NCJ Number
152067
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 39 Issue: 5 Dated: (September 1994) Pages: 1175-1181
Date Published
1994
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This report presents the methodology and results from testing in two cases that involved the inappropriate use of .38 Special ammunition in .30-30 rifles.
Abstract
Although modern firearms are designed to fire ammunition of a specific caliber, this article reports on two gunshot fatalities where .38 Special handgun ammunition was used inappropriately in .30-30 Winchester lever-action rifles. In both cases, the recovered wad-cutter bullets were abnormally elongated and unusually striated. In one instance, the cartridge case was expanded and split. Test firing was conducted using the following ammunition: Winchester .38 Special and Winchester .38 Special + P, 158 grain semi-wad cutter; Winchester .357 magnum, 158 grain semi-wad cutter; Winchester .357 magnum, 110 grain semi-jacketed hollow point; Winchester .357 magnum, 158 grain full-jacketed roundnose; Remington-Peters .38 Special, 158 grain lead roundnose; Remington-Peters .38 Special + P, 110 grain semi- jacketed hollow point; and Federal .38 Special 158 grain Nyclad bullets. Several rounds of each ammunition were remotely fired into a vertical water tank through a Winchester Model 94, .30-30 rifle. The tests created deformed bullets similar to those recovered from the body. The test fired cartridge cases expanded and jammed in the chamber. Although the .30-30 rifle chamber configuration accepts .38 Special wad-cutter ammunition, its narrower barrel squeezes larger caliber lead bullets out like toothpaste. These findings show that forensic pathologists should not make hasty determinations of the caliber and weapon type based on a casual inspection of the recovered bullet. 7 figures, 1 table, and 7 references