AFTE Store - Applying Firearm Identification Procedures in the Analysis of Percussion Caps

A review of the AFTE article index and further study of individual articles has revealed a lack of discussion and publication regarding the presence of tool marks on historic and modern percussion caps. Percussion caps, if well preserved, have the potential to yield unique individual tool marks that can be microscopically examined to determine a minimum number of weapons present at a specific event or identify a particular firearm. Analysis of 110 percussion caps from an 1854 battle fought between the U.S. Army and the Apache determined that at least 34 firearms were used in the battle. A validation study using modern percussion caps from eleven known weapons was also undertaken to demonstrate the potential for percussion cap analysis in future studies. The popularity of black powder firearms in recent years illustrates the need for further study and documentation of this untapped resource.