Assessing the shooting distance of lead-free ammunition regardless of composition using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Abstract

Abstract   At present, it is challenging to accurately determine firearm shooting distances in the case that lead-free ammunition is involved, largely because different manufacturers use different primer compositions. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) allows the simultaneous detection of multiple elements with high sensitivity and so may represent a solution to this problem. Previous studies have, in fact, demonstrated that LIBS can be used to determine shooting distances when working with gunshot residues from conventional ammunition based on scanning fabric surfaces. The present study confirms that the shooting distance can be ascertained using LIBS to detect copper originating from the ammunition casing and projectile but not the primer on fabric surfaces. This estimation can be performed regardless of the primer composition of lead-free ammunition. Key points