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Firearms Examiners
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Web Resources
Read Criminalistics Laboratory Methods: Surgical pathology description of bullets.
Gunshot Residue
Firearm examiners are also responsible for determining how far away a firearm was from the victim when it was fired. In order to determine this, gunshot residue (GSR)the chemicals that exit a gun when fired and left behind on surfaces is examined.
The firearm examiner must first determine the entrance and exit of the bullet holes because the evidence of the GSR is found around the bullet entrance wound. They may then examine the GSR microscopically and then perform two chemical tests on the GSR.
Ballistics
The term "ballistics" is often used when discussing firearm examination. However, ballistics is defined as the science that deals with the motion of projectiles such as bullets, shells, rockets, and bombs.
For example, ballistics is used to determine where the suspect was when the shot(s) was/were fired that killed the victim. There are three different categories of ballistics which include:
- internal
- terminal
- external ballistics
This lesson will allow you to differentiate between each of these.
Read:
- Ballistics and
- The differences between Internal Ballistics, Terminal Ballistics and External Ballistics
