NCJ Number
138341
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 37 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1992) Pages: 1030-1047
Date Published
1992
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Shooting experiments over short distances (30-50 cm) deposited apparently nonburnt and partially burned flakes of smokeless powder propellants on clothing around bullet holes, and an attempt was made to compare propellant particles recovered from clothing with those from a particular cartridge.
Abstract
Smokeless powders were grouped into three basic categories: single, double, and triple base. Gas chromatography (GC) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to analyze flakes of smokeless powder collected from clothing around bullet holes. The goal was to help the police find a shooter in cases where the weapon or the bullet is not found. Propellant flakes were generally found on clothing for shooting distances shorter than about 50 cm. The amount of propellant recoverable from clothing was sufficient for the analytical techniques used. Subsequent shootings with the same weapon using ammunition from various manufacturers did not indicate any contamination from the propellant flakes from previous shootings. GC and HPLC analyses distinguished between propellants from different manufacturers. The analysis of propellant particles collected from clothing or fired cartridges could also distinguish between several different production lots from the same manufacturer. 14 references, 2 tables, and 6 figures