Bulletpicker
Tool Description : A searchable database of historical ammunition, cartridges, and ballistic information used for OSINT, forensics, and weapons identification.
Bulletpicker
Quick Overview
What it does
Helps users identify and compare ammunition types using images, specs, and cartridge data
How to use it
Open the website, browse or search cartridge listings, then compare dimensions, markings, and references.
Cost
Free.
Account required
No.
Cookies
Mostly small functional website cookies, plus one security/verification cookie.
Ownership
Independent ammunition reference site owned and operated by Ted Carlson (recently retired project manager for the Department of Defense) based in Alabama, USA.
Use in Reporting
Useful for analysing weapon evidence in media, conflict zones, or forensic contexts.
What does Bulletpicker do?
Bulletpicker is a niche reference database focused on ammunition identification. It provides visual and technical details about cartridges, helping analysts determine what type of bullet or round appears in images or recovered material. It’s especially helpful when you’re trying to match a round to a weapon system or verify claims in conflict reporting.
The lowdown: It’s essentially a specialist catalogue for bullets and cartridges.
How to Use:
1. Go to the homepage and use the alphabetical or category listings to locate ammunition types.
2. Open entries to view specs, dimensions, visual references, and any other relevant info.
Cost
Data Processing
Account Required:
Cookies:
The site uses mostly small functional website cookies, plus one security/verification cookie.
Use in Reporting
Bulletpicker is useful for:
Conflict OSINT investigations.
Weapon identification in imagery/video.
Supporting forensic or journalistic analysis.
Verifying calibre claims in reports or footage.
The tool is best understood as a reference/checking tool in OSINT workflows, and while it's widely known in practitioner communities, it's rarely formally cited as a standalone source in published investigations.
Capabilities
Limitations
Large reference database of ammunition types and cartridges.
No advanced search or filtering tools.
Visual identification support (photos and diagrams).
Not always updated with the latest ammunition developments.
Technical specs like calibre, dimensions, and case type.
Limited context beyond basic cartridge identification.
Helps match ammunition to known weapon systems.
Cannot reliably identify weapons from partial or unclear imagery alone.
Useful for OSINT verification in conflict imagery and footage.
Not an official/institutional forensic database.
Summary
Bulletpicker is a lightweight but useful OSINT reference for ammunition identification, best used as a supporting tool alongside imagery analysis and other weapons databases.
Ownership
Owned and operated by Ted Carlson, a technical resource developer, former explosive ordnance researcher and retired project manager for the Department of Defense.
Ethical Considerations
The tool should be used strictly for analysis, journalism, and research.
Be mindful of the risk of misuse in weapon profiling or sensitive investigations.
Always avoid using identification data to facilitate harm or targeting.
Make sure to cross-check findings with multiple sources before reporting.
Related Tools:
International Ammunition Association resources
Wikidata firearm/cartridge entries
Forensic ballistics databases
Open Source Munitions Portal
Sources
https://www.bulletpicker.com/index.html
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