Firearms & Toolmarks
Program Overview
The CTS Firearms & Toolmarks discipline offers the industry’s widest variety of proficiency tests—including the comparison of bullets and cartridge cases, the comparison of toolmarks, distance and angle determinations, serial number restorations, and fracture matching and physical fit examinations—to meet the diverse needs of the firearms and toolmarks community, with tests developed by and with the community to create casework-like samples that challenge examiners and assess their performance.
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Schedule
Our Firearms & Toolmarks program enrollment allows for flexibility in evidence types and frequency. Evidence type is alternated yearly between the Firearms Examination series to allow participants to receive both types of firearms evidence in one year by ordering both tests, or to stay with the same test year after year and receive both evidence types every two years. Toolmarks testing is offered twice per year, with different samples used for each test.
2026 Test Schedule
2027 Test Schedule
*While CTS will make every effort to adhere to the published program schedules, all dates provided are tentative and are subject to change.