Restoration tactics for seriously corroded Cu and Cu-alloy firearms evidence

A cleaning procedure for seriously weathered or corroded bullets and cartri dge casings was developed and implemented for evidence specimens from a mul tiple homicide. The restoration protocol entailed successive treatments wit h increasingly aggressive chemical solvents and cleaning solutions while mo nitoring the progress of the method by optical microscopy. Treatment of wor st-case, Cu-alloy jacketed bullets and casings resulted in reconditioned sp ecimens that subsequently underwent successful firearms examinations.