Course Description - This course is designed to introduce the students to the history of firearms identification, firearms, ammunition, and the Association of Firearm and Tool Mark Examiners Theory of Firearms and Tool Mark Identification, including the range of conclusions that can be reached in a forensic firearms examination. The course will cover the broad history of firearms, ammunition, and firearms identification. It will also cover concepts such as class characteristics, individual characteristics, subclass characteristics, sufficient agreement, known non-matches, identification, elimination, and inconclusive, to name a few.

• Have an understanding of important historical events in the history of firearms and ammunition development
• Have an understanding of important historical events in the history of firearm identification
• Understand the basic terminology associated with the AFTE Theory of Identification
• Understand the basic terminology associated with the AFTE Range of Conclusion
• Understand and be able to explain class, individual, and subclass characteristics
• Understand the concept of sufficient agreement as it relates to tool marks
• Understand the difference between known matches and known non-matches
• Understand the AFTE Range of Conclusions
• Understand and be able to explain an identification between two or more tool marks
• Understand and be able to explain the elimination of two or more tool marks
• Understand and be able to explain an inconclusive result between two or more tool marks