Rifled Firearm
Definition
A firearm whose bore has spiral grooves that spin the projectile for stability (rifle, handgun). The rifling leaves class-characteristic land-and-groove marks on the recovered bullet.
- Bore feature
- Spiral grooves cut into the barrel
- Purpose
- Spin-stabilises the projectile
- Examples
- Rifles, handguns
- Trace left
- Land-and-groove marks, class characteristics
Common questions
How do land-and-groove marks help match a bullet to a specific firearm?+
The number, width and twist direction of the lands and grooves are class characteristics shared by that make and model, while microscopic striations within them are individual characteristics unique to that barrel, letting examiners narrow then individualise a match.
How does a rifled firearm differ from a smoothbore firearm in the marks it leaves?+
A smoothbore barrel, typical of shotguns, leaves no spiral land-and-groove pattern on a fired projectile, so class and individual barrel identification methods used for rifled bores generally do not apply to shot fired from a smoothbore gun.
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