Citation

Mattijssen EJAT, Kerkhoff W, Bestebreurtje ME. J. Forensic Sci. 2018; 63(5): 1374-1382.

Affiliation

Netherlands Forensic Institute, PO Box 24044, 2490 AA, The Hague, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, American Society for Testing and Materials, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1556-4029.13717

PMID

29266234

Abstract

When reconstructing a bullet's trajectory prior to impact using the spatial orientation between two consecutive bullet defects (e.g., by probing), it is important to take the bullet's deflection into account. The (critical) ricochet angles as well as the vertical and horizontal deflection angles of eight cartridge types on laminated particle board have been studied. For all eight of the cartridge types combined, the critical ricochet angles lie between approximately 14° and 26°, while for the subgroup of the jacketed bullets, this range lies lower, between approximately 14° and 18°. The data from this study can be used to assess the accuracy and precision of the applied method. The results show that the highest deflection angles are seen near the critical ricochet angle. Generally speaking, vertical and horizontal deflection angles can almost be neglected above angles of incidence of 30° or 40° for handgun ammunition when shooting at laminated particle board.

© 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Language: en

Keywords

bullet trajectory; deflection; firearms; forensic science; plastic laminated particle board; ricochet; shooting scene reconstruction