Three-Dimensional Analysis of Cartridge Case Double-Casts

Due to the shot-to-shot variability in tool mark reproduction on fired cartridge cases, a method of replication is needed for the creation of training and testing sets. Double-casting is one method that has been used for this application, but the accuracy and variability of this method needs to be characterized. Three firearms were used to fire 25 cartridges each to create the master cartridge cases. The double-casting method consists of creating a silicone mold of the master cartridge case. A plastic resin mix is then poured into the mold to create the double-cast reproduction. Fifteen double-casts of each of the 75 fired cartridge cases were created across different silicone molds to analyze within- and between-mold variability. The master cartridge cases and double-casts were scanned with a confocal microscope (Sensofar® S neox) to create three-dimensional representations of the surfaces. Two similarity metrics were used for the objective comparison of the double-casts to their master cartridge cases: the areal correlation coefficient (ACCF_MAX) and the number of congruent matching cells (CMC). The ACCF_MAX and CMC data, along with visual examinations, showed that the double-casting method produces accurate reproductions. Within-mold variability was found to be minimal, and between-mold variability was low. These results illustrate that double-casting can be applied for training and testing purposes.