Question
A case of murder with gunshot is being investigated. A metal bullet is recovered from the body. Primary and secondary markings on a metal bullet can be used for which of the following leads?
| A. |
Identification of weapon
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| B. |
To know the range of firing
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| C. |
Severity of tissue damage
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| D. |
To know time of crime
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Show Answer
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Correct Answer » A
Explanation
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When a bullet passes through the rifled barrel of a firearm, it acquires characteristic markings that are valuable in forensic ballistics.
These markings are of two types:
- Primary (Class) characteristics
- Caliber of the weapon.
- Number of lands and grooves.
- Width of lands and grooves.
- Direction of rifling (right or left twist).
- These characteristics help identify the class or type of firearm.
- Secondary (Individual) characteristics
- Fine microscopic striations produced by minute imperfections in the barrel.
- These are unique to an individual firearm due to manufacturing variations and wear.
- They are compared with test-fired bullets using a comparison microscope to identify the specific weapon that fired the bullet.
Therefore, primary and secondary markings on a recovered bullet are primarily used for identification of the firearm.
Why Other Options are Incorrect
B. Determination of the range of firing
- Range of firing is determined from wound characteristics such as:
- Burning.
- Blackening (soot deposition).
- Tattooing (stippling).
- Singeing of hair.
- Bullet markings are not useful for estimating firing distance.
C. Assessment of the severity of tissue damage
- Tissue damage depends on:
- Bullet velocity.
- Bullet shape and construction.
- Tissue involved.
- Energy transfer.
- Rifling marks do not indicate the severity of injury.
D. Determination of the time of the crime
- Time since the crime is estimated from postmortem changes and investigative evidence.
- Bullet markings have no role in determining the time of the crime.
