Monday, September 01, 2008

A Hot Tip

Forensic scientists could soon be pulling fingerprints from fired bullet casings...

Fingerprinting dust clings to organic compounds like amino acids and urea from skin to reveal prints. But any of those residues on a bullet are likely to be burned away when it is fired...

Now John Bond, a scientist with the Northamptonshire Police and fellow at the University of Leicester, both in the UK, has discovered that fired bullet casings can reveal fingerprints. And it is the high temperatures they reach that make it possible.
Am I reading this right? It took a British scientist to discover you can leave fingerprints on brass casings?

That's why I always advise loading magazines on carry guns with gloves. You just never know when discretion will be the better part of valor.

5 comments:

David Goodyear said...

What's this?!?

The drive-by gang-bangers aren't saving their brass???

What shame...

8)

Anonymous said...

"That's why I always advise loading magazines on carry guns with gloves. You just never know when discretion will be the better part of valor."

That's why I carry a revolver.

Anonymous said...

Ditto on the revolver.

Anonymous said...

Are they talking about the brass, cartridge case, or the actual metal casing of the bullet? The bullet casing should be the thin gilded metal around the gooey lead center.

AFAIK people have been taking prints off of brass cartridge cases for decades. The only place that the intense heat would be a major problem is with the gilding netal around the lead.

Anonymous said...

It's a damn shame when the good guys and girls have to think ahead to the forensics lab when planning self-defense.