Definition of Forensic Ballistics

U.S. House Bill 406 of 2000 defines forensic ballistics as "a comparative analysis of fired bullets and cartridge casings to identify the firearm from which the bullets or cartridge casings were discharged through the identification of the unique characteristics that each firearm imprints on bullets and cartridge casings." This definition illustrates how forensics analysts match a gun with a bullet and cartridge casing to help solve a crime.

Importance of Manufacturer Markings

U.S. bullet manufacturers place specific markings on each bullet and casing produced for sale. This strategy helps match bullets and casings in criminal cases using forensic ballistics. Federal law provides industry standards for how manufacturers must mark their bullets and cartridges.

Purpose

Through forensic ballistics, criminal investigators can identify the owner of a gun or a person whose fingerprints are on a gun as the perpetrator of a gun crime. With the prevalence of private gun ownership in America, law enforcement agencies depend on forensic ballistics to find the perpetrators of gun crimes.

Potential

Forensic ballistics has a the potential to deter people from committing gun crimes. Many states have adopted gun laws (such as three strikes and you are out). Because modern ballistics is helpful in finding perpetrators of gun crimes and state and federal laws provide harsh penalties for offenders, some gun crimes are prevented.

Rifling Marks

According to PBS' "History Detectives," rifling marks result from spiral grooves inside the barrel of a gun. When the gun is fired, the spiral grooves cause the bullet to spin, and the flight path of the bullet is more stable. Gun manufacturers in the U.S. began the practice of creating rifling marks in the 19th century.

History

An electronic resource helps to explain the origins of firearm identification. In a paper titled "The History of Firearm Identification," James E. Hamby and James W Thorpe date the origin of ballistics to 1834, referencing a 19th century book by Harold Peterson that describes the rifling practices of the German Emperor Maximilian more than three centuries earlier.