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Firearms & Toolmarks Subcommittee
The Firearms & Toolmarks Subcommittee focuses on standards and guidelines related to the examination of firearm and toolmark evidence. This includes the comparison of microscopic toolmarks on bullets, cartridge cases, and other ammunition components and may also include firearm function testing, serial number restoration, muzzle-to-object distance determination, tools, and toolmarks.
Officers | Members | Standards | Other Work Products
Officers
Erica Lawton, Subcommittee Chair, Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences; University of South Alabama
Todd Weller, Subcommittee Vice Chair, Weller Forensics, LLC
Melissa Oberg, Subcommittee Executive Secretary, Indiana State Police
Members
Cassey Allen, Texas Department of Public Safety
Carey M. Alvarez Bacha, Unified Metropolitan Forensic Crime Laboratory
Zachary Carr, Johnson County Sheriff's Office Criminalistics Laboratory
Eric Collins, Contra Costa County (California) Office of the Sheriff, Forensic Services Division
Jason Crafton, Missouri State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory
William Demuth, II, Illinois State Police, Division of Forensic Services
Stefanie Happ, El Paso County Sheriff's Office
Stephanie Madon, Iowa State University (Human Factors Task Group member)
Max Morris, Ph.D., Iowa State University (Statistics Task Group member)
Rebecca Mullen, Arkansas State Crime Laboratory (Quality Task Group member)
Michael Neel, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Nicholas Petraco, City University of New York
James (Steve) Scott, Federal Bureau of Investigation - TEDAC Laboratory
Maneka Sinha, University of Maryland Carey School of Law (Legal Task Group member)
Erich Smith, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Johannes Soons, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Michael Stocker, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Ted Vorburger, National Institute of Standards and Technology/Stratevia
Standards
Tier 1: On the OSAC Registry
- None currently.
Tier 2: Published by a Standards Developing Organization (SDO)
- ANSI/ASB Best Practice Recommendation 068, Safe Handling of Firearms and Ammunition, First Edition, 2020.
- ANSI/ASB Standard 093, Standard Test Method for the Examination and Testing of Firearms, First Edition, 2020.
Tier 3: Sent to an SDO
- Standard Method for the Examination and Documentation of Non-Firearm Tools and Toolmarks.
- Standard for Barrel and Overall Length Measurements for Firearms.
- Standard for 3D Measurement Systems and Measurement Quality Control for Firearm and Toolmark Analysis.
- Standard for Topography Comparison Software for Firearm and Toolmark Analysis.
- Implementation of 3D Technologies in Forensic Laboratories for Firearm and Toolmark Analysis.
- Standard Method for the Examination and Documentation of Ammunition and Ammunition Components.
- Range of Source Conclusions and Criteria in Toolmark Examinations.
- Minimum Education Requirements for Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Trainees.
- Best Practice Recommendation for Measuring Trigger Pull of a Firearm and Estimating its Uncertainty.
- Standard for Verification of Source Conclusions in Toolmark Examinations.
Tier 4: Under Development
- Standard Method for the Examination and Documentation of Non-Firearm Tools and Toolmarks.
- Supporting Documentation of Source Conclusions in Toolmark Examinations.
- Guidelines for Reporting of Source Conclusions in Toolmark Examinations.
- Standard for 3D Virtual Comparison Microscopy for Firearm and Toolmark Analysis.
- Standard for Requirements and Recommendations for a Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Training Program.
- Standard Test Method for the Examination and Restoration of Obliterated Serial Numbers.
- Standard Test Method for the Examination and Comparison of Toolmarks for Source Attribution.
- Standard Test Method for Muzzle-to-Garment Distance Determination.
Other Work Products
Process Maps
- Firearms Process Map (January 19, 2021).
Research & Development Needs
- See the research and development needs identified by the Firearms & Toolmarks Subcommittee.
Reference Documents
Note: Subcommittee position statements or responses to data collections by the subcommittee do not necessarily represent the position of OSAC or NIST.
- OSAC Firearms and Toolmarks Subcommittee's Response to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology's (PCAST) Request for Additional References - Submitted December 14, 2016.
- OSAC Firearms & Toolmarks Subcommittee's Response to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology's (PCAST) Request for Information – Submitted December 23, 2015.
Webinars, Presentations & Training Videos
- NIST OSAC Firearms and Toolmarks Overview & Update at The Association of Firearm and Toolmark Examiners (AFTE) 49th Annual Training Seminar (June 2018).
Discipline-Specific Bibliographies and Bibliographic References
These documents may contain information to help forensic scientists, judges, lawyers, researchers, and other readers better understand the nature, scope, and foundations of the individual disciplines as currently practiced. The identification of these documents does not represent an endorsement by OSAC or NIST. Only standards that are posted on the OSAC Registry and Technical Guidance documents, are endorsed by OSAC. The referenced documents may be subject to copyright. Note: Subcommittee position statements or responses to data collections by the subcommittee do not necessarily represent the position of OSAC or NIST.
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Barrel and Overall Length Measurements for Firearms
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Criteria for Identification
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Developing a Training Manual
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Documentation of the Examination of Tools and Toolmarks
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Documentation of the Examination of Ammo and Ammo Components
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Elimination Factors Related to FA-TM Examinations
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Forensic Examination Guidelines for Silencers
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Gunshot Residue Distance Determinations
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Projectile Path Reconstruction-Essential Elements
- SWGGUN Guidelines for the Documentation of Firearm Examinations
- SWGGUN Guidelines for the Standardization of Comparison Documentation
- SWGGUN Guidelines for Trigger Pull Analysis
- SWGGUN Minimum Qualifications for Experienced Firearm and Toolmark Examiners
- SWGGUN Minimum Qualifications for Firearm and Toolmark Examiner Trainees
- SWGGUN Code of Ethics
- SWGGUN Foundational Report
- SWGGUN Quality Assurance Guidelines
- SWGGUN Response to RDT&E
- SWGGUN Systemic Report
- SWGGUN Transition from ASCLD-LAB Legacy to ISO-IEC 17025