Bullet forensics - silencer
- Thread starter euclid
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They should. The marks on the bullet are caused by rifling in the gun's barrel which will remain on the bullet. As I understand it, the silencer only acts as a muffler to capture the sound and gases emitted. The tube through the middle of the silencer is full of burst holes, and I'm not sure that the bullet contacts the inside of the silencer.
I haven't read the whole article, but this might help: http://www.freeinfosociety.com/science/silencer.html
I haven't read the whole article, but this might help: http://www.freeinfosociety.com/science/silencer.html
my understanding of a silencer is that they never actually touch the bullet.
What a silencer does is capture the gas that is coming out with the round and turn it back on itself to slow down what is coming out of the barrel. This reduces the sound.
So if my understanding is correct, (not saying it is for sure, I've not spent a lot of time on them.) no. they wouldn't be able to tell forensically that there was a silencer involved just from the bullet.
hmm. depending on how close the target is shot from. you might be able to change the pattern of the muzzle burns. That could tell them it was silenced. this only works for point blank range but if that's what your looking for.
Hope that helped.
What a silencer does is capture the gas that is coming out with the round and turn it back on itself to slow down what is coming out of the barrel. This reduces the sound.
So if my understanding is correct, (not saying it is for sure, I've not spent a lot of time on them.) no. they wouldn't be able to tell forensically that there was a silencer involved just from the bullet.
hmm. depending on how close the target is shot from. you might be able to change the pattern of the muzzle burns. That could tell them it was silenced. this only works for point blank range but if that's what your looking for.
Hope that helped.
I didn't mean: Can forensics tell if a bullet was fired through a silencer?
What I meant was: If two bullets were fired through silencers (at different times, targets) could forensics match the bullets and say for certain that they came from the same gun?
What I meant was: If two bullets were fired through silencers (at different times, targets) could forensics match the bullets and say for certain that they came from the same gun?
Yes they could. The marks are caused by the rifling in the gun barrel and not by the silencer, so the same gun would leave the same marks both bullets.
And to further expound on this. You could take the silencer off for one of the shootings and you could still match them.
just making a shot in the dark (pun) but if you're looking to change the bullet you just put some abrasive on a brush and swab the barrel. makes the barrel not leave the same patterns on the gun at all.
They're not silencers. They're actually called suppressors. Just in case you were interested. 
The round also doesn't touch the suppressor as it exits, and only the sound is reduced, not the muzzle flash. (At least to my observation.)
I found this if you're interested, with more direct links at the bottom of the page.
The round also doesn't touch the suppressor as it exits, and only the sound is reduced, not the muzzle flash. (At least to my observation.)
I found this if you're interested, with more direct links at the bottom of the page.
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Bullets fired from pistols/revolvers and rifles (no shotguns) carry the characteristics of their barrels. The connection between the silencer/supressor and barrel could leave an imprint on the bullet. There are cases when you can tell if a round was fired through a silencer, then there are those you can’t. Bullets fired from different guns but with the same silencer would not match. Bullets fired from the same gun with two different silencers will show many identical characteristics, but also possible some differences. Silencers are easy to make and there are many ”home made” on the black market. These, most likely would leave a signature on the bullet. There are a number of companies who mass produce silencers. These are more performing and higher quality—they seldom “mark” a bullet.
In some states, silencers are not legal.
In some states, silencers are not legal.
Short answer: No. They can't tell that a given bullet was fired through a given silencer.
As Chris P pointed out, yes, they can match land and groove rifling from a given barrel to a given bullet.
Bullets never touch the inner parts of a silencer unless the thing uses “wipes,” and then the contact is merely incidental, not the kind that engraves a bullet with land and groove marks.
But suppose your silencer was run wet for maximum efficiency, and the dampener was oil or gel? That oil or gel would aerosolize upon firing. That could leave trace evidence.
As to eurodan49's information, I've never, ever heard about that and I'm interesting in reading. Any links? Pictures?
As Chris P pointed out, yes, they can match land and groove rifling from a given barrel to a given bullet.
Bullets never touch the inner parts of a silencer unless the thing uses “wipes,” and then the contact is merely incidental, not the kind that engraves a bullet with land and groove marks.
But suppose your silencer was run wet for maximum efficiency, and the dampener was oil or gel? That oil or gel would aerosolize upon firing. That could leave trace evidence.
As to eurodan49's information, I've never, ever heard about that and I'm interesting in reading. Any links? Pictures?
It's always good to point out on threads about "silencers" that the level of noise reduction portrayed in the moivies is utter nonsense. Except in low power guns (like .22 LR), a surpressor turns a deafening noise into a loud noise and changes the harmonics. This is enough to make most people not recognize the noise as a gunshot; but it is not quiet.