Shotgun with automatically marked ejecta

Abstract

A shotgun having identification grooves within at least part of the barrel, in a unique pattern which corresponds to the a recorded serial number of the shotgun (or of the barrel). The grooves are dimensioned to mark the polymer wadding which is normally included in a shotshell. The ejected wadding is thereby marked with identification data which can be used later to identify the gun.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A shotgun comprising: 
 a barrel in which a shotshell, including wadding, can be fired;    wherein said barrel includes mechanical features which are dimensioned to mark the wadding, with identification data for said shotgun, when the shotshell is fired.    
     
     
         2 . A method of identifying the gun from which a recovered wad was fired, comprising the steps of: 
 (a.) recovering striagraphic identification data from said wad; and    (b.) looking up said striagraphic identification data in at least one database of unique identification data emplaced in shotgun chokes and/or barrels before sale.