A new ammunition for forensic needs: FIOCCHI-RIS

Abstract

To regulate technical demands for ammunitions used by police forces in Germany, the “Technical Guideline for Cartridge 9 mm × 19, pollution reduced” was introduced in 2001. Beyond standard ballistics performances for cartridges, some specific forensic requirements were added, mainly to allow an efficient detection of gunshot residues (GSR) and a sensitive muzzle-to-target distance determination in shooting cases with police officers involved. Two ammunitions on the market, “ACTION IV Forensis” from RUAG Ammotec and “PEP II/s” from MEN, are known to fulfil the guideline requirements. Recently, a new ammunition for law enforcement use produced by Fiocchi Munizioni, named “FIOCCHI-RIS”, has been put forward for testing compliance with the guideline criteria. The FIOCCHI-RIS primer formulation is a modification of Fiocchi's ZetaPi heavy metal free primer mixture, obtained by adding samarium oxide and titanium oxide to the basic commercial composition made of organic explosives and potassium nitrate. Moreover, electrolytic copper powder is added to the ordinary dibasic spherical gunpowder. Most of the residues, found both in the muzzle blast and inside cartridge cases, are of the SmKSiTiCaAl type, to be considered GSR particles of a highly specific composition, easily detected and classified by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The Dithiooxamide test has been used as specific chemographic/chromophoric test for the presence of copper on targets, obtaining positive and repeatable results for muzzle-to-target distances up to 150 cm.