Volume 57, Issue 4 pp. 912-917

PAPER
CRIMINALISTICS

Confocal Microscopy Analysis of Breech Face Marks on Fired Cartridge Cases from 10 Consecutively Manufactured Pistol Slides*

Todd J. Weller M.S.,

Todd J. Weller M.S.

Oakland Police Department, 455 7th Street, Room 608, Oakland, CA 94607.

University of California, Davis Campus, 1333 Research Park Drive, Davis, CA 95618.

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Alan Zheng B.S.,

Alan Zheng B.S.

National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

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Robert Thompson B.S.,

Robert Thompson B.S.

National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

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Fred Tulleners M.A.,

Fred Tulleners M.A.

National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

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Todd J. Weller M.S.,

Todd J. Weller M.S.

Oakland Police Department, 455 7th Street, Room 608, Oakland, CA 94607.

University of California, Davis Campus, 1333 Research Park Drive, Davis, CA 95618.

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Alan Zheng B.S.,

Alan Zheng B.S.

National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

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Robert Thompson B.S.,

Robert Thompson B.S.

National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

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Fred Tulleners M.A.,

Fred Tulleners M.A.

National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

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First published: 05 March 2012

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2012.02072.x

Citations: 32

Additional information and reprint requests:
Todd Weller, M.S.
Oakland Police Department
Criminalistics Division
455 7th Street, Room 608
Oakland, CA 94607
E-mail: [email protected]

^†

Presented at the 41st Annual Training Seminar of the Association of Firearms and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE), May 3, 2010, in Chicago, IL, and at the 116th Semi-annual Seminar – Fall 2010 California Association of Criminalists (CAC), October 5, 2010, in Oakland, CA.

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Abstract

Abstract: Recent publications from the National Academy of Sciences have called for additional foundational research in the field of firearm and toolmark analysis. We examined test fires from 10 pistol slides with consecutively manufactured breech faces. A total of nine test fires from each pistol slide, for a total of 90 test fired cartridge cases, were compared using confocal microscopy combined with three-dimensional cross-correlation analysis algorithms. A total of 8010 comparisons were performed (720 matches and 7290 nonmatches). The average score for matches was 0.82 with a standard deviation of 0.06. The average score for nonmatches was 0.20 with a standard deviation of 0.03. Additionally, subclass toolmarks were observed on the breech faces, but the presence of subclass was not detected in the correlation analysis. There was no overlap of scores between matching and nonmatching test fires. This provides objective data that support the AFTE (Association of Firearms and Tool Mark Examiners) theory of identification.

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Volume57, Issue4

July 2012

Pages 912-917

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The Path Forward – Forensic Sciences Response to the National Academies of Sciences Report 2009

Confocal Microscopy Analysis of Breech Face Marks on Fired Cartridge Cases from 10 Consecutively Manufactured Pistol Slides*

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Confocal Microscopy Analysis of Breech Face Marks on Fired Cartridge Cases from 10 Consecutively Manufactured Pistol Slides*

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