A forensic ballistic examination is ordered if there is disagreement with the outcome of the officially conducted investigation. It is used as a refutation or challenge of arguments and documents that were presented at the process by the other party, or as proof of one’s position in a criminal case.
Ballistic examination is used in relation to the weapon that was used in the commission of the crime. This study allows you to answer a number of questions and find out some circumstances, namely:
- Is the gun a firearm?
- The location of the victim and the gunner at the time of the shot.
- Type, model of weapons.
- Whether a shot was fired from the weapon presented or not.
Often, specialists work with materials that constitute a criminal case, photographic tables, inspection protocols, or with materials from studies conducted previously. This is due to the fact that sometimes it is not possible to conduct a study of a firearm, sleeve or bullet.
Ballistic examination involves the study of the firearm itself, its parts, mechanisms. Objects, depending on the circumstances of the case, may include other shooting devices. For example, they include signaling devices, construction mounting pistols, as well as pneumatic and gas weapons. Ballistic examination is also used in relation to cartridges and ammunition, their components (capsules, cartridges, bullets). Objects of research include mechanisms, tools, materials that are used for the production of firearms, specific elements, ammunition, equipment. Ballistic examination is used to study spent cartridges and bullets, traces of the use of this firearm (traces of a shot), criminal case materials, samples that were obtained during the investigative experiment.
The implementation of identification studies provides a solution to a number of issues. Mainly, the objects are assigned to ammunition or firearms. In the course of research, the type, model, type of firing device, ammunition is determined both by the device and the ammunition, and by the tracks on spent cartridges, fired bullets, the tracks on the obstacle. The study of objects makes it possible to identify the affiliation of the elements presented to a specific firearm or parts of a specific munition. In the course of identification studies, the gunshot nature of the injuries (traces from the shot) is established.
In particular, conducting a forensic examination using the diagnostic method allows the identification of weapons based on traces left on cartridges and bullets. Using this method makes it possible to establish that parts belong to a specific instance of a weapon, a sleeve and a bullet - to one cartridge. This study allows us to identify the mechanisms and tools that were used in the production of the firing mechanism, ammunition, equipment, as well as to determine their serviceability. In the course of the study, the possibility of firing certain cartridges from a specific weapon, conducting targeted systematic shooting, direction, distance, and also the location of the shot is established. Along with this, the location of the victim and the shooter is determined, as well as the number of shots and the sequence of damage formation.
Ballistic expertise is carried out by forensic experts, specialists with higher specialized education.