- 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 Cartridge Cases and Shotshells
Home > Evidence Handling Procedures > Collection, Preservation, and Documentation > Best Practices: Firearms - Related Evidence > Fired Cartridge Cases and Shotshells
Like bullets, fired cartridge cases and shotshells are often found at shooting crime scenes by investigators. These are most often found in incidents involving semiautomatic and fully automatic weapons.
Courtesy - Arrowhead Forensic
When direct marking is the protocol, the best practice is to use a metal scribe and mark inside the mouth of the cartridge case or on the side, near the mouth. Fired shotshell casings should be marked at the metallic base, where the base joins the plastic or fiber body. All plastic shotshells can be scribed in the thick plastic area near the base. Markings made with "permanent" markers tend to fade after normal handling in the laboratory.
Although somewhat larger, recommended packaging for fired cartridge cases and shotshells is similar to bullets. Sturdy evidence envelopes work well. However, to protect the microscopic marks on these fired components, the cases and shotshells should not be allowed to strike one another inside the packaging.
