Introduction. Identification of firearms by traces on the shot bullets is one of the most difficult tasks in the forensic ballistic examination. This is because the individual characteristics of weapons that appear on shot bullets have a high degree of variability. The currently used methods of automatic identification of firearms are ineffective when analysis is carried out on electronic bullet repository which includes tens of thousands of similar objects. Methods. In this paper we present the algorithm of automatic assessment of similarity of the secondary traces on shot bullets. The algorithm is based on the preliminary image processing, their binarization and application of correlation methods. For the evaluation of the identification significance of traces we use autocorrelation function, and the degree of coincidence of traces is determined by the maximum of the cross- correlation function. The developed algorithm actually simulates the operations, which expert performs during comparing of traces. For example, expert visualizes a striae as a light bands on the dark background, regardless of the brightness of the image itself. Experimental part. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm is tested on a set of bullets, shot from 11 different weapons. Efficiency of the proposed method has been shown, both in the analysis of paired and distinct traces. Discussion of the results. Assessment of the identification significance of traces and determination of the maximum of the cross – correlation function of digital images presented in a binary form, allows more correctly form the priority list according to the degree of similarity of the images which will be compared. Ultimately, this improves the efficiency of inspections by electronic bullet repository