REPEATABILITY AND UNIQUENESS OF STRIATIONS/IMPRESSIONS IN FIRED CARTRIDGE CASINGS FIRED IN 10 CONSECUTIVELY MANUFACTURED SLIDES

This study will analyze the repeatability and uniqueness of striations/impressions on fired cartridge cases fired in 10 consecutively manufactured slides by analyzing breech face striations/impressions. One semi-automatic pistol and nine additional slides will be purchased from a leading firearms manufacturer. Consecutively manufactured slides are significant to the study because these slides will be manufactured with the same equipment/tools. Even though these slides are consecutively made, their signatures should be different. Test sets will be assembled that will include test fired casings from each slide as well as unknowns. Participants will be firearm and toolmark examiners throughout the United States. This research study will provide an error rate for the identification of same gun evidence that will be calculated by an independent statistician from a local academic institution. The results of this study will also provide test documentation of the following two research questions: 1) Will firearm and tool mark examiners be able to identify unknown casings fired through consecutively manufactured slides to the firearms that fired them utilizing individual, unique and repeatable striations/impressions? And 2) will the experience level of firearm and toolmark examiners affect results when examining casings fired through consecutively manufactured slides? ca/ncf