CHAPTER V

GUNPOWDER AND OTHER EXPLOSIVES

In the investigation of crimes involving the use of firearms, three most important problems may arise and they are
the problem of:
1. Determination of whether or not a person has fired a gun with bare hands within a pertinent period of time.
2. Determination of the probable gunshot range i.e., the distance the firearm was held from the body of the victim at the
time of discharge.
3. Determination of the approximate time of firing of the gun or the approximate date of the last discharge.

TWO KINDS OF GUNPOWDER:

1. BLACKPOWDER – because of its inherent defects modern ammunition plants abandoned the use of this.
2. SMOKELESS POWDER – is the most widely used propellant. It can either be a single base propellant or double
base propellant.

BLACKPOWDER – it consists of an intimate mixture of charcoal – 15%, sulfur – 10%, and potassium or sodium nitrate -
75%. When exploded in open space the following reaction occurs:

2KNO3 + 3C + S = 3CO2 + K2S + N2

This reaction holds true if the composition of the powder is uniform, pure and no other side reaction takes place. Slight
difference in composition cannot be avoided as well as side reaction cannot be controlled.

SMOKELESS POWDER – the most widely used propellant. It consists of cellulose nitrate or glyceryl nitrate combined
with cellulose nitrate and some stabilizers. Among the stabilizers used are nitrates, bichromates and oxalates. Stabilizers
are added to reduce side reaction. These combine with the products of decomposition and may have a negative or positive
catalytic effect. When exploded the following reactions occur:

C12H14O4(NO3)6 ———————► 9CO + 3N2 + 7H2O + 3CO2

(Cellulose nitrate)

4C3H5(NO3)3 ———————————► 12CO2 + 10H2O + 6N2 + O2

(glyceryl nitrate)

POSSIBLE LOCATIONS OF NITRATES WHEN BLACKPOWDER

AND SMOKELESS POWDER EXPLODE

It will be noticed that nitrates are present in both gunpowder so that one will expect to find nitrates (NO 3) in the following:
1. Residue of the barrel of the gun
2. In or around the wound
3. On the clothing of a person fired upon at close range
4. On the exposed surface of the hand of the person firing the gun

FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE PRESENCE AND

AMOUN T OF GUNPOWDER RESIDUES
Type and caliber of the ammunition - different types of ammunition fired in the same weapon and from the same distance
may give different pattern.
Length of the barrel of the gun – a weapon with a 2 inches barrel will deposit residues over a larger area than a weapon
having a five inches barrel even though they are fired at the same distance and with the same type of ammunition.
Distance of the muzzle of the gun from the target.
Humidity – affects the speed with which powder burns. Powder having lesser amount of moisture will burn more rapidly
and completely within a given time yielding greater amount of residue.
Wind velocity and direction – in high winds the residue will be blown in the direction of the wind yielding a scattered
pattern.
Direction of firing – firing vertically, slightly greater than firing horizontally from the same distance. Powder residues have
weight. When gun is fired downward or vertically all of the residues will fall on the target, but when fired horizontally
some of the residues are likely to fall short of the target.

DETERMINATION OF WHETHER OR NOT A PERSON

FIRED A GUN WITH HIS BARE HANDS

The burned residues and partially burned particles may escape around the breech of the gun and implanted on the
exposed surface of the hand firing the gun and the presence of these particles serves as a basis for the diphenylamine-
paraffin test (DPA-paraffin test)
 THEORY UPON WHICH THE DIPHEYLAMINE
PARAFFIN TEST IS BASED

At the instance of discharge there is a certain amount of gases and mixtures of burned residues and partially
burned particles which escape from the breech of the gun. These particles strike the exposed surface of the hand holding
the weapon and became implanted into the skin.

DIPENYLAMINE-PARAFFIN TEST or DERMAL NITRATE TEST or LUNGE DIPHENYLAMINE TEST – a

test to determined whether a person fired a gun or not with bare hands

PROCEDURE:
Paraffin test – the taking of the cast to extract the nitrates embedded or implanted in the skin.
Diphenylamine Test – the chemical aspect of the test. It determines the presence and distribution of nitrates.

REAGENT: Diphenylamine reagent (0.5 gram diphenylamine crystals dissolved in 100 cc of sulfuric acid and 20 cc of
water)

VISIBLE RESULT: deep blue specks that develop when nitrates come in contact with the diphenylamine reagent.

LIMITATION OF THE DIPHENYLAMINE-PARAFFIN TEST:

The test is not specific for nitrates since the role of nitrate is simply an oxidizing agent. The test cannot determine the
source of nitrate.
2. There are other substances which contain nitrate or oxidizing agents that are in the ordinary
course of life like fertilizers, explosives, tobacco, firecrackers, urine, cosmetics and detergents.
3. In general persons do not have nitrates or other oxidants on their hands as a matter of common
occurrence.
4. Hands contaminated with nitrates from other sources other than gunpowder or any oxidants one
will expect to find either a smear blue color or conglomeration of blue specks located at the
different places of the hand both dorsal and palmer aspect.

POSSIBILITIES THAT A PERSON MAY BE FOUND POSITIVE FOR NITRATES EVEN

IF HE DID NOT ACTUALLY FIRED A GUN

It is possible that the gunpowder particles may have been blown of the hand directly from the barrel of the gun being fired
by another person.

An attempt to shield the body by raising the hand would in some instances result in the implanting of powder particles on
the hand of a person close t one firing a gun.

POSSIBILITIES THAT A PERSON MAY BE FOUND NEGATIVE FOR NITRATES

EVEN IF HE ACTUALLY FIRED A GUN

1. Use of automatic pistol 5. Use of gloves

2. Direction of wind 6. Knowledge of chemicals that will
3. Wind velocity remove the nitrates
4. Excessive perspiration

The leakage of powder is apt to occur when the gun fired is old weapon where the breech mechanism is no longer
tightly fitted and when the gun used is of the revolver type.

In case involving shooting incidents where paraffin test is required, the person suspected to have fired a gun
should be subjected to diphenylamine-paraffin test immediately and in no case should it be postponed seventy-two
hours (72) hours after shooting. It is possible to detect a nitrates as late as three days even though the hands have been
washed. In our country the period is reduced to two days only due to excessive perspiration.

DETERMINATION OF THE PROBABLE GUNSHOT RANGE OR THE DISTANCE

THE FIREARM WAS HELD FROM THE BODY OF THE VICTIM
AT THE TIME OF DISCHARGE

The clothing of the victim with bullet perforation should be submitted for possible gunshot range.

HOW TO COLLECT, PRESERVE AND PACK CLOTHING

Clothings removed from the victim should be cautiously and carefully handled to prevent powder
residues from becoming dislodged
A large area as possible surrounding the gunshot hole should be made available for the test. If condition and appearance
of the wound point to a contact shot all of the clothings in the path of the bullet should be collected and submitted for the
examination.
Do not wad the experiment or pack it loosely for shipment. Secure the area to be tested between two layers of heavy
cardboard fastened together tightly to prevent the specimen from becoming jostled about in transit.
Each specimen should be wrapped separately.
Clothing heavily smeared with blood should be dried thoroughly before packing. If wet, they may become mildewed or
stick together in such a way that they will be unsuitable for the test.
 The letter transmittal should contain all information as to the existing circumstances and condition known to
the investigator which may become helpful in making the test.

HOW TO DETERMINE THE PROBABLE GUNSHOT RANGE

The clothing is examined microscopically for possible powder residue, singeing, burning, smudging and
powder tattooing.

Singeing – slight burning

Smudging – blackening of area surrounding the bullet hole
Tattooing – individual specks of nitrates and nitrites around the bullet hole visible to the
naked eye. It is black coarsely papered pattern.

THREE ZONES OF DISTANCES FROM WHICH A FIREARM WAS DISCHARGED

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 about 2 inches to 36 inches away.
3. Those in which the muzzle of the gun was held 36 inches or more.

HELD DIRECTLY IN CONTACT: The characteristic patterns observed are as follows:

Gaping hole where fabric is badly torn
Smudging
Singeing of fibers at the entrance
Tattooing (specks of nitrates and nitrites)

Presence of partially burned powdered residues around the entrance hole that may be embedded in the
fabric. This could be present originally but may have become dislodge by rough handling of the specimen
or may have been blown into the wound or may have been washed by bleeding.

HELD FROM 2 INCHES TO 8 INCHES (maximum): The smoke and soot from the burned powder will be deposited
around the hole of entrance producing a dirty grimy appearance (covered with soot, dirt adhering or embedded on the
surface). More pronounced when the ammunition used contains black powder. Smudging around the perforation will be
found to diminish in size as the muzzle of the gun is held a distance of eight inches and all the blackening around the hole
completely disappear and few individual specks of tattooing will be visible with the naked eye. The size of the smudge
depends upon the caliber of the gun, type of powder used, length of the barrel, and distance of the muzzle of the gun was
held from the body. The size of the area of powder Tattooing will also depend on the caliber, powder charge and distance
of firing. A close observation of the area surrounding the gunshot hole will show that the granule mark or powder
tattooing is not distributed evenly around the hole. A greater bulk of them is deposited on one side of the hole. This is due
to the fact that when cartridge is fired, the bullet leaves the muzzle of the gun first, followed by expanding gases and the
burning powder. This cause the gun to kick, throwing the muzzle off the target and this kick is always towards the
direction of the sights. The kick of the gun causes the smudge and powder tattooing to be deposited more on one side of
the hole than on the other, and the side of the greatest deposits indicates the side on which the sights of the gun was
mounted. This observation is helpful in determining whether the wound was due to suicide or murder. If the gun was
discharged from a position in which the victim could not easily have held it himself, it intends to indicate a murder. The
size of the area of powder tattooing will also depend on the caliber, powder charge, and the distance of firing.

HELD FROM 8 INCHES TO 36 INCHES:

Tattooing is visible. The partially burned and unburned powder particles will be driven into the surface around the
gunshot hole producing a black coarsely papered pattern called tattooing.

HELD BEYOND 36 INCHES:

Evidence of powder tattooing is seldom present.

SUMMARY:

DISTANCE FROM WHICH THE CHARACTERISTIC PATTERN

FIREARM WAS DISCHARGED

1. 0 to 2 inches Gaping hole (where fabric is badly torn),

Smudging, tattooing, singeing, and burning
2. 2 inches to 36 inches Tattooing and smudging
3. beyond 36 inches Evidence of tattooing is seldom present

CHEMICAL TEST FOR GUNPOWDER RESIDUES

There are two methods of determining the presence of gunpowder residues around the gunshot hole namely:

1. A method patterned after the diphenylamine-paraffin test.

PROCEDURE: Coat a piece of clean gauze with a sufficient amount of paraffin to produce a layer of
about 1/8 inch. Press this layer of paraffin while still warm against the area to be examined.

2. WALKER’s TEST
 This test is used if the powder particles are deeply embedded. It is based on the conversion of
nitrites to a dye.
PROCEDURE:
1. Immerse the photographic paper in a new hypo solution for 15 minutes so that all the silver salts are dissolved.
2. The paper is washed in running water for one hour.
3. The desensitized paper is immerse in a 5 to 10% aqueous solution of C-acid
(2-napthylamine-4,8-disulfonic acid) for 10 minutes and then dry.
4. Lay a clean towel on the table and the prepared C-paper is laid face up on this.
5. The fabric to be examined is then laid face-down on the photographic paper.
6. Place a thin dry towel of cotton cloth moistened with 20 to 25% acetic acid.
7. Place another layer of dry towel.
8. Press the laminated arrangement with warm electric iron for ten minutes.

VISIBLE RESULT: a number of orange-red spots are imprinted on the photographic paper.

GUNSHOT RANGE OF WEAPONS OTHER THAN PISTOL AND REVOLVER

RIFLE – a weapon of high velocity projectile. Gunshot range is difficult to estimate due to high velocity of the projectile
and the wide variation produced on the wound of entrance. The tissue through which the bullet passed is usually bruised
in varying degree. As a general rule the size of the wound closely approximates the size of the bullet.

SHOTGUN OR SPORTING GUN – The projectile is a collection of small shot consisting of lead pellets which vary in
size with type of cartridge.
The pellets disperse soon after their exit from the barrel and the dispersion increases with the range.
The shot discharged from the average cylinder sporting gun will cluster together and not separate to any appreciable
extent until the cluster has travelled approximately 3 to 4 feet from the muzzle of the weapon.
If a shot is fired closed to the body up to a few inches the shots enters as a mass and the liberated gas and flame lacerate
the tissue around the hole and show evidence of burning, carbon deposit and powder tattooing.
When fired from to 3 feet from the body a more or less irregular circular wound about 1 1/2
inches to 2 inches in diameter will be produced. There will be scorching, carbon deposit and powder
tattooing.
At a range over a yard and up to about 3 yards evidence of burning disappears and probably only faint tattooing will be
found.
Beyond a yard the entering shot produces an irregular wound and as a result of commencing dispersion of the shots
individual pellet holes may be detected.

DETERMINATION OF THE PROBABLE TIME

THE GUN HAS BEEN FIRED

In the determination of the approximate time of last discharge the specimen firearm is needed in the examination.

At the NBI, Forensic Chemistry Laboratory, if the gun examined immediately after shooting the chemists rely
more on the odor of the barrel. A characteristic smell will be present that decreases in intensity with lapse of time, as
smell of hydrogen sulfide. If the gun is examined later presence of nitrates, nitrites, rust soot, and metallic fragments is
determined.

PROCEDURE: The barrel is swabbed with cotton with the aid of a barbecue stick and the presence of the following is
determined microscopically and chemically:

Soot – a black substance that is formed by combustion rises in fine particles and adheres to the side of the barrel
conveying the smoke.
Metallic fragment
Rust – formation of rust inside the barrel after the gun has been fired is a good indication, for the determination of the
approximate time the gun has been fired.
If a gun has not been fired at all, no rust can be detected inside the barrel of the gun
If a gun has been fired, iron salts are formed and are found inside the barrel. This iron salts are soon oxidized resulting in
the formation of rust.
Nitrite – presence of nitrite (NO2) is determined by the addition of diphenylamine reagent. If the color becomes blue,
nitrites are present and we may say that the firearm could have been fired recently.
Nitrates – presence of nitrates (NO 3) is determined by the addition of diphenylamine reagent. If the color becomes yellow
green, nitrates are present and we may say that the firearm could have been fired but not recently.
 EXPLOSIVES
The National Bureau of investigation (NBI) does not only examine explosives confiscated from some lawless
elements of society which they utilize for criminal purposes, but also explosives used in illegal fishing.

EXPLOSIVE – is any substance that may cause an explosion by its sudden decomposition or combustion. A material or
either a pure single substance or mixture of substances which is capable of producing an explosion by its own energy.
When exploded always accompanied with the liberation of heat and almost always with the formation of gas.

EXPLOSIVES CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS FOLLOWS:

1. from the viewpoint of chemical composition
2. with the respect to functioning characteristics

CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVES FROM THE

VIEWPOINT OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
A. INORGANIC COMPOUND
Examples: lead azide (Pb(N3)2); ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)
B. ORGANIC COMPOUND
Examples: trinitrotoluene (TNT); picric acid (trinitrophenol); nitrocellulose; mercury
fuminate(Hg(ONC)2
C. MIXTURE OF OXIDIZABLE MATERIALS AND OXIDIZING AGENT THAT ARE NOT
EXPLOSIVES SEPARATELY.
Examples: black powder – possibly the oldest explosive. Used today mainly as igniter for
Nitrocellulose gun propellants and as Pyrotechniques

CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVES WITH RESPECT

TO FUNCTIONING CHARACTERISTIC
PROPELLANTS OR LOW EXPLOSIVES – are combustible materials containing within themselves all oxygen needed
for their combustion which burn but do not explode and function by producing gas which produces explosion.
Ex.: black powder, smokeless powder, firecrackers, pyrotechniques

PRIMARY EXPLOSIVES OR INITIATORS – explode or detonate when they are heated or subjected to shock. They do
not burn. Sometimes they do not contain the elements necessary for combustion. The materials themselves explode and
the explosion results whether they are confined or not. Ex.: mercury fulminate, lead azide

HIGH EXPLOSIVES – explode under the influence of the shock of the explosion of a primary explosive. They do not
function by burning, in fact not all of them can be ignited by a flame and in small amount generally burn tranquilly and
can be extinguished easily. If heated at high temperature by external heat or by their own combustion, they sometimes
exdplode.
Examples: ammonium nitrate (AN) – most readily available and cheapest salt of nitric acid. White compound used as a
solid oxidizer in explosive mixture.
Dynamite – made by mixing nitroglycerine with powdered clay or sawdust.
TNT – or trinitrotoluene, the most widely used explosive. Used mostly for military explosives. A safe explosive. It will
burn but do not explode if set on fire.

Nitroglycerine – NG, widely used in industrial explosive. Has been the main component in many dynamites. It is a
mixture of nitric acid, sulfuric acid. And glycerine. Oily liquid that is very dangerous because the slightest shake will
cause it to explode.

Plastic explosives – a military explosive that looks like ordinary putty or molding clay. Military explosives are chiefly
solids or mixtures so formulated as to be solid at normal temperature of use.

OTHER EXPLOSIVES:
C-4 – often referred to as a plastic explosive. White, and dough like in consistency. It is commonly encountered of the
RDX based explosive.
RDX – (1, 3, 5 triazacylohexane). Also called hexogen or cyclonite, cyclonite, cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine. Plastic
explosives. Most important military explosives used today.
Chloroacetophenone (CN) – the principal constituent in the filler used in tear gas solutions. Commonly used tear gas.

FIRE BOMBS
Molotov cocktail – is an incendiary device, not a bomb. Easily constructed of the most common materials. Consists of
frangible container, like glass bottle field with gasoline or any inflammable mixture and having a piece of absorbent cloth
for a wick or fuse. To function the container is turned upside down and the wick absorbs the flammable mixture, the wick
lighted and thrown. On impact the bottle breaks scattering the flammable mixture which is ignited by the burning wick.

Modern Molotov – consists of 2/3 and 1/3 gas and sulfuric acid respectively. A blotter which has been saturated in
potassium chlorate and sugar is wrapped and secured to the bottle. A snowball consists of potassium chlorate and sugar
mixture embedded in a wax mold using a length of safety fuse for an igniter.
Acids mixed with the gasoline and wicks attached to the outer bottle.
Mixture of alcohol and gasoline using a chrome oxide strip taped to the bottle which when thrown will burst violent
Mixture of alcohol and gasoline using a chrome oxide strip taped to the bottle which when thrown will burst violently.
Demolition and fragmentation Explosives
Composition A – mixture of RDX and beeswax. Semi-plastic in nature.
Composition B – is a mixture of RDX, TNT and beeswax.