Ballistic Markings on a Cartridge Case (IMAGE)

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Ballistic Markings on a Cartridge Case

Caption

A cartridge case showing the three distinct marks, or 'signatures,' impressed on its surface when it was fired by a gun: the firing pin impression, the breech face impression and the ejector mark. NIST's new standard casing ensures that forensic labs can accurately match signatures on shells found at crime scenes with images in a national database.

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National Institute of Standards and Technology

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