Design for a Repeatable Cost Effective Bullet Recovery Device
Category: Scientific Publication
Publication: AFTE Journal, Winter/Spring 2024
Authors: Geoffrey T. Desmoulin, Marc-André Nolette, Michael Haag
Summary: The deformation of a projectile during ballistic interaction with material prior to its termination can detail its path and therefore contains valuable characteristics that can be used by investigators. However, firearms commonly expel bullets at velocities in excess of 228 m/s (750 ft/s). This means that stopping such a projectile requires the transfer of a relatively large amount of kinetic energy into other types of energy. Typically, this energy transfer results in physical damage which includes, but is not limited to, the deformation of the bullet itself. For the bullet to be captured without significant damage, deceleration during the capture must be minimized by increasing the distance over which the projectile stops by more than a few inches. To do so in a repeatable manner, a device design using stratifications of Kevlar and cardboard was built and tested. Six different firearms were used and six types of ammunition were used. The calibers ranged from .22 Long Rifle to 12 gauge. The degree of damage varied from minimal deformation to no visible deformation. The ability to capture projectiles mid-flight path after perforating some material without adding additional damage would allow for the previously incurred damage of interest to be assessed in the context of future investigations. In conclusion, the bullet recovery device design presented was able to capture any bullet tested without significant deformation, with few exceptions.
