larger than the diameter of the missile. The excavation of tissues
due to the pressure of the penetrating bullet slug but it can be severe as in contact fire.
3. Distance above six inches up to 24 inches. The size of the wound gradually
approximates the size of the missile.  The farther the target, the lesser the burning or
blackening of tissues, gun powder tattooing, singeing of the hair and excavation of
tissues and lesser until they disappear beyond the 24 inches distance.

Differentiation between gunshot wound of Entrance and Wound of Exit

Differential points Wound of Entrance Wound of Exit

1. Size of the wound  smaller than the missile  bigger than the missile
2. Edge of the wound  Inverted Everted
3. Shape of the wound  Round or oval  no definite shape
4. Contusion collar  present in contact  absent
5. Gunpowder tattooing  and near contact fire  absent
6. Presence or absence  always present  maybe absent if the slug
7. Protrusion of tissue  Absent is lodged inside the body
8. Paraffin test  + in contact and near fire  maybe present
 negative

Determination whether the gunshot injury is Suicidal, Homicidal or Accidental

A. Evidence to prove that gunshot wound is suicidal

1.Accessibility of the involved part to the hand of the victim

2.Usually only one gunshot wound
3.Usually the distance is short range or class range
4.Presence of suicide note
5.History of frustration or despondency of the victim
6.Presence of cadaveric spasm on the hand of the victim
7.Exclusion of other evidences to prove that it is not suicide

B. Evidence that the gunshot wound is homicidal

 1. Wound is located at any part of the body
2. Victim usually at a certain distance from the assailant
3. Signs of struggle (Defense wound) maybe present in the victim
4. Disturbances of the surroundings.
5. Wounding weapon usually not found at the scene of the crime
6. Testimony from the witnesses

C. Evidence that gunshot wound is accidental

1. Usually only one gunshot wound

2. Wound located at any part of the body
3. Absence of personal grudge between the victim and the one who fired the gun
4. Testimony from witnesses

Take note:

Shotgun Wound - It is an open wound produced by the penetration of pellets or shots

within the tissues of the body. In shotgun fire, the pellets penetrate and usually lodged inside
the body and a tendency for a wider dispersion of pellets at a certain distance except in contact
and near contact fires.

Characteristics of the Shotgun Wound of Entrance

1. Contact fire - irregular with bursting of the affected tissues due to explosion of the
heated and expanded with accompanying flame causing burning of the skin and the
tissues. There is singeing of the hair; presence of wads and particles of gunpowder
inside the wound of entrance.
2. Near shot up to six inches distance. There is marked laceration of the skin
and destruction of tissues due to the pressure of explosion. The burning on the surface
of the skin and particles of gunpowder are present inside and around the wound of
entrance. There is singeing of the hair as well as pieces of wads inside and outside the
wound of entrance.
3. Distance about one yard. The pellets penetrate the tissues as one mass making the
wound with irregular edge of the wound of entrance. There will also be blackening of
tissues with slight burning, singeing of the hair or gunpowder tattooing.
4. Distance about two to three yards. The wound of entrance has a big central hole with
ragged edges and a few stray wounds of entrance around the central hole. At this
distance, there will be no more blackening or burning of the skin, gunpowder tattooing,
singeing of the hair and pieces of wads or near the wound of entrance.
5. Distance of four yards. A small group of pellets may penetrate the tissues producing a
central core, although plenty of pellets in a wider dispersion may produced separate
wound of entrance. The pellets dispersed about one and a half the distance in yards in
non-choked barrel while in full-choked bore the dispersion is one half less but there is a
wider dispersion in short barrel shotgun.
Points to consider in the reporting of gunshot and shotgun injuries

1. Detailed description of the gunshot and shotgun wound

2. Location of wound in the body
3. Measurement of the wound as to diameter and depth
4. Number of wound of entrance and exit
5. Direction and length of the bullet tract
6. Organs or tissues involved
7. Location of the slug if lodged in the body
8. Diagram, photograph, sketch or drawing of the gunshot or shotgun wound

Effects or complications of wound

1. Hemorrhage – Bleeding. It is the loss of blood from the ruptured vessel secondary to
trauma or existing pathology.
2. Direct mechanical injury - This is the direct damage to the tissues
3. Shock - It is disturbance of the balance of fluid in the body characterized by fall in blood
pressure, decreases blood flow or blood volume in the body.
4. Infection. It is the appearance, growth and multiplication of the micro-organism in the
living tissues.
5. Embolism. It is the clogging of the blood vessel by foreign bodies such as air or bits of
fats or septic embolus causing blocking to the blood flow to the distal tissues supplied
by the blood.

Points to consider in the reporting of wound:

1. Character of the wound
2. Location of wound in the body
3. Measurement of the wound - It is declared in inches, centimeters and millimeters.
a. Length
b. Width
c. Depth
4. Number of wound
5. Direction of wound
6. Organs involved
7. Severity of the wound
8. Period of healing or incapacity of the victim.

Other pieces of evidence in dealing with the wound

1. Evidence from the wounding weapon

a. Presence of blood stains, bits of tissues and other body fluids on the wounding
weapon.
2. Evidence from the victim as well as the assailant
a. Presence of blood stains, bits of tissues and other body fluids on the victim or
assailant
b. Presence of wound on the victim as well as the assailant
c. Effects or complications of wound such as found in the clinical manifestations on the
victim
 3. Evidence from the scene of the crime
a. Presence of blood stains or drops of blood on the streets or flouring, walls, furniture
and other materials at the scene of the crime
b. Presence of bits of tissues, torn clothing and other body fluids at the scene of the
crime

Take Note:

SIR SYDNEY SMITH – founder of the Medico-Legal Faculty at Cairo University and
later Regis Professor of Forensic Medicine at Edinburgh, was one of the leading exponents in
studying entrance and exit wounds, powder burns and powder “tattooing” on human skin and
other medical phenomena associated with gun fire.

Forensic Ballistics is the science of firearms identification by means of the ammunition

fired through them. It is actually involves in the Investigation & identification of firearms by
means of bullets/cartridges fired through them. A firearm, being harder than a bullet and
cartridge case. Every time you fire a cartridge on it, its signature leaves on its fired bullet and a
thumb mark on its fired cartridge case.
Impressed marks – Direct pressure contact
Striated marks – Sliding contact

Divisions of Forensic Ballistics

1. Field Investigation - refers to the work of an investigator in the field. It concerns mostly with
the collection, marking, preservation, packing and transmission of firearm evidences. It includes
the study of class characteristics of firearms and bullets. This is the job done by the first officers
on the case in the field or the officers of the case when they investigate a case or cases wherein
firearms had been used.

2. Technical Examination - refers to the examiners who examine bullets/ 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
report.

3. Legal Proceedings - presentation of the ballistics report of the firearm examiner and the
ballistics exhibits are presented during the trial of the case in a court of justice.
 Legal Definition of Firearms

Firearms” or “Arms”
as herein used includes rifles, muskets, carbines, shotguns, revolvers, pistol and all other
deadly weapons from which the bullet, ball, shot, shell or other missile may discharge of by
means of gunpowder or other explosives. The term also includes air rifles expect such as being
of small caliber and limited range used as toys. The barrel of any firearm shall be considered a
complete firearm for all purposes hereof (Sec. 877, Revised Administrative Code see also Sec.
290 National Internal Revenue Code).

A firearm is a weapon that fires either single or multiple projectiles propelled at high
velocity by the gases produced through rapid, confined burning of a propellant. This process of
rapid burning is technically known as deflagration. In older firearms, this propellant was
typically black powder, but modern firearms use smokeless powder or other propellants.

The term gun is often used as a synonym for firearm, but in specialist use has a
restricted sense—referring only to an artillery piece with a relatively high muzzle velocity and a
relatively flat trajectory, such as a field gun, a tank gun, an anti-tank gun, or a gun used in the
delivery of naval gunfire.

Firearms are sometimes referred to as small arms. Small arms are weapons which can be
carried by a single individual, with a barrel bore of up to approximately 0.50 inch (12.7 mm).
Small arms are aimed visually at their targets by hand using optical sights. The range of
accuracy for small arms is generally limited to about one mile (1600 m), usually considerably
less, although the current record for a successful Sniper attack is slightly more than 1 1/2 miles.

Technical definition of firearm

Firearm
It is an instrument used for the propulsion of a projectile by means of expansive force of
gases from burning powder.

Why barrel is complete firearm?

 Because once you insert a cartridge correspond to the caliber of the barrel & strike the
primer with any pointed hard object, the tendency is to explode, & once it explode, the
bullet will pass through a rifled barrel & will attain its highest momentum & stability in
flight in penetrating power.

What is the purpose of the rifling in a barrel?

 To impart rotary motion of the bullet in order to attain maximum penetration.
Why there are toy guns (Replica) are prohibited by law?
 Because there are toys guns that are the same sizes with real guns which can be used to
harm or threatened individuals and to commit a crime. It can be also modified by
replacing the parts with steel in order to propelled cartridges.

LAWS RELATING TO FIREARMS

• PD 1866
• RA 8294
• RA 10591