A18.1825-LCD Comparison Microscope Powers Groundbreaking Historical Ballistics Research in Argentina

December 24, 2025

Recently, ADN Laboratorios Especializados—a leading Argentine forensic and archaeological research institution—published a significant paper in the internationally recognized journal Cuadernos de Prehistoria y Arqueología de la Universidad de Granada (Journal of Prehistory and Archaeology of the University of Granada):
“A sangre y plomo…” (“In Blood and Lead…”).

This pioneering study successfully reconstructed the Battle of La Verde (November 26, 1874, Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina)—a three-hour civil armed conflict during the Revolución Mitrista, which resulted in over 300 fatalities and numerous injuries, yet remained largely forgotten in historical records.

For the first time, the research combined comparative ballistic analysis with latent blood residue detection (using chemiluminescence with Luminol on lead projectiles) to reconstruct the battle’s dynamics and weaponry.

The team excavated a substantial number of 19th-century lead bullets and cartridge cases from the battlefield site and employed the OPTO-EDU A18.1825-LCD high-precision comparison microscope to conduct systematic comparative analysis of microscopic features—including firing pin impressions, breech face marks, and chamber toolmarks—on the cartridge cases. This enabled precise identification of individual firearms and weapon groups, providing an irrefutable chain of physical evidence for reconstructing battlefield movements, weapon deployment, and tactical formations.

ADN researchers collected hundreds of lead projectiles and cartridge cases from the battlefield site. Using the A18.1825-LCD, they performed comparative ballistics analysis to:

• Match microscopic firing pin impressions and breech face marks to specific firearms.
• Identify weapon groups and individual guns used by opposing forces.
• Correlate ballistic evidence with spatial distribution patterns across the battlefield.

“We used the Opto-EDU comparison microscope for all our ballistic comparisons — the success of this research is directly attributable to its exceptional optical stability, large field-of-view simultaneous imaging, and intuitive dual LCD display. It allowed us to ‘hear’ the silent testimony of century-old mechanical traces. This microscope has now gained significant visibility in the academic community and will undoubtedly see wider adoption.”
— ADN Criminalística Team, Buenos Aires, Argentina

If your work involves:

• Forensic Ballistics & Toolmark Examination
• Archaeological Artifact Analysis
• Military History & Weaponry Research
• Cultural Heritage Conservation

…then the A18.1825-LCD Comparison Microscope is your essential instrument for turning microscopic evidence into irrefutable historical insight.

Let every scratch tell a story. Let every comparison reveal the truth.