NIST OSAC Adds Two Firearm and Toolmark Standards in November 2026

Two firearm and toolmark examination standards were added to the NIST Organization of Scientific Area Committees (OSAC) Registry on November 3, 2026. The additions address two different safeguards: verification of an examiner’s source conclusion and minimum education for people entering the profession. For laboratories, the news is about strengthening documented practice, not introducing a new comparison technology.

Important date distinction: Both documents were published by the Academy Standards Board (ASB) in 2025. The new November 2026 development is their inclusion on the OSAC Registry. Registry inclusion should not be described as the original publication of the standards or as an automatic change to law.

Which standards were added?

Both entries are listed in the NIST OSAC Forensic Science Standards Library, which distinguishes published standards from those selected for the Registry.

Standard 102: Verifying source conclusions

Toolmark examiners assess marks left when a tool contacts a surface. Firearm examination can involve comparisons of marks on fired bullets or cartridge cases. The examiner may then reach a source conclusion under the laboratory’s approved reporting framework.

ANSI/ASB Standard 102 sets requirements for verification of source conclusions arising from forensic toolmark comparisons. The ASB describes its scope as a quality check of conclusions reached by the primary examiner. Crucially, it does not purport to cover every other form of technical casework review.

That distinction matters. Verification of a source conclusion is not identical to checking every case note, every instrument setting, the chain of custodyChain of custody - The process used to maintain and document the chronological history of the evidence. Documents record the individual who collects the evidence and each person or agency that subsequently takes custody of Read Full Definition, or the final report for clerical errors. A laboratory should identify which checks its verification procedure performs and which checks remain part of separate technical or administrative review.

Why verification matters

A comparison conclusion can be influenced by the quality of the marks, available comparison material, the examiner’s observations and the laboratory’s decision criteria. A second assessment provides an additional quality-control opportunity. However, verification alone does not establish that a conclusion is infallible, nor does it eliminate all risks of cognitive biasThe difference between the expectation of the test results and an accepted reference value. Read Full Definition or systematic error.

Laboratories reviewing Standard 102 should examine how they document the verification decision, how they handle disagreements and whether the verification process is consistent with their existing source-conclusion terminology. The complete standard, rather than its title or summary, must be consulted before claiming conformance.

Standard 105: The educational foundation of an examiner

ANSI/ASB Standard 105, Second Edition addresses minimum educational qualifications for applicants and employees entering a firearm and toolmark examiner training program. It is not directed at already trained and qualified examiners who are temporarily designated trainees when changing employment.

According to the published standard, incoming trainees shall have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or international equivalent. A degree in natural science or engineering is recommended. The degree must include successfully completed coursework in chemistry and physics with laboratory components, as well as statistics.

This is an important distinction between mandatory and recommended language: the degree is a requirement; the natural-science-or-engineering major is expressed as a recommendation. The chemistry, physics and statistics coursework requirements should not be omitted when summarizing eligibility.

Education is only the starting point. A degree does not itself qualify a person to issue firearm or toolmark comparison conclusions. Laboratories still need structured training, competency evaluation, authorization and continuing quality assuranceQuality assurance (QA) is a comprehensive set of activities and processes to ensure the overall quality and reliability of the work conducted within a laboratory. QA is a proactive approach that focuses on improving scientific Read Full Definition under the applicable standards and accreditationAccreditation – a process by which a laboratory must prove to an accrediting agency that their processes, equipment, and employees are competent, credible, and accurate. The accrediting agency will inspect the laboratory and observe its Read Full Definition framework.

What does OSAC Registry inclusion mean?

NIST describes the OSAC Registry as a collection of selected published or OSAC-proposed standards that have been approved by OSAC and endorsed for implementation. The Registry helps forensic organizations identify documents that can support consistent scientific practice.

Registry inclusion is not, by itself, a universal legal mandate. Whether a particular standard is compulsory depends on the relevant jurisdiction, accrediting body, contracts, agency policies and other applicable requirements. Laboratories should distinguish a recommendation to implement a standard from a binding obligation to do so.

It is also important not to confuse newly added to the Registry with newly written. Standard 102 is a first edition published in 2025; Standard 105 is a second edition published in 2025, replacing an earlier edition. Both received the November 3, 2026 Registry addition date.

Practical review checklist for laboratories

1. Map existing procedures: Compare current source-conclusion verification SOPs with the full requirements of Standard 102.
2. Separate review functions: Clarify which checks belong to conclusion verification, technical review and administrative review.
3. AuditSystematic, independent and documented process for obtaining audit evidence and evaluating it objectively to determine the extent to which audit criteria are fulfilled. Read Full Definition trainee entry criteria: Compare job descriptions, transcripts and hiring records with Standard 105’s degree and coursework requirements, respecting its stated scope.
4. Check training records: Ensure that initial education is followed by documented training, competency assessment and authorization.
5. Record adoption decisions: Document whether the laboratory adopts each standard, any identified gaps, the implementation plan and the applicable oversight requirements.

Why this development deserves attention

Firearm and toolmark evidenceEvidence is any form of proof, such as objects, materials, or scientific findings, presented to establish or disprove a fact in a legal proceeding. It is used to reconstruct events and link or exclude individuals Read Full Definition often appears in investigations where the interpretation of source relationships is central. Quality safeguards need to cover both the person making the assessment and the process used to check the assessment. The two new Registry entries address those separate but complementary concerns.

For background, see Simply Forensic’s article on Calvin Goddard and the comparison microscope and its discussion of repeatability and reproducibility in firearm comparison decisions. Those pieces provide historical and scientific context; the current Registry update concerns the contemporary framework for quality and qualifications.

Primary sources

• NIST OSAC Forensic Science Standards Library — Registry entries and November 3, 2026 addition dates.
• AAFS/ASB: ANSI/ASB Standard 102, First Edition (2025) — official scope and standard access.
• AAFS/ASB: ANSI/ASB Standard 105, Second Edition (2025) — official scope and standard access.
• Full text: ANSI/ASB Standard 105, Second Edition — education and coursework requirements.