- 01: Introduction
- 02: History of Firearms Identification
- 03: Powder, Ammunition, and Firearm Development
- 04: Manufacture of Firearms
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Handling Procedures
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
Fired Bullets
Home > Evidence Handling Procedures > Collection, Preservation, and Documentation > Best Practices: Firearms - Related Evidence > Fired Bullets
Fired bullets are frequently found at crime scenes and after shooting incidents. These can result from "through and through" wounds in which bullets pass through a victim or from poor marksmanship. The number of fired cartridge cases often exceeds the number of bullets found in the victim or victims, indicating that a further search for the remaining bullets is necessary. They may be found in places such as walls, floors, ceilings, mattresses, and inside electrical appliances. Occasionally, fired bullets may be found on a floor in plain view after having ricocheted around a location or passed through a victim.
Courtesy - Arrowhead Forensic
Bullets are commonly received from medical examiners during or after autopsies. Like crime scene technicians, medical examiners should be very knowledgeable in the proper packaging of evidence and chain of custody requirements as they are frequently called to testify.
Different jurisdictions mandate various procedures for marking fired bullets and fragments for later identification. Some jurisdictions require that only the packaging should be marked; others require that the items are also marked. When direct marking is the protocol, the best practice is to use a metal scribe and mark the base of the projectile. In the case of mutilated bullets, it may not be possible to properly mark the item. Marking the nose area may disturb or cause the loss of trace evidence. The bearing surface of an evidence bullet should never be marked as this is the area critical to the identification process.
To limit damage and preserve the unique microscopic marks that they bear, fired bullets should be placed individually in an appropriate evidence container together with any apparently related fragments. Fired bullets can carry different types of trace evidence. Therefore, materials used in an evidence container to cushion or separate bullets can serve to limit the value of any trace material present.
The preferred technique is to place the fired bullet and related fragments in a small pasteboard box or plastic container. Within the container, the bullet should be wrapped in a small amount of unused wrapping paper.
The use of postal-type envelopes for this type of evidence should be avoided because:
- large amounts of evidence tape are required to secure these envelopes after repeated openings and closings
- small bullet fragments may stick to the adhesive side of the evidence tape and/or the corners of the envelope
