Forward Acknowledgements Preface About the Author Introduction to Unusual Firearms Advent of Unusual Firearms in Crime Making/Manufacture of Illegal Firearms Illegally Modified, Legal Firearms Substandard and Copies of Branded Firearms Homemade Firearms Inappropriate Constructional Features of Unusual Firearms Irregular Rifling Varying Barrel Shape and Size Varying Bore Dimension Varying Barrel Lengths Irrespective of Type of Ammunition Varying Muzzle and Breech Thickness Irrespective of Type of Ammunition Varying Chambers: Shape and Size Cartridge Headspace Unusual Firing Pin Arrangement Trigger Pull Locking Arrangement Unusual Locking Arrangement Caliber Designation of Unusual Firearms: New Nomenclatures Bore/Caliber Designation Forensic Investigation of Fired Cartridges of Unusual Firearms Breech Face Marks Modified Procedures for Reproducing Breech Marks Evaluation of Deceptive and Ambiguous Marks Examination of Breech and Unusual Firearms Chamber Marks Chamber Shape and Size Chamber-Bore Joint Marks Modified Procedures for Reproducing Chamber Marks Firing Pin Marks Evaluation of Multifiring Pin Hits Tampered Firing Pin Extractor and Ejector Marks Extractor Marks by Low-Pressure Round Ejector Marks and Tampered Firearms Summary of Modified Cartridge Identification Procedures Forensic Investigation of Fired Bullets from Unusual Firearms Inappropriate Rifled Bore Barrel Marks Under-Bore Sized Rifled Barrels Over-Bore Sized Rifled Barrels Inappropriate Modified Chamber Inappropriate/Irregular Rifling Mismatch Rifled Firearms Smoothbore Firearms Using Rifled Ammunition Nature of Smoothbore Barrel Marks Using Rifled Ammunition Class Characteristic Parameters of Unusual Firearms: New Parameters Identification of Bullets Fired from Smoothbore Firearm Forensic Investigation of Fired Shot Charge of Unusual Firearms Dispersion of Pellets and Possible Misleading Range Determination Type of Wad Barrel Dimension Linkage of Fired Pellets with Suspect Firearm Barrel Marks on Fired Shot/Pellets Reproducibility and Identification of Barrel Marks Misleading Conclusion on Number of Fires from Fired Pellets Pellets without Striations Appear as Unfired, Whether Fired or Not Reloaded Shot Size from a Fired Shell Dispersion of Wads and Reconstruction of Shooting Incidents Wads at the Crime Scene Unusual Firearms and Flight of Wads Unusual Barrel Marks on Wads Cartridge Splits and Unusual Chamber Marks on Fired Wads Unusual Firearms and Medico-Legal Evidence Shape and Size of Bullet Hole Unrifled Bore Using Rifled Ammunition Unusual Rifled Firearms Presence or Absence of the Close-Range Phenomena Burning Scorching Blackening Powder Tattooing Metal Vapor Smudging Projectile Scrapings (Bullet Chips) Gunshot Residue (GSR) Particles Unusual Firearms and Contact Shots Abraded and Dirt Collar Abraded Collar Dirt Collar/Ring Visual Examination of Firearm Injuries and Caution Needed Blackening and Blackened Bullet Periphery Detection of Powder Particles on the Bare Body Probable Caliber of Bullet and Type of Firearm from Bullet Hole Caliber from Bullet Hole Determining the Type of Firearm from a Bullet Hole Entry Wound and Direction of Fire Projectile-Tissue Interactions and the Wound Track Exit Holes and Unusual Firearms Wounding Effect of Fired Bullets of Unusual Firearms Determination of Striking Velocity Orientation/Area of Presentation of Nonspinning Bullets at Impact Wounding Capability of Nonspinning Bullets of Unusual Firearms Additional Reading Firearm Discharge and Time of Firing Evidence of Firing and Unusual Firearms Time of Firing Unusual Rifling Marks on Jacket Pieces and Lead Core Index esignation of Unusual Firearms: New Nomenclatures Bore/Caliber Designation Forensic Investigation of Fired Cartridges of Unusual Firearms Breech Face Marks Modified Procedures for Reproducing Breech Marks Evaluation of Deceptive and Ambiguous Marks Examination of Breech and Unusual Firearms Chamber Marks Chamber Shape and Size Chamber-Bore Joint Marks Modified Procedures for Reproducing Chamber Marks Firing Pin Marks Evaluation of Multifiring Pin Hits Tampered Firing Pin Extractor and Ejector Marks Extractor Marks by Low-Pressure Round Ejector Marks and Tampered Firearms Summary of Modified Cartridge Identification Procedures Forensic Investigation of Fired Bullets from Unusual Firearms Inappropriate Rifled Bore Barrel Marks Under-Bore Sized Rifled Barrels Over-Bore Sized Rifled Barrels Inappropriate Modified Chamber Inappropriate/Irregular Rifling Mismatch Rifled Firearms Smoothbore Firearms Using Rifled Ammunition Nature of Smoothbore Barrel Marks Using Rifled Ammunition Class Characteristic Parameters of Unusual Firearms: New Parameters Identification of Bullets Fired from Smoothbore Firearm Forensic Investigation of Fired Shot Charge of Unusual Firearms Dispersion of Pellets and Possible Misleading Range Determination Type of Wad Barrel Dimension Linkage of Fired Pellets with Suspect Firearm Barrel Marks on Fired Shot/Pellets Reproducibility and Identification of Barrel Marks Misleading Conclusion on Number of Fires from Fired Pellets Pellets without Striations Appear as Unfired, Whether Fired or Not Reloaded Shot Size from a Fired Shell Dispersion of Wads and Reconstruction of Shooting Incidents Wads at the Crime Scene Unusual Firearms and Flight of Wads Unusual Barrel Marks on Wads Cartridge Splits and Unusual Chamber Marks on Fired Wads Unusual Firearms and Medico-Legal Evidence Shape and Size of Bullet Hole Unrifled Bore Using Rifled Ammunition Unusual Rifled Firearms Presence or Absence of the Close-Range Phenomena Burning Scorching Blackening Powder Tattooing Metal Vapor Smudging Projectile Scrapings (Bullet Chips) Gunshot Residue (GSR) Particles Unusual Firearms and Contact Shots Abraded and Dirt Collar Abraded Collar Dirt Collar/Ring Visual Examination of Firearm Injuries and Caution Needed Blackening and Blackened Bullet Periphery Detection of Powder Particles on the Bare Body Probable Caliber of Bullet and Type of Firearm from Bullet Hole Caliber from Bullet Hole Determining the Type of Firearm from a Bullet Hole Entry Wound and Direction of Fire Projectile-Tissue Interactions and the Wound Track Exit Holes and Unusual Firearms Wounding Effect of Fired Bullets of Unusual Firearms Determination of Striking Velocity Orientation/Area of Presentation of Nonspinning Bullets at Impact Wounding Capability of Nonspinning Bullets of Unusual Firearms Additional Reading Firearm Discharge and Time of Firing Evidence of Firing and Unusual Firearms Time of Firing Unusual Rifling Marks on Jacket Pieces and Lead Core Index nusual Firearms Inappropriate Rifled Bore Barrel Marks Under-Bore Sized Rifled Barrels Over-Bore Sized Rifled Barrels Inappropriate Modified Chamber Inappropriate/Irregular Rifling Mismatch Rifled Firearms Smoothbore Firearms Using Rifled Ammunition Nature of Smoothbore Barrel Marks Using Rifled Ammunition Class Characteristic Parameters of Unusual Firearms: New Parameters Identification of Bullets Fired from Smoothbore Firearm Forensic Investigation of Fired Shot Charge of Unusual Firearms Dispersion of Pellets and Possible Misleading Range Determination Type of Wad Barrel Dimension Linkage of Fired Pellets with Suspect Firearm Barrel Marks on Fired Shot/Pellets Reproducibility and Identification of Barrel Marks Misleading Conclusion on Number of Fires from Fired Pellets Pellets without Striations Appear as Unfired, Whether Fired or Not Reloaded Shot Size from a Fired Shell Dispersion of Wads and Reconstruction of Shooting Incidents Wads at the Crime Scene Unusual Firearms and Flight of Wads Unusual Barrel Marks on Wads Cartridge Splits and Unusual Chamber Marks on Fired Wads Unusual Firearms and Medico-Legal Evidence Shape and Size of Bullet Hole Unrifled Bore Using Rifled Ammunition Unusual Rifled Firearms Presence or Absence of the Close-Range Phenomena Burning Scorching Blackening Powder Tattooing Metal Vapor Smudging Projectile Scrapings (Bullet Chips) Gunshot Residue (GSR) Particles Unusual Firearms and Contact Shots Abraded and Dirt Collar Abraded Collar Dirt Collar/Ring Visual Examination.