Customer Reviews

Chemical Analysis of Firearms, Ammunition, and Gunshot Residue (International Forensic Science and Investigation)

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As a synthetic organic chemist with albeit little knowledge of the specialized area of expertise covered by this book, I was nevertheless totally impressed by the quantity and quality of scholarly information presented in a very clear and understandable manner. The presentation by Dr. Wallace was scientifically detailed and thorough, based on his more than 25 years of experience in the forensic laboratory of Northern Ireland during a time when numerous terrorist shootings and bombings took place. In addition, there is included a wonderful description of the historical evolution of firearms and ammunition. Finally, there are also brief, more personal perspectives of the attacks that occurred against the forensic laboratory itself, and some of the other aspects of the workings of the laboratory, including development of the specialized sampling techniques by Dr. Wallace. All in all, the book provides both a very useful addition to the science of firearms and analysis of gunshot residue, along with an interesting view of a very tumultuous period in history.

At last an excellent book on gunshot residues. In Europe Dr. Wallace is very well known in the forensic family interested in GSR (by the way, in the UK they are called FDR, Firearms Discharge Residues) for his researches on the subject, on ammunition and on primers chemical composition. I have met him several times in Belfast, at the NIFS Laboratory, and I was constantly impressed by his work and by his encyclopaedic knowledge of the topic.
His book apparently was written in two different periods and probably the first part was ready in the early nineteen's and, later, the Particle Classification Scheme has been updated: we cannot but agree with him when, at page 272, the author affirms that "No longer can a 'unique' FDR particle be described as such as they occur from nonfirearms sources."
Two personal remarks. I feel the absence of a paragraph describing the formation of GSP and the absence of a general bibliography.
In my opinion it is an highly recommended book for forensic scientists seriously working on Gunshot Residues.