Recently an LEO that I know remarked about how he is glad that local thugs seem to greatly prefer using semi autos rather than revolvers, saying that a great deal of useful information can be gathered from the shell casings found on the ground after a criminal event, something that obviously does not happen if a revolver were used. That made me think that from a criminal's point of view, or even a non-criminal who would prefer for any reason not to have the police involved in a self defense shooting incident, that using a revolver or at least ensuring that the shell casings of a semi auto do not include fingerprints might be a prudent action. This made me wonder about how often such cases are found without fingerprints versus those with readable prints on them. Fortunately most criminals are not too bright so maybe this is not really a problem for law enforcement after all. But wiping down cartridges before loading in a magazine might also make sense by not having the cases contaminated with oils from one's hands.
Wiping off cartridges before loading into a magazine
- Thread starter vito
- Start date
DGW1949
Hawkeye
If transferring oils/acids to a cartridge case worries you, a box of disposable rubber gloves is purty-cheap.
As far as leaving evidence behind goes though, there's a lot more than just prints that can be had from a fired case. So if that's what's worrying you, probably the best thing would be to detail strip the gun, cut everything into little pieces with a torch, and throw the pieces into different areas of a big lake...using your rubber gloves of course. :lol:.
Somewhere during the process, be sure to also disassemble and dispose-of any left over ammo you may have that's of the same type/lot number which was used...only don't use the torch for that. :shock: ...and don't dispose of it in the same lake that the cut-up parts went into.
Afterwards, never-ever-never tell anyone what happened to your gun...not your brother, not your best friend, not your wife, not even your priest.
OR..instead of putting yourself through all of that, just make certain that you are right before using the gun. Yeah, I'm purty-sure that that would be the easiest/best thing to do. After all, there is no liability when you've acted responsibly.
DGW
As far as leaving evidence behind goes though, there's a lot more than just prints that can be had from a fired case. So if that's what's worrying you, probably the best thing would be to detail strip the gun, cut everything into little pieces with a torch, and throw the pieces into different areas of a big lake...using your rubber gloves of course. :lol:.
Somewhere during the process, be sure to also disassemble and dispose-of any left over ammo you may have that's of the same type/lot number which was used...only don't use the torch for that. :shock: ...and don't dispose of it in the same lake that the cut-up parts went into.
Afterwards, never-ever-never tell anyone what happened to your gun...not your brother, not your best friend, not your wife, not even your priest.
OR..instead of putting yourself through all of that, just make certain that you are right before using the gun. Yeah, I'm purty-sure that that would be the easiest/best thing to do. After all, there is no liability when you've acted responsibly.
DGW
I've actually thought about this when loading mags for my carry gun... and decided that the last thing I should be worried about is if my finger prints are on the casings.... in fact if you want to be paranoid... think about the other side of the coin.... what a prosecutor could do with the fact that all the cartridges both spent and not used in the gun you used were wiped clean before hand? Why would you do that?
JFB
Hunter
vito said:
A local gang's initiation was to murder someone at random. to ensure the gang got reckonition, the bullets were painted with with finger nail polish and their finger print.
I've heard a lot of these thugs are so dumb they need to have their mommas load their magazines for them. High capacity 9mm's are required for their spray and pray tactics because they're too lazy, stupid, impatient, ignorant, uncoordinated to develop true marksmanship skills. Especially when using the traditional overhead horizontal gangsta hold and throwing the rounds.
That said, I don't think these miscreants have the forethought to wipe fingerprints off the cartridges an magazines.
That said, I don't think these miscreants have the forethought to wipe fingerprints off the cartridges an magazines.
In the days before everyone had a cell phone w/camera, yes, I did load mags with latex gloves. Now there's very little chance you could just walk away from any sort of "shots fired" altercation so finger prints on the brass are fairly irrelevant--most likely someone already has a picture or video and 1/2 dozen have already called 911.
All they have to do is match the primer dent on the empty case to your gun and the rifling grooves from the bullet after they take it out of the bad guy. All a finger print would tell them is that you loaded you own magazine. I agree, just make sure you trigger pulling is justified.
caryc
Hawkeye
skeeter said:
The primer dent and the rifling grooves won't tell them who likely fired the gun and where to find them. A fingerprint most likely will.
Actually, as mentioned... a print on the spent casing does not prove who fired the gun only who loaded the magazine or maybe not even that... just that a person handled the round at some time.
Kind of the same as I keep hearing that since your concealed permit is in a data base and often connected to the state's dept of motor vehicles an LEO knows you are carrying when they pull you over.. just because a vehicle is registered in your name does not mean you are the one driving it.
Kind of the same as I keep hearing that since your concealed permit is in a data base and often connected to the state's dept of motor vehicles an LEO knows you are carrying when they pull you over.. just because a vehicle is registered in your name does not mean you are the one driving it.
sliclee
Single-Sixer
When a cop,NY talk, pulls you over, if you have a permit HE KNOWS IT, ITS ON YOUR LICENSE.
No firing pin can be used to connect you to anything. Your gun has 500 twins floating around. After firing 20 shots
the pin has changed.
NEVER UNDER ESTIMATE YOUR OPPONENT whether he's white,black,brown,red or yellow.
Next time you go to a gun range, browse the used guns in the cases, but really look around before going to register to shoot, whose there,size, color, clothing, demeanor, swagger, ,go inside slowly, walk slowly listen to the sound of gunfire from each station
watch people shoot from behind them.
Listen to someone buying ammo, what they ask for.
Hey, why do you carry a revolver? and so on.
Go to a different range, in another area not near you
No firing pin can be used to connect you to anything. Your gun has 500 twins floating around. After firing 20 shots
the pin has changed.
NEVER UNDER ESTIMATE YOUR OPPONENT whether he's white,black,brown,red or yellow.
Next time you go to a gun range, browse the used guns in the cases, but really look around before going to register to shoot, whose there,size, color, clothing, demeanor, swagger, ,go inside slowly, walk slowly listen to the sound of gunfire from each station
watch people shoot from behind them.
Listen to someone buying ammo, what they ask for.
Hey, why do you carry a revolver? and so on.
Go to a different range, in another area not near you
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