AFTE Store - The Effect of Barrel Length on Gunshot Residue Patterns

There are a number of variables that affect the gunshot residue (GSR) patterns evaluated during distance determination testing. Barrel length is one of the more significant variables. There are a few published studies demonstrating that differences in GSR patterns have been observed when side-by-side comparisons are conducted between test shots from shorter-barreled and longer-barreled firearms. However, no distance determination studies have been published using the same ammunition and the same revolver with different barrel lengths. As such, this study evaluates the effect of different barrel lengths on GSR patterns when the same revolver is fired from varying muzzle-to-target distances.