D
Glossary
Acronyms and Terminology
AAS
Atomic Absorption Spectrometry
Ag
Silver, a metallic element sometimes present as an impurity in bullet lead
Ammunition
The loaded “round” commonly consisting of a primed case, propellant (powder), and bullet
As
Arsenic, a semi-metallic element sometimes present as an impurity in bullet lead
Bi
Bismuth, a metallic element sometimes present as an impurity in bullet lead
Billet
A cylinder of lead, usually weighing about 70 lbs, that is used as the stock for an extrusion press to make wire for the production of lead bullets
Blast furnace
A large vertical furnace used to reduce lead ores to molten lead in which hot coke reduces the sinter roast through the formation of CO2; the necessary heat is produced by the reaction of the coke with air forced into the furnace from below
Bullet
The lead-based projectile in small-arms ammunition
Bullet caliber
The diameter of the bullet, which may be expressed either as a fraction of an inch, e.g., .22 caliber means 0.22 inch diameter, or in millimeters
CABL
Compositional Analysis of Bullet Lead
Cartridge
A term used to refer either to the completely assembled ammunition or to the brass case that holds the primer and powder and is pressed onto the bullet
CCI
CCI, bullet manufacturer
Cd
Cadmium, a metallic element sometimes present as an impurity in bullet lead
CIVL
Compositionally Indistinguishable Volume of Lead
Compositional group
A set of bullets determined to be compositionally similar via use of the FBI’s “chaining” technique
COV
Coefficient of Variation
CS
Crime Scene (bullet)
Cu
Copper, a metallic element used in jacketing high velocity ammunition and sometimes present as an impurity in bullet lead
Extruder
The machine that forces lead from a billet through an orifice or die to form a wire (much like squeezing toothpaste from a tube)
FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
FED
Federal, bullet manufacturer
Hog
A one ton casting of lead
ICP-MS
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry
ICP-OES
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy
Ingot
A 65–125 lb casting of lead; more generally, a casting that has solidified after having been poured from a vessel in the form of molten metal
Jacket
A metal external shell, often copper, surrounding the lead core of a bullet, frequently used for high velocity ammunition
LA
Laser Ablation
MC-ICP-MS
Multi-Collector-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry
Melt
A quantity of molten lead
Mold
The container into which molten metal is poured to allow it to solidify
NAA
Neutron Activation Analysis
Pb
Lead, a metallic element used to form bullets
PCA
Principal Components Analysis
Pig
A 65–125 lb. casting of lead
Pot
A vessel within which lead is melted
Pour
The action of transferring a molten metal from a vessel into an ingot mold, in which it will solidify
Primary lead smelter
A facility that transforms lead-bearing ore, normally a sulfide, into nearly pure lead by the steps of sintering, reduction, and refining
PS
Probable Suspect (bullet)
Reduction
The chemical process of converting the lead ore into molten lead
Refining
The process of removing unwanted contaminants by various treatments carried out on a bath of molten lead
REM
Remington, bullet manufacturer
RF
Radio-Frequency
RSD
Relative Standard Deviation
Sb
Antimony, an element used to harden lead for bullets.
SD
Standard Deviation
Secondary lead smelter
An organization that remelts scrap lead from various sources and carries out refining and alloying operations to produce lead ingots, pigs, billets, etc. of specified composition for further processing and/or product formation
Slug
A cylinder of lead that has been cut for an extruded wire and that approximates the size (length and diameter) of the finished bullet
Sn
Tin, a metallic element also used for hardening lead, but it is more expensive and less effective than antimony. Also a metal sometimes present as an impurity in bullet lead
SRM
Standard Reference Material
SSMS
Spark Source Mass Spectrometry
Suspect bullet
Unused cartridges in the possession of a suspect
Swage
An operation that involves rotary forging, employing rotating dies that periodically open and close, used to reduce the diameter of rods, wires, or tubes. (Often used in the firearms industry to mean pressing of a slug into a bullet.)
TIMS
Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry
WDXRF
Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence
WIN
Winchester, bullet manufacturer
Wire
A long piece of lead of the correct diameter used to produce a desired caliber bullet, formed by extrusion
Statistical Terminology
Ka
critical value
ta
critical value
σ
within-bullet standard deviation
