Introduction to Forensic Ballistics
COURSE OVERVIEW
This three-day course provides participants with an understanding of firearms in the context of forensic investigations. This course will provide an overview of the science behind gun design and look at modes of failure. The course will also provide an overview of ballistics looking at internal ballistics, intermediate ballistics and terminal ballistics. In particular, the course will examine the nature of ammunition construction and what to look for during a forensic investigation. The subject of wound ballistics will also be discussed. In addition, an introduction to explosives will be presented from an anti-terrorism perspective. This course will consist of a mixture of lectures and tutorials.
Duration: 3 days
Delivery mode: Classroom
Locations
Advertised: Canberra
In-house: All states and neighbouring countries, contact the Professional Education Course Unit for more information. Recommended for groups of 10 or more.
What you will receive:
- Compresehensive set of course notes
- UNSW Canberra certificate of attendance
- Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
This course will be of special interest to serving police officers, forensic scientists and managers.
COURSE OUTLINE
DAY 1
Introduction to firearms
Introduction of concepts | Types and calibres of guns (large and small) | An introduction to ammunition types used in guns | Identification of firearms | Types of small arms weapon systems
Introduction to Australian legislation
Firearms legislation in Australia | Is gun control beneficial?
Internal and intermediate ballistics
Introductory concepts | How propellants function | Types of propellants: single base, double base, triple base | Propellant effects on barrels | What affects accuracy? | Different barrel approaches | Propellant-air interactions | Noise suppressors
Gun design
Breech design | Barrel design | When barrels break | Barrel stresses | How guns are made
DAY 2
Gun proofing
Proofing approaches | Proof pressures | Introduction to instrumentation during the proofing process
Introduction to materials
Basic concepts in materials science | The structure of materials | Processing of steels | Effect of cooling rates on heated steels | An introduction to different classes of materials
Ammunition identification
Matching bullets with specific firearms | Ammunition notation | Types of bullets and bullet notation
External ballistics
Forces on a projectile / fragment in flight | Coefficient of drag | Why firearms are rifled | Projectile stabilisation techniques
Recoil
Why guns recoil | Muzzle brake index | Momentum index
Tutorial
A Session will be provided so that the student can work through some of the issues raised in this course under the guidance of the course presenter.
DAY 3
Ammunition technology
Small arms design| Discussion of ammunition construction and performance
Propellants and explosives
Explosive types | The explosive train | Models showing the effect of explosions | Explosives in ammunition | Why shells can explode in gun barrels | Explosive failure of gun barrels
Terminal ballistics
Materials for protection | Low-velocity impact |Penetration predictions | Shooting through glass materials
Tutorial
A Session will be provided so that the student can work through some of the issues raised in this course under the guidance of the course presenter.
Optional quiz
An optional class test will be available for those who wish to pursue accreditation.
PROFESSOR PAUL HAZELL
Paul has over 20 years of experience studying the impact behaviour of materials. In 2012 he moved to Canberra, Australia from the UK to take up the post of Professor of Impact Dynamics at UNSW Canberra. Before taking this position he was Head of the Centre for Ordnance Science and Technology at Cranfield University’s Shrivenham campus (at the UK Defence Academy). He has published extensively, appeared in several documentaries and presented his research work at numerous symposia. He has published two books on protection technologies with the most recent called ‘ARMOUR: Materials, Theory, and Design’ (CRC Press) that amongst other things, looks at body armour materials.
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