NIST Standard Bullets and Casings Project

Published

January 1, 2007

Author(s)

Jun-Feng Song, Theodore V. Vorburger, Susan M. Ballou, Thomas Brian Renegar, Li Ma, Eric P. Whitenton, David R. Kelley, Robert A. Clary, A Zheng, M Ols

Abstract

The National INstitute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard bullets and casings project will provide support to firearm examiners and to the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN) in the United States. The standard bullet is designed as both a virtual and a physical bullet signature standard. The virtual standard is a set of six digitized bullet signatures originally profiled from six master bullets fired at the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). By using the virtual signature standard to control the tool path on a numerically controlled (NC) diamond turnign machine, 40 standard bullets were produced. Based on the NIST proposed parameter and algorithm, a bullet signature measurement system was established for bullet signature measurements of the standard bullets. Initial measurement results showed high reproducibility for both the measurement system and the standard bullets. A traceability scheme has been proposed to establish the measurement traceability for nationwide bullet signature measurements to NIST, ATF and FBI. Prototype standard casings have also been developed.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of 2007 ASPE

Conference Dates

October 14-19, 2007

Conference Location

Dallas, TX, USA

Conference Title

2007 ASPE

Pub Type

Conferences

Keywords

ballistics, bullet signature, reference material, RM, standard bullet, standard casing, traceability

Citation

Song, J. , Vorburger, T. , Ballou, S. , Renegar, T. , Ma, L. , Whitenton, E. , Kelley, D. , Clary, R. , Zheng, A. and Ols, M. (2007), NIST Standard Bullets and Casings Project, Proceedings of 2007 ASPE, Dallas, TX, USA (Accessed April 25, 2024)