Cordillera A+ Computer Technology College

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“EXCELLENCE IS OUR BUSINESS AND OUR COMMITMENT”

FORENSIC BALLISTICS

Week: 4
Topic: Bullets
Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the learner will be able to:
1. Comprehend the concept of Bullets.
2. Realize the origin of Bullets.
3. Describe and illustrate the classification of Bullets.

I. LESSON DISCUSSION

BULLET

 It is a METALLIC or NON-METALLIC, CYLINDRICAL projectile propelled from a firearm by

means of the EXPANSIVE FORCE of gases coming from burning gunpowder.
 The term may also include projectile propelled from shotguns although strictly speaking these
projectiles designed for shotgun are called “shot”, “slug” or “pellets”
 Derived from the French word “boulette” which roughly means “little ball.”

CLASSIFICATION / TYPES OF BULLETS

A) BASED ON COMPOSITION
Bullet composition refers to the materials used in the fabrication of a bullet.

 LEAD BULLETS / NON-JACKETED

BULLETS. The most common material used in
the manufacture of non-jacketed bullet is lead.
Usually an alloy of lead and antimony which is
added to give the bullet some additional hardness.

B) BULLET COATINGS. Lead bullets with a thin coating of copper or brass plating.
Bullets having this thin coating is sometimes referred to as a copper-washed or “Lubaloy” bullet.

 JACKETED BULLETS. A laminate of material with

the harder jacket covering a core typically made of lead.
 This jacket material differs from the thin
copper plating seen on the copper-washed
bullets. The jacket material cannot be easily
removed.
 The most common bullet jacket material is
copper. These can sometimes be plated with
nickel to give the bullet a silver finish but the
jacket can also be made of a number of other
materials such as aluminum or steel.
 TYPES OF JACKETED BULLET
1. Full metal jacket. Encloses the entire bullet, with the exception of
the base. These bullets are also known as full jacketed, full patch,
full metal case and ball ammunition.

2. Totally-metal-jacketed bullets. Jacketed bullets that have no opening in jacket

material. These bullets are called totally-metal-jacketed bullets (TMJ) or encapsulated
bullets.

3. Semi-jacketed. Partially encloses the bullet with the exception of an exposed soft
point or a hollow point.

Jacketed bullets may also contain something other than a lead or steel core. Some may contain small
lead pellets, plastic or maybe even a silicone rubber material.
The primary function of the jacket in a bullet is to prevent adherence of metal (lead) inside the
gun barrel.

Other purposes of jacket:

1. To keep the bullet intact and from not breaking up when strikes the target.
2. To prevent damage while inside the weapon.
3. To control expansion.

Mushrooming. It is the controlled expansion of a bullet upon impact with a target. The bullet is
designed to significantly increase in diameter upon impact.

C. BASED ON COLOR AND FINISH

1. Armor-piercing Bullets. These are designed
to pierce metal. They usually contain a
hardened core (tungsten chrome steel).

2. Frangible Bullet. These are designed to

disintegrate upon impact with a hard surface
in order to minimize ricochet.

3. Incendiary Bullets. It contains a

phosphorous or other material that ignites
upon impact starting a fire. Used for targets
such as aircrafts and/or gasoline depot.
 4. Tracer Bullet. Contains burning compound in
the base usually similar to barium nitrates
which set fire when bullet is projected to
permit observation of bullet flight.

D. ACCORDING TO SHAPE
1. Wadcutter Shapes. A cylindrical bullet design
having a sharp shouldered nose intended to cut
target paper cleanly to facilitate easy and
accurate scoring.

2. Semi-wadcutter. A bullet designed with a

truncated nose and sharp shoulder.

3. Metal Point Bullets (capped bullets). Consist of a

standard lead bullet with a harder metal jacket over
the nose to enhance bullet penetration.

4. Pointed Nose Types

5. Round Nose

BULLET BASE CONSTRUCTION

1) Solid base bullet. Composed of one material with no jacketing (lead).
2) Open base. Jacketed bullet with the core exposed.
 3) Jacketed solid base. Jacketed bullet with the core enclosed.
4) Gas check bullet. Composed of a lead bullet with a shallow copper alloy cup fitted to the base.
5) Boat Tail/pointed. A specific design of bullet having a tapered or a truncated conical base.
The tapered cone of the boat tail provides increased stability throughout its flight.
Lead alloy or so-called “cop killer.” Bullets use specially-made alloys as hard or harder than lead to
penetrate any body armour.

Terminologies related to bullets

1. Shocking Power. The power of the bullet that results to instantaneous death.
2. Knocking Power. The power of the bullet that delivers a very heavy paralyzing blow that put the
victim down and may then recover if the wound inflicted is not fatal.

II. A. REFERENCE
 Grimares, Erdulfo M. (2006).Forensic Ballistics. Quezon City: Wiseman’s Book Trading, Inc.
B. SUGGESTED READING
 Types of Bullets (n.d.) Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2X55Nf3 on Sept. 9, 2021

III. REQUIREMENT
Activity 1. In a short bond paper, draw a bullet and label the parts.

Activity 2. Multiple Choice. Choose the Best Answer. Write the Letter corresponding to your answer.
1. The most common bullet jacket material is ______.
a. Cobalt c. Copernicium
b. Copper d. Curium
2. Jacketed bullets that have no opening in jacket material.
a. Hollow-jacketed bullet c. Full metal jacket
b. Semi-jacketed bullet d. Totally-metal-jacketed bullets
3. Partially encloses the bullet with the exception of an exposed soft point or a hollow point.
a. Hollow-jacketed bullet c. Full metal jacket
b. Semi-jacketed bullet d. Totally-metal-jacketed bullets
4. Encloses the entire bullet, with the exception of the base.
a. Hollow-jacketed bullet c. Full metal jacket
b. Semi-jacketed bullet d. Totally-metal-jacketed bullets
5. Contains burning compound in the base usually similar to barium nitrates which set fire when bullet
is projected to permit observation of bullet flight.
a. Armor-piercing Bullet c. Incendiary Bullet
b. Frangible Bullet d. Tracer Bullet
6. These are designed to pierce metal. They usually contain a hardened core
a. Armor-piercing Bullet c. Incendiary Bullet
b. Frangible Bullet d. Tracer Bullet
7. It contains a phosphorous or other material that ignites upon impact starting a fire.
a. Armor-piercing Bullet c. Incendiary Bullet
b. Frangible Bullet d. Tracer Bullet
8. These are designed to disintegrate upon impact with a hard surface in order to minimize ricochet
a. Armor-piercing Bullet c. Incendiary Bullet
b. Frangible Bullet d. Tracer Bullet
9. A bullet designed with a truncated nose and sharp shoulder.
a. Round Nose Bullets c. Wadcutter Shapes BulletSemi-wadcutter Bullets
b. Capped Point Bullets d. Semi-wadcutter Bullets
10. A cylindrical bullet design having a sharp shouldered nose intended to cut target paper cleanly to
facilitate easy and accurate scoring
a. Round Nose Bullets c. Wadcutter Shapes BulletSemi-wadcutter Bullets
b. Capped Point Bullets d. Semi-wadcutter Bullets
11. Consist of a standard lead bullet with a harder metal jacket over the nose to enhance bullet
penetration.
a. Round Nose Bullets c. Wadcutter Shapes BulletSemi-wadcutter Bullets
b. Capped Point Bullets d. Semi-wadcutter Bullets
12. Jacketed bullet with the core exposed.
a. Boat/Tail pointe c. Solid base bullet
b. Open base d. Jacketed solid base
13. Jacketed bullet with the core enclosed.
a. Boat/Tail pointe c. Solid base bullet
b. Open base d. Jacketed solid
14. Composed of one material with no jacketing (lead).
a. Boat/Tail pointe c. Solid base bullet
b. Open base d. Jacketed solid base
15. A specific design of bullet having a tapered or a truncated conical base.
a. Boat/Tail pointe c. Solid base bullet
b. Gas check bullet d. Jacketed solid base
16. Composed of a lead bullet with a shallow copper alloy cup fitted to the base.
a. Boat/Tail pointe c. Solid base bullet
b. Gas check bullet d. Jacketed solid base
17. The power of the bullet that results to instantaneous death.
a. Killing Power c. Knocking Power
b. Bluff Power d. Shocking Power
18. The power of the bullet that delivers a very heavy paralyzing blow that put the victim down and may
then recover if the wound inflicted is not fatal.
19. Derived from the French word ____ which roughly means “little ball.”
a. Bolette c. Bulete
b. Boulette d. Boulete
20. It is the controlled expansion of a bullet upon impact with a target. The bullet is designed to
significantly increase in diameter upon impact.
a. Gnawing c. Yawning
b. Moaning d. Mushrooming