ABSTRACT
The gunshot residue (GSR) term can be used to mean different things. This is somewhat understandable because GSR actually includes a number of different components including:
• Primer residue • Gunpowder particles (partially burned and unburned) • Stabilizers • Plasticizers • Combustion products
The presence of some or all of these components permits an investigator to make certain statements regarding the probability of firing a weapon, a presence in close proximity to a weapon that was fired or handling a weapon, and approximate muzzle-to-target distance.
