- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence Handling Procedures
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
- Resources
- Safety
- Worksheets and Reports
- Selected Bibliography
- Ethics
- Assessments
Unfired Ammunition
Home > Safety > General Guidelines > Unfired Ammunition
Hand carrying unfired evidence ammunition to the laboratory is the safest and most convenient method of delivery. If the delivery to the laboratory requires the shipping of evidence, the United States Postal Service (USPS) will not ship unfired ammunition. Unfired ammunition must be shipped by private carriers such as United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx/Kinkos), among others. To comply with United States Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations, each private carrier has specific hazardous material packaging, labeling, and invoice requirements. Regardless of the fact that the shipper is a law enforcement agency or state or government-supported forensic laboratory, these requirements must be followed. It is the responsibility of the agency to ensure that evidence is shipped correctly, while complying with both the government and the shipper’s current safety regulations.
