In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Forensic Analysis of Bullets and Cartridges
allen griggs
Member Posts: 35,692 ✭✭✭✭
Every time there is a murder the cops love to get the slug, and the cartridge, and try to compare them to the suspected murder weapon.
Many a man is doing life because a match was made.
Just how accurate is ballistic testing?
I am sure they can tell a Smith and Wesson from a Beretta.
Let us say you got 100 brand new Beretta 92Fs pistols, fired one shot from each into water so you had a perfect slug. You also save the ejected cartridge.
Are you telling me that the lab can tell beyond a reasonable doubt, one of these pistols from another?
I doubt it.
I am reminded of a "science" that was promoted, several years ago, big time by the FBI lab, among others.
They were doing metallic analysis of a crime scene slug, with a box of cartridges that were recovered from the suspect's home.
The idea was that each batch of lead, or copper, was unique.
Many a man was sent to prison because the FBI said that the crime scene bullet was matched as having the same metallic content as the box of cartridges that he had in his house.
This type of analysis has since been proven bogus and several "guilty" men have been released from jail.
The FBI had egg on their face and they no longer do metallic analysis of crime scene bullets.
Many a man is doing life because a match was made.
Just how accurate is ballistic testing?
I am sure they can tell a Smith and Wesson from a Beretta.
Let us say you got 100 brand new Beretta 92Fs pistols, fired one shot from each into water so you had a perfect slug. You also save the ejected cartridge.
Are you telling me that the lab can tell beyond a reasonable doubt, one of these pistols from another?
I doubt it.
I am reminded of a "science" that was promoted, several years ago, big time by the FBI lab, among others.
They were doing metallic analysis of a crime scene slug, with a box of cartridges that were recovered from the suspect's home.
The idea was that each batch of lead, or copper, was unique.
Many a man was sent to prison because the FBI said that the crime scene bullet was matched as having the same metallic content as the box of cartridges that he had in his house.
This type of analysis has since been proven bogus and several "guilty" men have been released from jail.
The FBI had egg on their face and they no longer do metallic analysis of crime scene bullets.
Comments
They don't have to tell a difference beyond a reasonable doubt. The Prosecutor only has to convince the Jury they did.
Furthermore, there is often other evidence that would lead them to suspect a particular weapon held in possession by a particular individual.
For example, the round used was 45acp. Joe Blo can be placed at the scene of the crime. Joe Blo has a 1911 in 45acp registered to him. When it fires it leaves some distinctive markings on the bullet. Those markings are a match to those on the recovered bullet.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
The tooling marks should be the same, or very close for at least a handful of guns.
Didnt the FBI have to backtrack on GSR also?