Which process is involved in a serial number restoration?
The choice of restoration technique is determined by the type of metal involved, the process by which the serial number was marked on the firearms barrel or receiver, i.e., etching, casting, engraving, or stamping, and the method used to obliterate the serial number.
What chemicals are used in serial number restoration?
Work on restoration of erased serial number on metal plates has been done by using 10 different etching reagents of varying composition and it was found that etching reagent 4 which is composed of ferric chloride, conc. HCl, and distilled water produced the best result.
What tool would investigators use to recover a serial number that has been ground off?
The new method uses magneto-optical (MO) sensor technology to nondestructively detect and visualize serial numbers that have been scratched, ground, chiseled or otherwise removed from firearms.
What are the four methods of serial number restoration?
The handbook reports on the results of optimizing several restoration methods: chemical and electrolytic, ultrasonic cavitation etching, magnetic particle, and heat treatment.
What is restoration in forensic science?
The forensic laboratory is increasingly called upon to restore such erased numbers or names to enable the police to identify the stolen property with the owner. It is often possible in the laboratory to restore the obliterated marks, partly or wholly.
What is Fry’s reagent used for?
Fry’s Reagent is a popular metallographic etchant for micro-etching precipitation hardening stainless steels (PH grade), martensitic stainless steels, and some superalloys. It is also an effective stain for weld inspection.
Is it possible to obscure a serial number?
It is impossible to obscure serial numbers. Even when bullets of the same ammunition are fired from the same gun, the bullets are generally not a one hundred percent match for each other.
What does Nibin stand for?
National Integrated Ballistic Information Network
Law Enforcement Use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) | National Institute of Justice.
What is etching agent?
Phosphoric acid at different concentrations has been extensively used as an etching agent to improve bonding of dental materials to enamel surfaces. Recently attention has been drawn to the possible use of polyfunctional organic acids as conditioning agents.
Can you obscure a serial number?
Why do criminals remove serial numbers?
The reason behind a person removing a serial number on a gun is to prevent police from tracing the gun to previous locations or people. There is no real purpose other than to keep the possessor untraceable.
What is the difference between IBIS and NIBIN?
NIBIN is a nationally networked system administered by ATF to assist law enforcement in solving firearms related violent crimes. IBIS is a collection ofelectronic images ofballistic evidence recovered from crime scenes and test-fired firearms that have been taken into law enforcement custody in the United States.
What is serial number used for?
A serial number (SN) is a number assigned to each individual product in order to distinguish that product from all others. The serial number is sometimes used only for warranty control and sometimes used for both warranty control and for version control.
What is serial number restoration?
Serial Number Restoration • The practice of restoring an obliterated serial number by using scientific methods. • In many instances criminals will obliterate serial numbers from objects so that ownership may not be traced.
How do forensics scientists restore serial numbers?
Forensic scientists can use physical and chemical techniques to restore or enhance altered characters. Restoring a serial number can provide law enforcement agencies with information about a firearm or other item and may offer a lead in an investigation.
How to restore a scratched serial number?
Serial Number Restoration An obliterated serial number typically has a surface that has been scratched so that the number is no longer recognizable 7. Serial Number Restoration Process The first step in the process of restoring the serial number is to polish the surface by using sand paper in progressively finer grits.
What is a firearm serial number?
• Firearms are stamped with an identification serial number.These number are linked to the buyer of the firearm. • Firearm have serial number stamped into their metal components. 3. Serial Number Restoration • The practice of restoring an obliterated serial number by using scientific methods.