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By: Monroe Stadler and Vernon Taylor
Ballistics ~ The science of mechanics
that deals with the motion, behavior
and effects of projectiles
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The science of analyzing firearm usage in
crimes
Calvin Goddard collected a database of test
firings from every type of handgun in the
1920’s. He is credited for inventing the field of
forensic ballistics
First court case to use ballistics as evidence
dates as far back as 1902 when a specific gun
was proven to be the murder weapon.
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The study of projectiles from the time of the
shooting to the time of the impact with the target
4 categories
Internal ballistics – the study of what caused the projectile
to originally accelerate
 Transition ballistics – the study of the projectiles behavior
when it leaves the barrel
 External ballistics – the study of the projectile through the
air
 Terminal ballistics – the study of the bullets impact
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No two firearms even those of the same make and
model will produce the same marks on fired
bullets making it easy to identify murder weapons
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Types of Evidence for forensic ballistics include
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Firearms, spent bullets, spent cartridge cases, live
ammunition, shot shell wadding and many others
A forensic ballistics expert can either be a part
time or a full time job.
Database called Drugfire is sponsored by the
FBI and used for bullet identification
Credentials needed: 4 year degree in a physical
or applied science and a background in guns
and how they work. Also a background in the
military or police force would help.
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Ballistics expert from the TBI
Typical day
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Evidence sent into lab from law enforcement
agencies all over the state (bullets, firearms etc…)
 Pick up evidence and work in the lab
 Generate a report with findings
 Send back to law enforcement agency
 Sometimes testify in court the findings
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What do you like about being a ballistics
expert?
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What’s is the most exciting thing?
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“Every case is different and every day there is a new
puzzle to solve”
Its fun to shoot the guns in the lab during firearms
identification
What techniques do you use in forensic
ballistics?
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“The most important is the comparison microscope”
that helps identify bullets from the same gun
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In October of 2002 John Allen Muhammad and
Lee Boyd Malvo killed 10 people in Virginia
and Maryland using a sniper rifle.
The two were found in there car and arrested
on federal weapons charges.
The weapon that was found was linked to the
bullets found in the victims through ballistics
tests.
Both were found guilty of murder.
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Sources
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"Ballistics." Wikipedia. 2009. 20 Jan 2009
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistics>.
Lotter, Karen. "What is Forensic Ballistics?." 26 APR
2008 20 Jan 2009
<http://forensicscience.suite101.com/article.cfm/w
hat_is_forensic_ballistics>.
Links
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www.firearmsid.com - comparison microscope