FORENSIC BALLISTICS
EFFECTIVE RANGE – the distance within which
 BALLISTICS – is derived from the Greek word
“Ballo or Ballein” which mean, TO THROW.
 “BALLISTA” – A gigantic ROMAN WAR
MACHINE that throw rocks.
 BALLISTICS – is the science of the motion of the
projectile and the condition that affects their motion.
 But Ballistics in not an exact science rather it is
applied science physics or applied science, which us
subject to changes and demands of the modern
civilization.
 MOTION – Refers to the mobility or movement
of a projectile from the time it leaves the shell
empty, it leaves the gun muzzle and until it reaches
its target or fall in the ground.
 PROJECTILE – refers to any metallic or non-
metallic ball which is propelled from a firearm.
 DIRECTION MOTION – is the forward motion
of the bullet or shots out of the shell by the action
of the expansive force of gases from a burning gun
powder.
 ROTARY MOTION – is the action of the bullet
passing through the rifled bore barrel FA which
is either twisted to the left or right.
 TRANSLATIONAL – is the action of the bullet
once it hits the target and subsequently ricochet.
BRANCHES OF BALLISTICS
1. INTERIOR (INTERNAL) BALLISTICS – it
treats of the motion of the projectile while it is still
inside the FA (chamber/barrel) which extends from
the breech to the muzzle. The condition attributed to
internal ballistics are as follows:
a. Firing pin hitting the primer
b. Ignition of the priming mixture – “Percussion
Action”
c. Combustion of the Gun Powder / Powder
Charge or Propellant
d. Expansion of the heated gas
e. Pressure developed / Energy Generated
f. Recoil – Rearward movement of the gun
g. Jump – backward and upward movement of the
gun
h. Velocity of the bullet inside the barrel – it is
the relative speed of the bullet per unit of time
while it is still inside the barrel expressed in feet
per second
i. Rotation of the bullet inside the barrel
j. Engraving of the cylindrical surface of the
bullet
2. EXTERIOR (EXTERNAL) BALLISTICS – it
treats of the attributes or movement of the projectile
after leaving the gun muzzle.
a. MUZZLE BLAST – is the noise created at the
muzzle point of the gun.
b. MUZZLE FLASH – light created at the muzzle
point of the gun.
c. MUZZLE ENERGY – energy generated at the
muzzle.
d. TRAJECTORY – Refers to the parabola – like
flight of the projectile from the time it leaves the
muzzle until it hits the target. It is also described
as the actual curve path taken by a bullets flight.
e. RANGE – It refers to the imaginary straight
distance between muzzle of the gun and the
target.
e.1. ACCURATE RANGE – the distance within
which when the shooter or gunner has control of his
shots.
e.2.
when the bullet was fired it is still capable to inflict
fatal injury.
e.3. MAXIMUM RANGE – the distance that a
projectile can be propelled from a FA. The farthest
distance the bullet could travel.
e.4. MAXIMUM EFFECTIVE RANGE – Farthest/
longest distance that the bullet inflicts fatal injury.
f. VELOCITY – refers to the rate of the speed of the
bullet (during its flight) per unit of time usually
express is per second (ft/sec).
g. PULL OF GRAVITY – It is the downward reaction
of the bullet towards the earth surface due to its
weight.
h. AIR RESISTANCE – refers to the force of the air
encounter by the bullet in its flight.
i. GYROSCOPIC MOTION – Stableness of the
bullet in flight.
j. YAW – unstableness of the bullet in flight
k. HANG FIRE – delay in discharge
l. MASFIRE – Failure to discharge
THE EVOLUTION OF FIREARMS / HISTORY OF
FIREARMS
HISTORY OF FIREARMS
 JOHN M. BROWNING – Wizard of the modern
FA and pioneered the breech loading single shot
rifled which was adopted by Winchester.
 SAMUEL COLT – Patented the first practical
revolver and the maker of the colt peace maker, a
famous revolver in the history.
 ALEXANDER JOHN FORSYTH – father of the
percussion powder.
 MAJOR UZIEL GAL – an Israel army wo
designed UZI in the year 1950.
 COL. GALVIN GODDARD – Father of modern
Ballistics developed the identification of FA from
the bullet that fired.
 JOHN GARAND – designed and invented the
semi-automatic U.S rifle Cal. 30. M1 Garand.
 GEORGE HYDE – A well-known expert in the
field of SMG (also known as grease gun) developed
in 1941.
 MICHAEL KALASHMIKOV – designed the AK
(Automat Kalashnikov) 47 (Soviet Union) Adopted
by the Russian army in the year 1951.
 EUGENE STONER – Designed the U.S M16
Armalite under licensed by colt Company from July
1959 onwards.
 HORANCE SMITH – Founded the great firm of
smith and Wesson and pioneered in making breech
loading riffles.
 L.C SMITH – Developed shotgun bearing his
name now the Ithaca gun Company.
 JOHN T. THOMPSON – Developed in the course
of WW1 the Thompson M1A1 and model of 1928.
Pioneered the making of Thompson sub machine
gun.
 DANIEL B. WESSON – Associate of Horace
smith in the making of revolver.
 OLIVER WINCHESTER – One of the Earliest
rifle and pistol maker.
 MAJOR PATRICK FERGUSON – Inventor of
the Ferguson rifle which is flint lock repeating rifle
operated on a revolving principle.
 COL. JOHN HALL – Inventor of hall Rifle 1st
breech loader adopted by the U.S. Army.
  CASIMIR AND EUGENE – Inventor of the pin
fire cartridge “Le faucher”.
 1242 A.D ROGER BACON – Black powder
formula (from the book “De Mirabili potestate Artis
et Nature” as On the Marvelous power of arts and
Nature.
 1498 Introduction of the rifling and sights
 1500’s – The Development of the Wheel Lock,
operates in the same principle as the modern-day
cigarette lighter. At mid of1500’s “snaphaunce was
developed
 1575’s Paper cartridge was developed. Ball and
powder charged were wrapped in chemically
treated paper to allow the carrying of numerous
premeasured charges or pre-loaded rounds.
 BENJAMIN TYLER HENRY – developed the
.44 cal. Rimfire catridge, 1st reliable lever action
repeating FA.
 BERTHOLD SCHWARTS – creator of
gunpowder Formula of gunpowder: Potassium
nitrate= 75%, Charcoal or Carbon= 15% and
sulfur =10%.
 JOHANN SCHULTZE – 1st create smokeless
powder for shotgun.
 PAUL M. VIELLE – 1st create Smokeless powder
for rifles.
 ALFRED NOVEL – Invented “Ballistite” and
dynamite
 HIRAM MAXIM – Inventor of Automatic
Machine Gun
 RICHARD JORDAN GATLING – Inventor of
Gatling Gun
 HIRAM S. BERDAN – Inventor of the berdan
type Primer that consist of 2 Flash holes.
 EDWARD BOXER – Inventor of the boxer type
primer that consist of 1 flash holes.
CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE ARM
A. TWO GENERAL CLASSIFICATION OF
FIREARMS (ACCORDING TO INTERIOR
BARREL CONSTRUCTION)
1. Smooth Bore Firearms = Firearms that have
no rifling (lands and grooves) inside their Gun barrel.
Ex: Shotguns and Musket
2.Rifled bore Firearms = Firearms That have
rifling inside their gun barrel.
Ex: pistols, revolvers
B. MAIN TYPE OF FIREARMS (ACCORDING TO
THE CALIBER OF THE PROJECTILE
PROPELLED)
1.ARTILLERY - refers to those type of firearms that
propels projectile with more than one inch Diameter.
Ex. Cannons, Mortars, And bazookas
2. SMALL ARMS - Are Firearms that propels projectile
with less than once inch diameter and it can be handled,
moved and operated by one man.
Ex: Machine Gun, Shoulder arms and
2.1MACHINE GUNS - Machine guns is a type of
firearm that is primarily designed for military use. Even
in investigation of shooting cases done in the city, it is
not usual or common to encounter this type of firearm
having been used.
2.2SHOULDER ARMS - Shoulder Arms are those type
of firearm that were normally fired from shoulder.
(Rifles, Carbine, Muskets and Shotgun)
 RIFLES - a shoulder weapon designed to fire a
projectile with more accuracy through a long-rifled
bore barrel, usually more than 22 inches
 CARBINE – A short barrel rifle, with its barrel
rifle, measuring not longer than 22 inches. It fires a
single projectile though a rifle bore either semi-
automatic or fully automatic, for every press of the
trigger.
 MUSKET – Is an ancient smoothbore and muzzle
loading military shoulder arms designed to fire a
shots or a single round lead ball.
 SHOTGUN – A smooth bore and a breech loading
shoulder arms designed to fire a number of lead
pellets or a shots in one charge (FBA manual).
The barrel construction of shotgun may also be
found in different bore construction.
(Cylinder bore type, Choke bored gun and paradox gun)
A. CYLINDER BORE TYPE – Which the bore size is
the same throughout the barrel.
B. CHOKE BORED GUN – designed with a
diminishing or reducing bore diameter type towards the
muzzle.
C.” PARADOX GUN” – still in a very rear occasions
another type of shotgun can be observed to be having
rifling only a few inches from its muzzle points.
2.3. HANDGUNS – Those type of Firearms that are
designed or intended to be fired using in hand.
A. PISTOL – In early Firearm history, all handguns are
generally called as pistols. There were three classes of
pistol in the period. The single shot pistol, the semi-
automatic and the revolving pistol now known as the
revolver.
B. REVOLVER- Revolver is a type of firearm
designed to position cartridge into position for firing
with the aid of a rotating cylinder serving as its chamber.
 SINGLE ACTION – a type of revolver that needs
a manual cocking of the hammer before squeezing
the trigger.
 DOUBLE ACTION – A type of revolver that does
not need manual cocking. Just press the trigger and
it both cocked and released the hammer causing a
much faster firing.
TYPES OF FIREARMS (ACCORDING OF
MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION)
1. SINGLE SHOT FIREARMS – Types of firearms
designed to fire only one shot every loading.
2. REPEATING ARMS – A type of firearms designed
to fire several loads (shot) in one loading.
(Ex. Automatic pistols, Revolvers, Rifle and
shotguns)
3. AUTOMATIC F/A – Type of firearms that
constitutes a continuous firing in a single press of
the trigger and while the trigger is press.
(Ex. Machine Guns and rifles)
4. SLIDE ACTION TYPE – Types of firearms in
which loading take place by back-and-forth
manipulation of the under/over forearms of the gun.
5. BOLT ACTION TYPE – Type of firearms in which
reloading takes place by manipulation the both back and
forth.
6. LEVER TYPE (BREAK TYPE) – Loading takes
place by lever action on the firearm.
MISCELLANEOUS TYPE OF GUN
1. CANE GUN, KNIFE PISTOLS, CELLPHONE
GUN, ETC – Devices principally designed for other
purpose to which a gun mechanism is incorporated also
called as freakish gun.
2. FLAIR GUN – designed for tracing or sending
signals or locating enemy troops.
3. FREAKISH GUN – A tool in which firearm
mechanism is attached to prevent easy identification.
4. GAS GUN – generally referring to all gun designed
from firing tear gas
5. HARPOON GUNS – refers to a barbed spear in
hunting large fish.
6. LIBERATOR – U.S government made smooth bore
gun used in Europe during war designed to fire an
automatic colt pistol cartridge caliber .45.
7. MULTI-BARRELED GUN – refers all type of gun
containing a number of barrels.
8. PARADOX GUN – A type of gun which contains
lands and grooves a few inches from the muzzle point.
9. TOOLS – are those devices which resembles a gun
designed but are generally used for construction of
furniture.
1. TRAPS – refers to gun used for trapping animals
that are fired to woods
2. ZIP GUN – refers to all type of homemade gun.
AMMUNITION
AMMUNITION LEGAL DEFINITION
Ammunition refers to loaded shell for rifles,
muskets, carbine, shotgun, revolver and pistols from
which a ball, shot shell or other missiles maybe fired by
means of gun powder or other explosive the term also
includes ammunition for air rifles a mentioned elsewhere
in the code
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
A. GENERAL TYPES OF AMMUNITION
A. DUMMY (USED AS A MODEL)
B. DRILL AMMUNITION (WITHOUT GUN,
POWDER)
C. BLANK AMMUNITION (WITHOUT BULLET)
D. LIVE AMMUNITION
B. CLASSIFICATION OF CARTRIDGE
(I. ACCORDING TO THE LOCATION OF THE
PRIMER)
a. PIN-FIRE – is a type of cartridge in ignition cap
(primer) is concealed inside the ,,,,, and has a pin resting
upon it.
b. RIM FIRE – is a type of cartridge in which the
priming mixture is located at the hallow rim of the case
can be fired if the cartridges tuck by the firing pin on the
rim of the case (cavity rim)
c. CENTER FIRE – refers to a cartridge in which
primer cup (ignition cap) is centrally placed in the base
of the cartridge case and the priming mixture is exploded
by the impact of the firing pin and with the support of
the anvil.
(II. ACCORDING TO RIM DIAMETER)
A. RIMMED CASE TYPE – rim is greater than the
body.
B. SEMI RIMMED TYPE – rim is slightly greater than
the body.
C. RIMLESS TYPE – rim is equal to the body.
D. REBATED TYPE – rim is smaller than the body
E. Belted type – Prominent raise belt around its body.
(III. ACCORDING CALIBER)
Calibers in cartridge in inches and their approximate
equivalent in mm an use:
 SHOT GUN CARTRIDGE – It refers to a
complete of unfired cartridge consisting of the
pellets, primer, case, Walds and gunpowder.
 GAUGE OF SHOTGUN – Compared with
other types of firearms, shotgun has very unique
characteristics in terms of its diameter
designation both for its firearm and cartridge
use.
TYPE OF SHOTS
1. SOFT OR DROPSHOTS – Made by pure or nearly
pure lead to which a small amount of arsenic has been to
make it take on the form of a spherical drop as it falls
down the shot tower. This type is easy t deformed or
flattened, loose their velocity quicker, low penetrating
power and string out more.
2. CHILLED OR HARD SHOT – is a type of shots
with a small amount of antimony mixed with lead to
increase hardness. It does not deform easily, better
patterns, less string and more uniform velocity and
penetration.
3. COATED OR PLATED SHOT – Also called as
“lubaloy” shot. A chilled shot coated with thin copper
through electroplating design for greater strength and
elasticity great resistance to deformation and leading and
better pattern.
4. BUCK SHOT – A large size lead shot from used in
shot gun
 BULLETS - The word “bullets” was derived from
French word “boulllette” which means a small ball.
This term is generally used when we are referring to
projectile fired from any small arms.
 BULLETS – Bullets have various types depending
upon their specific nature and purpose. In general
bullet can be classified as either lead or jacketed.
ACCORDING TO THEIR MAXIMUM EFFECT
TO THEIR TARGETS
1. BALL TYPE – is a type of bullet, which is 1
intended for anti-personnel and general use.
2. ARMOR PIERCING – is a type of military
bullet designed to penetrate light steel armor. Its
mechanical construction makes it capable of
penetrating through some light vehicles.
3. EXPLOSIVE BULLET – is a small bullet
containing a charge of explosive, which will
detonate on impact.
4. INCENDIARY BULLET – Type of military
bullet used to cause fire in a target, generally
designed to use by aircraft armament in order for
the fuel tanks to ignite.
 TRACER BULLET – a type of military bullet
capable of leaving visible marks r traces while in
flight giving the gunner the chance to observe
the