What Is Gunshot Residue And Why Is It Important?

Gunshot residue is increasingly used as forensic evidence in cases where guns have been used to commit a crime. Gunshot residue materializes whenever a firearm is discharged. When the trigger is pulled, fire is sent into the cartridge the intense heat burns the gunpowder and converts it into gas. This process leaves behind residue.

Gunshot residue is deposited at a distance of up to 5 feet depending on the type of firearm. The residue consists of iron, lead, barium etc. The quantity of gunshot residue will vary from weapon to weapon. An AK-47 will leave behind lesser residue per bullet as compared to a Glock pistol. Since the residue will fall on the clothes of the shooter, it is can be an important piece of evidence in a crime. The closer the shooter is to his victim, the easier it becomes to link gunshot residue to a particular firearm. Gunshot residue is collected by investigators using cotton daubed in nitric acid. The residue is analyzed using an electron microscope.

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