Xavier Thoughts: The Truth About "Ballistic Fingerprinting"

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Anonymous said...: Pretty nice piece, but I have a question. Were they talking about ballistic 'fingerprinting' of bullets, or of cartridge markings -- firing pin markings and the like? During the demo firing about halfway through, the voiceover talked about bullets, but it looked like the forensic tech was examining the cartridge casings.

I thought that matching fired bullets by markings such as rifling was a time-tested technology used every day by LEOs all across the country. The fuss I've heard recently was all about cartridge markings.; 3:49 PM
Xavier said...: Cartridge markings; 5:22 PM
phlegmfatale said...: creepy.

I think the demand for this type of thing is owing in part to untruths put forth in tv crime dramas. The public has unreasonable expectations.; 11:53 PM
Anonymous said...: I believe they are actually talking about both. When they show using lapping compound on the bore of the barrel, that will affect the rifling marks, and the video showed them examining these and saying the before and after did not match. The shots of the cartridge cases interspersed at this point is just bad editing.; 6:00 AM
Divemedic said...: Actually, the that video showed them altering the fingerprint showed them using the lapping compound on the barrel, and a file on the ejector.

I think it was both; 7:41 PM