Product category:
General lab equipment
News Release from: Ballistics Research | Subject: DPRS
Edited by the Laboratorytalk Editorial
Team on 22 May 2003
Bullet-catcher aids forensics
Described as the greatest improvement in forensics firearm identification since the adoption of the comparison microscope
Ballistics Research offers a patent-pending capability that enables any calibre bullet, from small handguns to large military rounds, to be recovered for ballistics testing and forensic identification The results represent a significant improvement in forensic firearm identification and ballistic testing
This article was originally published on Laboratorytalk on 10 Mar 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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It is now possible to fire a weapon into the Duke Projectile Recovery System (DPRS) and in a few seconds retrieve a completely 100% preserved bullet in perfect condition.
All too often, when using a conventional water-tank recovery system, the test-fired bullet breaks into small pieces.
This is especially true of high-speed bullets.
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The DPRS represents a significant crime-solving improvement over anything available in the world today.
One extreme example demonstrates a .45 ACP, 230gr Gold Dot hollow point that was test fired from a Colt 1911A1 with a left-hand twist and recovered.
It was then reloaded and fired again, this time from a Ruger P90 with a right-hand twist.
Even after having been fired twice, the recovered round was completely undamaged.
Never before in the history of firearms has this been accomplished, says Ballistics Research.
Its European distributor, Mellner Alta Tecnologia, arranged for a unit to be evaluated by various law enforcement agencies throughout Europe this month.
The Italian government is considering purchasing fifteen units for its forensic labs around the country.
Although originally developed to fulfill the need for forensic firearm identification, the DPRS has now been utilised by the military.
A US Department of Defense facility responsible for weapons development and testing recently purchased a unit.
After having fired only 12 rounds of ammunition into the DPRS, a ballistics engineer contacted Ballistics Research stating how amazed those in his group were with the results.
As well, he stated that the system performed exactly as advertised.
He also said that they now were able to do ordinance testing never before thought possible.
The DPRS now gives the federal government the capability of non-destructive testing and evaluation of enemy ordinance.
The DPRS can be ordered in sizes capable of accommodating up to 120mm projectiles fired from a main battle tank.
If requirements call for an even larger unit, Ballistics Research says it can adapt a unit to fill those needs.
It has been impossible up to now to recover a test-fired bullet that is 100% undamaged.
What this means for law enforcement is that they can now have a tool that will provide ten times the ability to match a recovered round from a crime scene.
No matter how small a fragment is recovered, they will have a complete test-fired bullet for comparison, thus greatly improving the probability of a match.
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