Firearm examiners are often asked 1) can bullets be matched back to cartridge cases? 2) What bullets leave suitable markings? 3) Does an objective approach for interpreting firearm examiner conclusions exist? The inability to objectively answer questions related to linking evidence and source in firearm and tool mark analysis suggests the need for further studies that offer appropriate, reliable conclusions. The purpose of this study was to provide an objective approach for interpreting Firearm examiner conclusions. A fixed-bin analysis consisting of 53 bins in a side-by-side representation was utilized to analyze regions of interest on a single bullet’s bearing surface acquired in 1.6mm (band) increments by the IBIS BULLETTRAX-3DTM system. Results address concerns that have been outlined by the National Research Council (2009). Major findings in this study indicate the IBIS BULLETTRAX-3DTM system can assist examiners with better visualization and the ability to provide objective conclusions in bullet comparisons.
