Which of the following best describes class evidence in firearms?

Class evidence in firearms refers to generalized characteristics that can group items into categories. This type of evidence is used to establish a connection between a firearm and a particular category, such as the manufacturer, model, or caliber of the weapon. For instance, if a bullet is fired from a gun, the striations and impressions on the bullet can be compared to those from other firearms of the same make and model, placing them into a specific category.

Unlike individual evidence, which can uniquely identify a specific object (like a fingerprint), class evidence does not point to a singular source but rather allows forensic analysts to narrow down their search to a particular group. This is particularly useful in investigations where multiple firearms may share similar characteristics, providing valuable leads but without conclusively identifying a specific weapon as the source of the evidence.