Confocal Microscopy Analysis of Breech Face Marks on Fired Cartridge Cases from 10 Consecutively Manufactured Pistol Slides

• NCJ Number: 241215
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 57 Issue: 4 Dated: July 2012 Pages: 912-917
• Author(s): Todd J. Weller, M.S.; Alan Zheng, B.S.; Robert Thompson, B.S.; Fred Tulleners, M.A.
• Date Published: July 2012
• Length: 6 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This research examines microscopic marks produced from firearms and tools.

Abstract

Recent publications from the National Academy of Sciences have called for additional foundational research in the field of firearm and toolmark analysis. The authors examined test fires from 10 pistol slides with consecutively manufactured breech faces. A total of 9 test fires from each pistol slide, for a total of 90 test fired cartridge cases, were compared using confocal microscopy combined with three-dimensional cross-correlation analysis algorithms. A total of 8,010 comparisons were performed (720 matches and 7,290 nonmatches). The average score for matches was 0.82 with a standard deviation of 0.06. The average score for nonmatches was 0.20 with a standard deviation of 0.03. Additionally, subclass toolmarks were observed on the breech faces, but the presence of subclass was not detected in the correlation analysis. There was no overlap of scores between matching and nonmatching test fires. This provides objective data that support the AFTE (Association of Firearms and Tool Mark Examiners) theory of identification. Abstract published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.