Definition of Terms ^
The terms weapons, ammunition, explosives, explosive devices and other related objects mean the objects referred to in article 1 of Law 2168/93 on matters concerning weapons, ammunition, explosives and related material. More specifically:
WEAPON is every mechanism which, by any propulsive force, launches a projectile, chemical substances, rays, flames or gases and may cause injury to persons, damage to property or fire; in particular every firearm, grenade, mine of any type and every device capable of producing those results. Weapons are mainly divided into rifled firearms, smooth-bore hunting guns and air guns. Rifled firearms have a barrel that is not smooth internally but bears helical rifling or grooves, of conventional or polygonal form, with right-hand or left-hand twist. Smooth-bore hunting guns are shoulder-fired single-barrel or double-barrel, repeating or semi-automatic guns with a smooth barrel and with length, barrel length, magazine capacity and purpose as defined by law. In Greece they have traditionally been a frequent means in criminal acts.
Also notable are weapons disguised as another object. Such concealed weapons may be factory-made or improvised, such as pen guns and key-holder weapons. Air guns operate with compressed air or carbon dioxide and launch a pellet made of metal, plastic or another material. In addition, under Law 2168/93, weapons also include objects suitable for attack or defence, such as chemical-spray or electric-discharge devices, knives not justified by lawful use, knuckledusters, clubs, nunchaku, swords, spears, bows, crossbows, police batons, incendiary or irritant/anaesthetic devices, spear guns, silencers, target-lighting devices, weapon sights and simulators, parts and accessories of weapons, explosive devices and ammunition, as well as firearm replicas that can be converted into real weapons or non-functioning firearms with essential defects.
AMMUNITION means every kind of firing supply, especially cartridges for military rifles, automatic weapons, firearms, pistols and revolvers, heavy-weapon and artillery projectiles, and systems consisting of explosives, explosive mechanisms or their combinations that can be used as they are or fired by weapons of direct or curved trajectory. Ammunition also includes its active or component elements, such as primers, cartridge cases, bullets and propellant materials, as well as cartridges of harmful chemical substances.
EXPLOSIVES are solid or liquid substances which, for any cause, undergo chemical transformation and become gaseous masses under high temperature and pressure conditions, producing ballistic or explosive effects. EXPLOSIVE DEVICE is any device capable of causing the explosion of any explosive substance.
Issues such as import, export, re-export, transit, manufacture, repair, assembly, trade, possession, carrying, transport and use of weapons and explosives, unlawful use of weapons, purposeless shootings, seizure, confiscation, permits, suitability of weapons, shooting ranges and related matters are regulated by the currently applicable Law 2168/93.

Laboratory Examinations ^
By applying internationally recognized, scientifically documented and court-admissible scientific and technical methods, we carry out laboratory and other examinations on objects and exhibits related to firearms and other weapons, with the purpose of:

1. Identifying general characteristics of weapons and ammunition, in order to determine their type, category and functionality, as well as the type and category of cartridge cases, bullets and other related objects.
2. Determining the capabilities of weapons and ammunition in relation to the traumatic and other effects caused by their use.
3. Identifying individual characteristics and traces on weapons, cartridge cases, bullets and related objects through comparative examination in a comparison microscope, in order to establish the identity of the weapon used or their mutual correlation.
4. Examining any other object intended for attack or defence, such as weapon replicas, concealed-form weapons, electric-discharge weapons, knives and sprays.
5. Determining whether the examined objects fall within the provisions of the legislation on weapons and related material.

On-site Inspection - Assessment - Utilization ^
In addition, we carry out:

1. On-site inspection at the place where shots were fired, in order to determine issues of external and terminal/wound ballistics, such as firing position, bullet paths and ballistic effects.
2. Scene representation & reconstitution, in order to understand and verify the conditions under which the investigated act was committed.
3. Ballistic assessment of laboratory examination reports issued by state or other laboratories or specialists in cases involving weapons and related objects (for example, detection of gunshot residue on the hands of an alleged perpetrator or on clothing, assessment of the ballistic capability of an examined object, and similar issues).
4. Utilization of evidence requiring further examination, by marking forensic points for additional analysis, documentation and presentation, and by identifying points for which laboratory examination or exploitation was possible but no corresponding request was made.

Indicative questions that may be raised, depending on the case under examination ^

1. Which weapon was used?
2. How many weapons were used?
3. What are the ballistic capabilities of the weapon?
4. Is there defective operation or malfunction of the weapon?
5. What is the position of the shooter?
6. Does the shooter’s position justify the traumatic and ballistic result?
7. What bullet path or direction results from the conclusions of the forensic medical report?
8. Are the statements of the persons involved compatible with the ballistic and traumatic effects?
9. Was there a direct shot at the target or did a ricochet occur first?
10. Is this an accidental discharge or an accident?
11. Is this a suicide?
12. What are the ballistic capabilities of concealed-form weapons, such as pen-type or key-holder weapons?
13. Is the detection of residues on a suspect’s hands due to a shot or to another cause?
14. Does damage to glass panes, vehicles or other objects come from a shot or from another cause?