Identification of Ammunition from Gunshot Residues and Other Cartridge Related Materials—A Preliminary Model Using .22 Caliber Rimfire Ammunition

Abstract

Abstract The identification of the type of ammunition used during the commission of a crime is very often a critical aid to the investigation: for instance, matching a cartridge used in a crime to that found on a suspect, or the determination of which of two possible shooters fired the fatal shot. The physical differences of the cartridges and the chemical composition of the components should make it possible to differentiate ammunition using a number of unique factors. A prototype database of both chemical and physical factors has been designed and established that can be searched easily to identify a cartridge. The composition of the gunshot residue, the projectile and the cartridge case indicators were analyzed and recorded. Because of its common use, .22 caliber ammunition has been investigated, however, the parameters and the principles of the database can be applied equally to other calibers.