CAGAMPANG, FLORABEL D.

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1. Explain the importance of Ballistics

Ballistics is a very important part of the world of Forensic Science and much of its
evidence is used in criminal proceedings. In some cases the use of ballistics research can
prove a link between many different crimes carried out over a lengthy period of time. This is
also an important function of the ballistics team as many weapons are passed and sold on
between criminals during their life cycle.
Two of the most common crimes that are determined in the forensic science lab are drug-
related crimes and sex crimes. It is in the crime lab that the chemical makeup of an unidentified
substance recovered from a suspect is determined to be cocaine, marijuana or a controlled
substance. This is used as evidence in court to prove that a person was in possession of illegal
drugs.
Forensic toxicology can determine if a person was drunk or high behind the wheel of
a car after a fatal accident, or if someone was poisoned to death. DNA evidence recovered
from a victims body can help determine who was responsible for a physical or sexual assault.
This evidence is commonly used in court to put sex offenders and child molesters behind bars,
and to set innocent people free. Weapons testing, or ballistics, is another important part of
forensic science. Forensic scientists use their knowledge of ammunition and study the impact
of a bullet to determine how many shots were fired, where a shooter was standing when he or
she fired, and even if a victim was shot at point blank.

2. The Rationale of the Study of Ballistics and Forensic Ballistics

Ballistics is the area of Forensic Science that deals with firearms; how they are used,
why they are used and why they are used frequently in the practice of murder. What many people do
not realize is that when a person is shot the wound and the condition of the victim can tell a lot about
the nature of the weapon that has been used. Indeed if the weapon has been left at the scene of the
crime - which sometimes happens when the perpetrator panics - the weapon itself can go a long way
to providing valuable information as to the kind of person who has committed the offence.

Identifying a Weapon - Most guns have their own unique identifying features and
even if the gun has not been left at the crime scene many degrees of information can
be determined from the bullet, the nature of the wound and any residue that is left
around it.
Investigating -The field of ballistics is able to identify rifling patterns, marks made by
using suppressors (silencers), shell casings, powder burn and many other different
areas relating to the use of firearms and the evidence they leave behind. Indeed most
ballistics experts will be able to tell you the particular weapon simply by the sound of
it being fired.
Collecting Evidence Hair and fibre - are collected at varying points throughout the
forensic science process but most notably at the scene of the crime and at the autopsy
stage.
Latent prints -These prints are created because the fingers have tiny outlets for the
expulsion of sweat and these outlets pick up salts, oils and tiny particles of dirt along
the way.
Serology - in addition to examining and identifying blood, is used to identify and
categorise semen, saliva, sweat and even human faeces. This can be achieved in the
instance of faeces as it is covered in a mucus membrane to enable expulsion from
the body.
Collecting DNA A DNA sample - which can only be obtained from a suspect in police
custody if they give their consent - can be used to make a positive identification or
likewise to prove an individual's innocence; however this can only be used in
conjunction with other evidence and should not be deemed accurate solely on its own
merits.
Toxicology - is the area of forensic medicine that deals with the categorisation and
determination of drugs within the human body and also how they are a contributing
factor in criminal acts.
 3. The History and the great development of Firearm and Ammunition

After the Chinese invented black powder during the 9th century, these inventions were
later transmitted to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The direct ancestor of the firearm is
the fire lance. The prototype of the fire lance was invented in China during the 10th century
and is the predecessor of all firearms.

The phalanx-charging
fire-gourd, one of many
hand cannon types
discharging lead pellets
in the gunpowder blast,
an illustration from the
Huolongjing, 14th
century.

The direct ancestor of the firearm is the fire lance, a black-powderfilled tube attached
to the end of a spear and used as a flamethrower (not to be confused with the Byzantine
flamethrower); shrapnel was sometimes placed in the barrel so that it would fly out together
with the flames. The earliest known depiction of a gunpowder weapon is the illustration of a
fire-lance on a mid-10th century silk banner from Dunhuang.

Hand cannon from the

Chinese Yuan
Dynasty (1271-1368)

The Middle East obtained firearms in the 14th century. Al-Hassan claims that the Battle of Ain
Jalut in 1260 saw the Mamluks use against the Mongols "the first cannon in history" gunpowder
formula which are almost identical with the ideal composition for explosive gunpowder.

Guns - Safavid Empire -

Iran (Persia)

During the early modern age, these hand-held cannons evolved into the flintlock rifle, then
the breech loader and finally the automatic weapon.In 1356 the Imperial-Spanish army had equipped
units with handguns called arquebusiers. They had handguns which were more accurate, lighter, and
portable than their 12th-century brothers from Europe.
Early firearms had to be cocked and caught by the "sear", which holds the hammer back,
before each shot. Pulling the trigger allows the hammer or striker to fly forward, striking the "firing pin,"
which then strikes the "primer," igniting an impact-sensitive chemical compound (historically, first
fulminate of mercury, then potassium chlorate, now lead styphnate) which shoots a flame through the
"flash hole" into the cartridge's propellant chamber, igniting the propellant.
 A musketeer (Plate 4)
from Jacob de
Gheyn's Wapenhandeli
nghe van Roers,
Musquetten ende
Spiessen (1608)
Repeating and automatic firearms
A repeating firearm or "repeater" is a firearm that holds more than one cartridge and
can be fired more than once between chargings. One example of a repeater is the American
Springfield Model 189299also made at the Springfield Armory in Springfield,
Massachusettswhich were used during the SpanishAmerican War.

Firearms have been around for

quite some time. Believe it or not,
guns were being used as early as
1364. Obviously, the weaponry
being employed in early days is
nothing like what we have today,
but understanding this expansive
history offers a fascinating lens into the past. From primitive guns to modern-day automatic weapons,
the evolution is noteworthy.

Medieval hand cannon from around 1350 (Photo Credit: National Firearms Museum)
THE WORLDS FIRST GUNS

It was in 1364 that mankind first recorded the use of a firearm. These weapons, called hand
cannons, were the first step in the creation of guns. Just 14 years later, handguns were already
making their way across Europe.

Guns, in their infancy, were very different from todays multifaceted weapons, as PBS notes. Originally,
a wick was tied to touch hole inside of the barrel of guns. Then, when one lit the wick, the powder
would inevitably be ignited inside, creating the reaction needed to launch the projectile.

19th century matchlock musket (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art)

It wasnt until the matchlock gun arrived in the 1400s that guns began to evolve. This particular
firearm was the first gun that used mechanics to release a bullet. Finding early examples of these guns
is difficult, as they are rare. The NRAs National Firearms Museum provides more information about
how these weapons worked:

16th-17th century matchlock musket (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art)

THE GUNS FIRST MAJOR EVOLUTION

In 1498, the gun experienced its first major evolution with the discovery of rifling (putting
grooves in the barrel of a gun to improve accuracy). The National Firearms Museum concept: Archers
had found that if the fletching feathers on the rear of their arrow were at a slight angle, causing the
arrow to rotate in flight, their ability to hit the target was improved
Wheel lock gun (Photo Credit: Small Arms of the Bavarian National Museum, Munich/Nick Michael)

As PBS notes, the wheel lock technology was extremely expensive, leading some to still
choose the matchlock despite improvements (the latter was half the price of the former).

Double-barreled wheel lock pistol circa 1540-1545 (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art)

THE EMERGENCE OF THE FLINTLOCK

The next major advancement in gun technologies came in 1640, when the first true flintlock
emerged. As PBS notes, this particular technology solved a problem that had been hampering
shooters for quite some time. For much of the guns existence up to this point, a lid was used to protect
or expose powder a tool that had to be moved manually.

U.S. model 1816 flintlock pistol (Photo Credit: NRA Blog/American Riflemen)
 The flintlock solved this annoyance by being designed to both push back the lid and spark a
flint simultaneously. The development was so profound, in fact, that it lasted for two centuries without
any major alterations. Heres how HowStuffWorks.com describes the technology:

The basic goal of the flintlock is simple: to create a spark that can light the gunpowder stored in the
barrel of the gun. To create this spark, the flintlock uses the flint and steel approach. The idea behind
flint and steel is straightforward.

A diagram showing the parts of the flintlock technology (Photo Credit: HowStuffWorks.com)

Before guns there were swords (known as rapiers). Men would carry these weapons and use
them for self-defense and duels. But around 1750, PBS notes that people began carrying guns rather
than rapiers.

Lavish flintlock pistols from England circa 1800-1801 (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art)
PERCUSSION-CAP GUNS

The flintlocks technology finally peaked around 1825 when the percussion-detonating
principle was in general use. About.com claims that percussion-cap guns, invented and patented by
the Rev. John Forsyth in the early 1800s, no longer required a flash pan. By the time the Civil War
rolled around, both the Union and Confederate forces were using the newfound technology.

The percussion cap was made possible by the discovery of a chemical compound
called mercuric fulminate or fulminate of mercury. Its chemical formula is Hg(ONC)2 it is made from
mercury, nitric acid and alcohol.Mercuric fulminate is extremely explosive, and it is shock sensitive. A
sharp blow, or even too much finger pressure, can cause it to detonate. By putting a small amount of
mercuric fulminate in a pre-made cap (a tiny cup about the size of a pencil eraser) and affixing the cap
to a nipple and tube leading into the barrel, the cap can ignite the gunpowder in the barrel.
Colt Third Model Dragoon Percussion Revolver (Photo Credit: Metropolitan Museum of Art)

THE COLT REVOLVER

The first multi-shot, revolving firearms that were mass produced came from Samuel Colt. Colt
produced a gun that enabled people to fire multiple shots without reloading a development that
forever changed warfare. By mass producing these weapons, the inventor made them more affordable
and, as PBS Notes, their accuracy and reliability made them useful among hunters and soldiers, alike.

The first Colt revolver emerged in 1835. The Colt web site has more about this fascinating history:

Sam Colts success story began with the issuance of a U.S. patent in 1836 for the Colt firearm
equipped with a revolving cylinder containing five or six bullets. Colts revolver provided its user with
greatly increased firepower. Prior to his invention, only one- and two-barrel flintlock pistols were
available. In the 163 years that have followed, more than 30 million revolvers, pistols, and rifles bearing
the Colt name have been produced, almost all of them in plants located in the Hartford, Connecticut,
area.

Civil War-era Colt revolver (Photo Credit: North Carolina Museum of History)

GUN TECHNOLOGIES VASTLY IMPROVE

It was the second half of the 19th century that gun technologies monumentally expanded. In
1840, the pin fire cartridge was introduced (more about this here). And by 1850, true shotguns were
in use. As PBS notes, guns were given new life, again, in 1860, with the introduction of the Spencer
repeating carbine:
 Introduced at the start of the Civil War, Spencer repeating guns were technically advanced,
used cartridges (a recent development), and could fire 7 shots in 15 seconds. But the Army didnt want
a repeating gun, fearing that soldiers would fire more often, constantly need fresh ammunition, and
overtax the supply system. But in 1863, President Lincoln test-fired a Spencer. His approval led to the
purchase of 107,372 Spencer repeating carbines and rifles (of 144,500 made), and the Spencer
became the principal repeating gun of the Civil War.

Spencer Repeating Rifle (Photo Credit: North Carolina Museum of History)

While most guns in use until the mid-1800s were muzzle-loading (from the front of the barrel),
breech-loading (from the back of the barrel) firearms were in common use by 1861. To provide some
context, most guns originally required the former system of loading bullets. From the matchlock phase
through the percussion era, muzzle loading was the norm. Through this system, the projectile and
powder were dropped down the muzzle at the front of the guns barrel and rammed to the rear prior to
firing a shot, the National Firearms Museum claims. Eventually, breech-loading took precedence.

MACHINE GUNS COME TO FRUITION

Photo Credit: National Firearms Museum

In 1861, the Gatling gun came on the scene a magnificent technology, considering its
usefulness. About.com provides a snapshot of its capabilities and history (it is considered the
precursor to the modern machine gun):

In 1861, Doctor Richard Gatling patented the Gatling gun, a six-barreled weapon capable of firing a
(then) phenomenal 200 rounds per minute. The Gatling gun was a hand-driven, crank-operated, multi-
barrel, machine gun. The first machine gun with reliable loading, the Gatling gun had the ability to fire
sustained multiple bursts.
 The 1862 version of the Gatling gun had reloadable steel chambers and used percussion
caps. It was prone to occasional jamming. In 1867, Gatling redesigned the Gatling gun again to use
metallic cartridges this version was bought and used by the United States Army.

Gatling gun at the National Park Service at Fort Laramie in Wyoming (Photo Credit: Matthew Trump)

THE WINCHESTER RIFLE EMERGES

In 1873, the Winchester Rifle emerged, distinguishing itself as an immensely-popular firearm.

In 1887, the first repeating shotguns were released by the company and, in 1903, Winchester again
made history when it created the first automatic rifle.

Winchester Model 1873 rifle, which was produced in 1897 (Photo Credit: National Firearms Museum)

And in 1892, as PBS notes, the first automatic pistol was created by Joseph Laumann. Just
just one year later in 1893 the Borchardt pistol emerged, complete with a separate magazine.
Within eight years, automatic weapons were in regular use.
A Borchardt Pistol from 1893 (Photo Credit: National Firearms Museum)

According to the National Firearms Museum, the first truly fully automatic machine guns
(firearms that fire continuously while the trigger is held down) emerged in the 1880s when Hiram
Maxim perfected the technology. Then, John Moses Browning followed these weapons up with the .30
caliber Model 1917 and the .50 caliber M-2 Ma Deuce the latter of which is still used today.

In 1900, the historical firearms period came to a close and contemporary technologies abounded. You
can read more about modern gun advances in the National Firearms Museum web site.

History of Ammunition from Origin to the Modern Cartridge

Chinese Gunpowder - The Origin of Ammunition

The history of ammunition can be traced back to the invention of fireworks around 900 AD.
The Chinese developed a black gunpowder that was composed of Charcoal, Saltpeter, and Sulfur.
This gunpowder was initially used to light up the sky, but was soon adopted as a weapon. The Chinese
later attached gunpowder tubes to the bottom of spears to propel them forward to devastate any
oncoming attackers.
Ammunition Used in the First Firearms

The history of ammunition used in firearms dates back as far as the late 13th Century. Long
before manufactured cartridges, owners used gunpowder to propel any shrapnel they could find. After
that, the use of firearms began to spread westward into Arab countries. Arab armies are credited as
the first to use cannons in battle against their enemies during the 14th century. Arrows were propelled
out of bamboo tubes, giving these Arab armies an added advantage when it came to wartime.
However, it was not until Europeans used gunpowder that we began to see ammo develop into the
cartridges we know today. With the invention of muzzleloaders the Europeans continued to shrink
ammunition down to a size suitable for hand cannons or the first rifles.

Origin of the Cartridge

The development of the cartridge was the next step in the history of ammunition. Bullets
began transforming from musket balls into the cylindro-conoidal bullet we see today. The advantage
of these newly shaped bullets was their ability to expand inside the barrel. This combined with the
invention of rifling from German gun makers allowed much more accuracy and reliability, but reloading
still remained a slow process. The earliest known cartridges were made of paper in the late 1500s but
were replaced by brass casings. Muzzleloaders used cartridges for years, but speed remained an
issue.

Firearms continued to evolve and during the mid-1800s breech-loaders first came on the
scene in America. Instead of seating ammunition into the muzzle of the gun, breech-loaders allowed
for chambered cartridges at the back of the rifle. The breechloader broke apart the cartridge and fired
the bullet out of the end of the chamber.

Modern Cartridge
With a growing demand for ammo, the need for better cartridges was also at an all-time high.
This lead to the formation of the modern day cartridge. The gunpowder was tightly sealed inside a
brass encasing with the bullet attached to the end. A strike to a primer in the base of the brass case
became the new way of igniting the cartridge and shooting the bullet out of the barrel.

This method marked the first time that cartridge casings ejected out of the gun, which allowed shooters
to reload the firearm immediately. This concept expanded through the invention of the repeating rifle,
which allowed for loading multiple cartridges at the same time.
4. Attached a copy of different laws on firearm from the first and latest law in the
Philippines

Republic Act No. 8294

AN ACT AMENDING THE PROVISIONS OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1866,

AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "CODIFYING THE LAWS ON ILLEGAL/UNLAWFUL
POSSESSION, MANUFACTURE, DEALING IN, ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF
FIREARMS, AMMUNITION OR EXPLOSIVES OR INSTRUMENTS USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF FIREARMS, AMMUNITION OR EXPLOSIVES, AND IMPOSING
STIFFER PENALTIES FOR CERTAIN VIOLATIONS THEREOF, AND FOR RELEVANT
PURPOSES."
Section 1. Sec. 1 Presidential Decree No. 1866, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 1. Unlawful manufacture, sale, acquisition, disposition or possession of firearms or
ammunition or instruments used or intended to be used in the manufacture of firearms or
ammunition. The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period and a fine of not less
than Fifteen thousand pesos (P15,000) shall be imposed upon any person who shall unlawfully
manufacture, deal in, acquire, dispose, or possess any low powered firearm, such as rimfire
handgun, .380 or .32 and other firearm of similar firepower, part of firearm, ammunition, or
machinery, tool or instrument used or intended to be used in the manufacture of any firearm
or ammunition: Provided, That no other crime was committed. "The penalty of prision mayor
in its minimum period and a fine of Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000) shall be imposed if the
firearm is classified as high powered firearm which includes those with bores bigger in
diameter than .38 caliber and 9 millimeter such as caliber .40, .41, .44, .45 and also lesser
calibered firearms but considered powerful such as caliber .357 and caliber .22 center-fire
magnum and other firearms with firing capability of full automatic and by burst of two or three:
Provided, however, That no other crime was committed by the person arrested. "If homicide
or murder is committed with the use of an unlicensed firearm, such use of an unlicensed
firearm shall be considered as an aggravating circumstance. "If the violation of this Sec. is in
furtherance of or incident to, or in connection with the crime of rebellion or insurrection,
sedition, or attempted coup d'etat, such violation shall be absorbed as an element of the crime
of rebellion, or insurrection, sedition, or attempted coup d'etat.The same penalty shall be
imposed upon the owner, president, manager, director or other responsible officer of any public
or private firm, company, corporation or entity, who shall willfully or knowingly allow any of the
firearms owned by such firm, company, corporation or entity to be used by any person or
persons found guilty of violating the provisions of the preceding paragraphs or willfully or
knowingly allow any of them to use unlicensed firearms or firearms without any legal authority
to be carried outside of their residence in the course of their employment.

Republic Act No. 10591

An act known as THE COMPREHENSIVE LAW ON FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION

AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF, was signed into law by the
President of the Philippines on May 29, 2013;
Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Comprehensive Firearms and
Ammunition Regulation Act".