Forensic Ballistics

The scientific examination of firearms, ammunition, fired projectiles, cartridge cases, and related evidence in criminal investigations.

Internal ballistics, external ballistics, and terminal ballistics.

The study of events occurring within a firearm from ignition until the projectile exits the barrel.

The study of projectile motion after leaving the barrel and before striking a target.

The study of a projectile's behavior and effects when it strikes a target.

Spiral lands and grooves designed to impart spin to a projectile.

The raised portions of the barrel's interior between the grooves.

The recessed spiral channels between the lands.

To stabilize a projectile through spin during flight.

Features such as caliber, number and dimensions of lands and grooves, and direction of rifling twist.

Microscopic marks potentially associated with the particular barrel through which the bullet passed.

A linear microscopic mark produced by contact between surfaces during relative movement.

A complete ammunition unit generally containing a cartridge case, primer, propellant, and projectile.

The component of ammunition that holds the primer, propellant, and usually the projectile before firing.

To initiate ignition of the propellant when struck or otherwise activated by the firearm's firing mechanism.

To generate expanding gases that accelerate the projectile through the barrel.

A mark made on a primer or cartridge component by the firearm's firing pin or striker.

A mark transferred to the cartridge case head when it contacts the firearm's breechface during firing.

A mark potentially produced when the firearm's extractor engages and withdraws a cartridge case.

A mark potentially produced when the firearm's ejector contacts a cartridge case during ejection.

To permit simultaneous examination and comparison of microscopic characteristics on two evidence items.

Controlled firing of a firearm by qualified personnel to obtain known specimens for comparison.

A projectile recovered from a controlled firing and used as a known comparison specimen.

A cartridge case recovered from a controlled firing and used to examine firearm-produced marks.

To recover test-fired projectiles while minimizing damage to their comparison characteristics.

No. Caliber is a class characteristic shared by many firearms.

They may support a firearm-source comparison, subject to examiner interpretation, method limitations, and the quality of the evidence.

No. Damage or insufficient observable characteristics may prevent a reliable source conclusion.

Particles or chemical residues associated with firearm discharge, which may originate from primers, propellant, projectiles, or other firearm-related materials.

To evaluate whether collected residues are consistent with exposure to a firearm discharge or a related source.

Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, or SEM-EDS.

No. Residue may arise from firing, proximity, transfer, or other sources, depending on its characteristics.

No. Residue may be absent, lost, transferred, or not detected because of collection and analytical limitations.

The distance between the firearm's muzzle and the target at the time of discharge.

To evaluate evidence such as soot, powder effects, and other patterns to estimate possible firing-distance ranges.

Dark particulate material from a firearm discharge that may deposit on nearby surfaces.

Small skin abrasions caused by the impact of unburned or partially burned propellant particles.

No. Clothing, barriers, ammunition, firearm characteristics, and other conditions may affect visible stippling.

The examination of physical evidence to estimate the path of a projectile through space or objects.

To help illustrate a possible projectile path through documented defects, subject to appropriate forensic safeguards.

Projectiles may deflect, deform, fragment, or change direction after striking objects.

The deflection of a projectile after striking a surface.

Republic Act No. 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The Philippine National Police, through its authorized firearms and explosives regulatory offices.

It may assist in identifying the firearm, checking registration records, and tracing relevant ownership or transfer history.

No. Registration may help identify a recorded owner but does not independently establish who possessed or discharged the firearm at a particular time.

No. A qualified examiner must evaluate the relevant class and individual characteristics and the limitations of the comparison.

The result does not conclusively exclude firearm discharge; investigators must consider timing, collection conditions, and other evidence.

The glass impact may have altered the projectile's direction, stability, or shape.

Document and preserve the firearm, maintain custody records, and refer it for appropriate forensic examination.

Relevant possession, handling, firearm examination results, scene evidence, and other reliable circumstances connecting it to the incident.