Ballistics

The action of squeezing the trigger of a firearm initiates a sequence of events that results
in the bullet or shot exiting the barrel of the weapon and travelling through the air on its
way to meeting a target.
Forensic ballistics can be divided into two main areas known as general ballistics
(internal, external and terminal ballistics) and wound ballistics.
General ballistics is concerned with investigating the various phases when a shot is fired,
from ignition to when the bullet hits something. Examples of such investigations are
trajectory reconstructions for shots fired from distance and measurements of ricochet or
penetration behaviour for various bullet types.
Wound ballistics is concerned with investigating the mechanisms involved in biological
tissue injuries, and this approach is used when assessing unusual gunshot injuries with
the help of ballistic simulants. Investigations are also performed to assess the level of
danger associated with various equipment used by the police authorities.
Internal ballistics refers to the effects of bullet design, weapon design, and materials on
the projectile within the barrel of the weapon (i.e. what happens to a projectile before it
leaves the gun barrel)
External ballistics examines the effect of wind, velocity, drag and gravity on the
projectile in flight from the barrel to the target (i.e. what happens to a projectile before it
hits its target)
Terminal effect of the bullet on an object when hit
Medical when a bullet hits human body.
Firearm identification used to determine whether the gun that is subject of the
investigation has the same gun used or fired.
Forensic ballistics can be divided into two main areas known as general ballistics
(internal, external and terminal ballistics) and wound ballistics.
General ballistics is concerned with investigating the various phases when a shot is fired,
from ignition to when the bullet hits something. Examples of such investigations are
trajectory reconstructions for shots fired from distance and measurements of ricochet or
penetration behavior for various bullet types.
Parts of Ammunition (bala)
1.
2.
3.
4.

Shell / cartridge
Gun powder inside the shell
Primer made up of lead, antimony, barium
Projectile (tingga)

Products of Combustion

1.
2.
3.
4.

Smudging smoke or soop

Singeing (kulot pag natamaan)
Tatooing, peppering, stippling
Contusion or collar
-would help determine the relative position between the assailant or the victim
and or the trajectory of the bullet.
Point of Entry
Smaller and oval in
shape unless it is a
close contact fire.
The edges are
inverted

Point of Exit
Usually bigger and
irregular or stellate
in shape.
Everted,
and
tissued
are
protruding.
Depending upon a Always negative.
distance, may be
positive for the
products
of
combustion
and
paraffim.
Have a contusion Absent
or abrasion collar
Perrafim test used to determine whether the subject has recently fired a gun or not.
-not used to determine whether the subject is the killer or shooter.
-the value of the test is only presumptive, not conclusive, because of false positive and
false negative results.
FALSE POSITIVE
1.
2.
3.

Subject recently fired a gun -totally not related to the incident in question
Subject is a smoker
Subject is a farmer who deals with
fertilizer.

FALSE NEGATIVE
1.
2.
3.

Sources:

Subject is a professional
Incessant rushing with water and soap (suka)
Paraffim test was done beyond 3 days from the time of incident.

http://www.forensicmed.co.uk/wounds/firearms/ballistics/
Legal Medicine, Maligaya, 2007