|
Abstract
|
The missile and the weapon having the widest use in civil life,
and consequently the greatest medico-legal interest, are the
conoidal bullet and the pistol. For this reason, they have been selected
for a few remarks concerning what may be determined from a careful
study of them. First, we will consider the missile and what may be
learned from it: Inspection may show tissue and blood stain, fila
ments of clothing, hair, lubricant, grains of unconsumed powder,
dirt and so forth, clinging to its surface. These should be removed,
examined microscopically and preserved for future use. After being
deprived of foreign matter, the bullet should be accurately weighed,
its contour noted and the effect of impact observed. Every marking
should be carefully studied. Those originally present and due to
manufacture, should be differentiated from those produced by bruis
ing, as well as those caused by the rifling of the weapon. Then the
bullet should be carefully measured and its length and various
diameters obtained in thousandths of an inch. This will require the
use of a caliper micrometer...
A little patience, with some study, will easily make one competent to skil
fully measure in thousandths of an inch, such measurements as ar£
ordinarily made with this instrument.
The form, weight and caliper of the missile must necessarily be
depended upon to obtain its caliber. And right here, I desire to
say a word about the term caliber. As commonly understood, it
means the diameter of the missile and that of the bore of the weapon.
Thus the various calibers are known as twenty-two, thirty-two, thirty
eight and so forth. It being intended by these designations to con
vey the idea that these calibers are really so many hundredths of an
inch. This is only a convenient approximation. Such a thing as
an actual 22-caliber bullet, or weapon, measuring 22-iooths of an
inch, is difficult, or impossible to find, except occasionally in rim-fire
cartridges. And what has been said respecting the 2 2-calibers is
equally true of the other calibers. A 38-calibered Smith and Wesson
pistol measures only 350-ioooths of an inch and a properly fitting
bullet measures 360-iocoths of an inch. A 38 Colt's army revolver
has a bore of 363 -ioooths of an inch and its bullet calipers only
350-ioooths of an inch. In the Smith and Wesson pistol the bullet
is larger than the bore of the weapon, and in the case of the Colt's,
it is smaller than the bore and easily drops through it. The reason
for these differences, I will not stop to explain, but will pertinently
remind you, that if a fairly-well preserved bullet is found having a
diameter of 360- ioooths of an inch, or a close approximation thereto,
you may safely conclude that you have a 38-caliber missile. And if
there are distinct rifling marks upon it, you may be certain that it
came from a 38-calibered weapon.
Having determined the caliber, the further identification of the
missile may be undertaken. For this purpose nothing is more
important than the discovery of the original markings, or the so-
called "details" of the bullet, which have been produced during the
process of manufacture. The principal markings are known as the
canneluring, knurling and cupping, which I will briefly explain...
Language: en |