- 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
Bullet Recovery
Home > Safety > At the Firing Range > Bullet Recovery
Cotton waste bullet recovery system
An essential aspect of firearms identification is obtaining known specimens of fired bullets to be used as comparison standards. This is accomplished by firing into an appropriate bullet recovery system (water, cotton waste, etc.).
The following safety rules apply to bullet recovery systems:
- Be certain that the bullet recovery system is appropriate for the type of ammunition being tested. If necessary, download the cartridge using the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) Protocol.
- Place the muzzle inside the shooting tube prior to chambering a cartridge as a precaution against slam fires.
- Use a face shield when firing to minimize the effects of potential back spatter of metal fragments.
- Use body armor when appropriate to minimize the effects of potential back spatter.
- Load and fire one cartridge at a time to prevent a defective or modified firearm from going into full automatic fire.
Eye protection and face sheild
