Stop the presses -- Anti-terrorism bill not that bad

[David.K.Merriman.-.webmaster at toad.com]

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To: cypherpunks at toad.com, sandfort at crl.com
Date: Sun Aug 04 13:07:42 1996
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>                           SANDY SANDFORT
>  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
> 
> C'punks,
> 
> On Sun, 4 Aug 1996, Dr.Dimitri Vulis KOTM asked:
> 
> > Is there truth to the rumor that poking a file inside the barrel
> > will alter the marks on future test firings?
> 
> I don't know the answer to this one, but my best guess is,
> A) yes, but not enough to alter the test firing, and
> B) whether or not it did, it would be strong evidence of an
> attempt to screw up such a test.  There are few (no?) legitimate
> reasons to harm one's gun thusly.
> 
> I have heard, but have not evidence for, is that with use, these
> characteristic markings change.  As a result, putting 200-300
> rounds through a gun at the range is enough to alter its
> identifiable barrel markings sufficiently to defeat forensic
> matching.  Don't know, just heard, but it sounds reasonable.
> 
> 

Considering the relative strengths/hardnesses of the metals involved 
(high-grade steel for barrel, lead and/or copper for projectile), I'd 
suspect that it would take more than 200-300 rounds to have any significant 
impact on the barrel rifling. This, of course, is for 'normal' weapons and 
ammo; using diamond projectiles in a saturday night special voids all 
warranties, express or implied :-)

my ha'penny's worth.

Dave Merriman

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