Bullet Fingerprinting Apr 2026

Bullet fingerprinting, more formally known as , is a forensic technique used to match a fired bullet or shell casing to a specific firearm. The "fingerprint" consists of unique, microscopic marks left on the ammunition by the gun's internal components during the firing process. While often portrayed as a flawless investigative tool in television dramas, the reality of its scientific reliability is a subject of significant debate within the forensic community. How It Works: The Mechanical Fingerprint

As a bullet travels through a gun barrel, it is gripped by —spiral grooves machined into the metal to make the projectile spin for stability. bullet fingerprinting

: When the gun fires, the casing is forced backward against the breech face, transferring its texture to the metal. Bullet fingerprinting, more formally known as , is

: The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network is a federal database used to share digital images of ballistic evidence. How It Works: The Mechanical Fingerprint As a

The shell casing is also marked by various parts of the firearm's internal mechanism: