BESTLINK COLLEGE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Barangay. San Agustin Susano Road, Novaliches, Quezon City

NAME: DIAO, DICKS LEE RATING: ____________________

YEAR AND SCETION: 3rd Bscirim 3105 DATE PERFORMED: __________
PROFESSOR: Dr. URBANO DATE SUBMITTED: ___________

DETERMINATION OF THE PROBABLE GUNSHOT RANGE

I. OBJECTIVE:
1. To study the different characteristic patterns produced by firearms fired from
different distances.

II. MATERIALS: Clothing fired upon at range and clothing fired at different distances.

III. DISCUSSION:
When clothing is received in the laboratory with a request to determine the
probable distance from which the victim was shot it is first examined microscopically for
possible powder residues, singeing, burning, smudging, and powder tattooing. The
presence and amount of powder residues will depend upon a number of factors. If the
gun is discharged when held close to the body of the victim two types of discoloration will
be observed around the hole of entrance namely smudging and tattooing. This
observation is more pronounced when the ammunition used contains black powder.
Individual specks of tattooing around the hole are visible with the naked eye. The area of
blackening around the perforation will be found to diminish the size as the muzzle of the
gun is held at a distance of 8 inches, all the blackening around the hole will completely
disappear. A few individual specks of tattooing will be visible with the naked eye. If the
gun is held at a slightly greater distance from the target but within the range of the
powder blast which was estimated to be about 36 inches, partially burned and unburned
powder particles will be driven into the surface around the gunshot hole producing a
black coarsely peppered pattern called tattooing. Beyond a distance of 36 inches,
evidence of powder tattooing is seldom present. Nitrates particles maybe found present
even at the distance of about a meter but this will not be sufficient basis for gunshot
range determination.
Distances from which a firearm was discharged maybe classified into three zones
namely:
1. Those in which the muzzle of the gun was held directly in contact with the body
or practically so;
2. Those in which the muzzle of the gun was held from 2 inches to 36 inches away.
3. Those in which the muzzle of the gun was held 36 inches or beyond.

IV. PROCEDURE:
1. Examine closely each of the above materials visually and microscopically.
2. Observe for possible powder residues, singeing, burning, gaping hole,
smudging, powder tattooing and carbon collar.
 BESTLINK COLLEGE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Barangay. San Agustin Susano Road, Novaliches, Quezon City

V. OBSERVATION:
1. From the above findings and observations, fill up the table below:

Clothing Characteristic Pattern Possible Gunshot Range

Number Observed
Gaping hole / Smudging / Singeing/ 0 to 2 inches
1 Tatootooing
2 t 0 to 36 inches
Tatootooing
3 Smudging / Tatootooing 2 to 8 imches
4 Seldom 36 beyond
5 Tatotooing 0 to 36 inches

2. Illustrate/Sketch or Draw

a. Smudging b. Tattooing

c. Gaping Hole d. Carbon Collar

V. Conclusion:

Define the following:

a. Smudging

- It is happen when the gunshot is held within 2 inches to a maximum of 8 inches

away from the victim's body, dirty appearance deposited around the entrance wound
due to burned powder
 BESTLINK COLLEGE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Barangay. San Agustin Susano Road, Novaliches, Quezon City

b. Tattooing

- The figure of gunpowder size is depends on how the distance between the victim's
body
onto the distance of the perpetrator

c. Singeing

- It is the burning of the skin surrounded by the gunshot would when shot fired in a close
range.

d. Gaping Hole

- It is the hole of the bullet that penetrate inside the body of the victim and the entrance
hole of the bullet that can cause the entrance wound was blasted and destroyed.

e. Carbon Collar

- when it shot the victim's body and the entry hole of the bullet surrounds, the gunpowder
residue are deposited inside the skin of the victim that can cause blackened to the circuit
of the bullet hole.

2. Can the Forensic Chemist determine the probable gunshot range under the following
conditions? Support your answer.

a. The area surrounding the bullet hole is heavily stained with blood:

_ The distance of gunshot wounds is very crucial to analyze when heavily stained with
blood it is necessary to use the instrument that can be aid through the investigation.

b. The clothes worn by the victim is black:

- There are some ways to determine the gunshot residue to the victim's body under
clothes on black which are scanning electron microscopy it is the method to distinguish
presence of gunshot residue.

c. The victim is not clothed:

- When the victim's is no clothes when they are shot by the perpetrator they are some
ways to determine the distance travel of bullets going through the body of the victim
which is to observe the circuit of the entry hole of the bullet and the gunpowder residue
deposited through the body's victim.