Loading press and forensics

[five.five-six]

I just finished loading some undisclosed number of rounds in a caliber which I decline to state and was dumping them in the corncob tumbler to remove fingerprints when a question occurred to me. Could forensics link a spent shell ceasing to the press it was loaded in?

[sl0re10]

I just finished loading some undisclosed number of rounds in a caliber which I decline to state and was dumping them in the corncob tumbler to remove fingerprints when a question occurred to me. Could forensics link a spent shell ceasing to the press it was loaded in?


:tfh:

Probably. My press seems to make some visible indentations on the outside of some of the bullets... I imagine they are on the ones I can't see also but just not as deep.

I've seen it enough times that I see a pattern to the indents / they are not random indents from the bullet factory.

[Pablo5959]

I would think yes on tracing the casing to your dies.
You don't wear gloves while reloading?

[five.five-six]

You don't wear gloves while reloading?

Of course I do, you just never know when a few skin cells may flake off and provide a DNA sample, you can never be too careful with these things.

[sigstroker]

The prosecutor would have to convince the court that loading die scratches are unique enough to convict someone. That groundwork has been done with fingerprints but probably not reloading dies.

You're not shooting caseless yet?

[orangeusa]

After the OJ trial, DNA has no meaning. I wouldn't worry about wearing gloves or your if your dies leave a distinguishing mark.

But, of course, you quit reloading after the house-boating accident where your guns and reloading equipment were lost...

Right?

Unfortunately, I lost all my weapons and reloading equipment in an isolated trailer park fire.

.

[Fjold]

If it was never fired maybe.

[robcoe]

If you have a major defect in one of your dies, maybe, otherwise probably no.

Think about what will happen to the round after it's loaded, it's going to be stored for an unknown amount of time, probably moved around a bunch rubbing against other rounds, then shoved into a magazine and fed into a chamber where it will be subjected to 10's of thousands of PSI of pressure, high temperatures then pulled out while very hot.

Sorting out markings made by the die from the rest of it(particularly the last bit) will be tough at best.

[Fishslayer]

I just finished loading some undisclosed number of rounds in a caliber which I decline to state and was dumping them in the corncob tumbler to remove fingerprints when a question occurred to me. Could forensics link a spent shell ceasing to the press it was loaded in?

Pretty sure they could link it to the sizing die...

[hambam105]

When I'm reloading in the garage and I hear the getto-bird circling, I quickly throw a camo poncho over the Press and duck under the table. You know, just in case.

[HighLander51]

I just finished loading some undisclosed number of rounds in a caliber which I decline to state and was dumping them in the corncob tumbler to remove fingerprints when a question occurred to me. Could forensics link a spent shell ceasing to the press it was loaded in?

Besides the question being weird, like something a home made hit man might worry about, why would you tumble loaded rounds???

[tamalpias]

From what I know and have seen, powder even from the same manufacturer and type has distinct differentiation characteristics to them that can be traced to a specific lot, your sizing dye can also leave specific scarring marks, your fingerprints left on the brass although wiped away if left there for a while would leave microscopic rust marks that can also be lifted and identified, as well as the strike mark on the primer from the firing pin can also be verified that it was shot from your rifle. I am sure there are many more identifying marks that i haven't touched upon so if you are going to be doing something it would depend upon what you did and if it is enough trouble to go looking for you.

Shooting somebody in a high crime area probably would not have them go to extreme measures, shooting at or against something that the public is alarmed at such a crime would trigger it.

[Fishslayer]

Besides the question being weird, like something a home made hit man might worry about, why would you tumble loaded rounds???

Remove case lube. Some of us lube our pistol brass. Not necessary with carbide dies but makes life easier.

And some of us like shiny ammo.

And some of us don't want our fingerprints on our ammo!

Of course, if one was really worried about leaving brass why not just use a revolver?

[tamalpias]

because during the cleaning process the barrel and firing pin can mysteriously go missing and replacement ones will need to be used.

[HighLander51]

Remove case lube. Some of us lube our pistol brass. Not necessary with carbide dies but makes life easier.
Of course, if one was really worried about leaving brass why not just use a revolver?

Yea, I don't use case lube and it comes out shiny enough (except on the .35Rem for my TC, but then it's only about 20 rounds a year). I don't really like reloading or cleaning guns, but it's a neccessary part of competitive shooting.

Yea again, wheelguns don't leave cases around like bottom feeders.