From "Findings and Conclusions of the Firearms
Panel Concerning the Kennedy Assassination"
Kennedy Shooting
Evidence examined
(Page 365)
(97) The following evidence was examined in connection with
the shooting of President Kennedy.
(98) CE 139(71)--One 6.5 millimeter caliber, bolt-action repeating
rifle, Mannlicher-Carcano Model 1938, serial number C2766. Attached
was an Ordinance Optics, Inc. 4X telescopic sight and an adjustable
black leather strap.* (See figs. 3A and 3B.)
(100) A visual examination of the rifle revealed pitting, rust
and copper oxidation to test-firing, which the panel believed
should be removed prior to test-firing. Accordingly, a dry cloth
patch was pushed through the bore.
(101) The telescopic sight was attached to a mount, which itself
was attached to the left side of the rifle. Mounting facilities
were not provided at the time of manufacture. Also attached to
the rifle were standard iron sights, placed on the rifle at the
time of manufacture.
(102) The rifle was test-fired by all panel members using 6.5
millimeter caliber ammunition of Western cartridge Co. manufacture.
Two bullets were test-fired into a horizontal water recovery tank.
Further tests were conducted by loading four cartridges into the
CE 375 cartridge clip and inserting it into the magazine of the
rifle. The cartridges were worked through the rifle's mechanism
and ejected without being fired. When the last cartridge was chambered,
the cartridge clip remained in the magazine instead of falling
out as it is designed to do.
(103) CE 141.--One 6.5-millimeter caliber cartridge of Western
Cargridge Co. manufacuture, found in the CE 139 reflects. (See
fig. 4.)
(104) CE 351.--One damaged automobile windshield removed from
the Presidential limousine. (See fig. 5)
(105) CE 399.--One fired 6.5-millimeter caliber full meter-jacketed
bullet, found on a stretcher in the emergency area of Parkland
Hospital. The bullet weight was found to be 157.7 grains. (72)
In the same box as the bullet was a tiny fragment, which was too
small to weigh or otherwise examine. (See figs. 6A and 6B.)
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Page 366
(106) CE 542.--One 6.5-millimeter caliber, bolt-action repeating
rifle, Mannlicher-Carcano model 1938, serial No. UC5209. Attached
was 4 x Ordnance Optics, Inc., telescopic sight and an adjustable
black leather strap. The strap is consistent in length, design,
and construction with the strap on the CE 139 rifle. The rifle
was purchased by the FBI in order to compare the method of mounting
the telescopic sight. (See fig. 7.)
(107) CE 543.--One expended caliber 6.5-millimeter cartridge case
of Western Cartridge Co. manufacture, recovered from the sixth
floor of the Texas School Book Depository. (See figs. 8A and SB.)
(108) CE 544--One expended 6.5-millimeter caliber cartridge case
of Western Cartridge Co. manufacture, recovered from the sixth
floor of the Texas School Book Depository. (See fig. 9.)
(109) CE 545.--One expended 6.5*millimeter caliber cartridge case
of Western Cartridge Co. manufacture, recovered from the sixth
floor of the Texas School Book Depository. (See fig. 10.)
(110) CE 557.--Two expended 6.5-millimeter caliber cartridge cases
of Western Cartridge Co. manufacture, test-fired by the FBI laboratory
in the CE 139 rifle for purposes of comparison with CE CE 544,
and CE 545. (See Warren Commission hearings, vol. 249).
(111) CE 567.--The nose portion of a 6.5-millimeter caliber metaljacketed
bullet found on the right side of the front seat of the Presidential
limousine. (See fig. 11.)
base portion of a metal-jacketed bullet found on the floor beside
the right side of the front seat of the Presidential limousine.
(See fig. 12.)
(113) CE 572.--Two fired 6.5-millimeter caliber full metal-jacketed
bullets, test-fired by the FBI from the CE 139 rifle and designated
as K1A and K1B. (See fig. 13.)
(114) CE 573--One 6.5 millimeter caliber metal-jacketed bullet
recovered from the residence of General Walker in April 1963 after
an attempted assault. (See fig. 14.)
(115) CE 575.--One brass cartridge clip with a six--cartridge
capacity, stamped "SMI 952," removed from the CE 139
rifle. (See fig. 15.)
(117) CE 840.--Two lead-like fragment** recovered from the rug underneath or in the area which was underneath
the left jump seat of the Presidential limousine. (73) The panel
found that each fragment weighed 0.5 grain. Because of their minute
size, no further examinations were conducted on this exhibit.
(See fig. 16.)
(118) CE 841.---One round metal box containing lead residue recovered
by the FBI from the inside surface of the windshield of the Presidential
limousine. Because of the small size of the sample, further examinations
were not conducted. (See hearings before the Warren Commission,
vol. 17, p. 840. )
---------------------------------
**Note: The FBI originally
recovered three particles. In 1970, an independent researcher
brought to the attention of the National Archives that one of
the three fragments was missing. The Archives has been unable
to locate it.
Page 367
(119) CE 842.--Four lead-like fragments. The smallest was identified
as having come from Governor Connally's arm. The panel found that
the largest fragment weighed 0.3 grain. The other fragments were
too small to weigh. Because of the small size of the fragments,
no further examinations were conducted on this exhibit. (See fig.
17).
(121) CE 843. Three lead-like fragments removed from President
Kennedy's brain during the autopsy. The largest weighs 0.6 grain;
their combined weight is 0.7 grain. Because of the small size
of the fragments, no examinations were conducted on this exhibit.
(See fig. 18.)
(122) CE 853--One fired 6.5-millimeter caliber full metal-jacketed
bullet, fired through a goat at the request of the Warren Commission
to ascertain the characteristics of the bullet on penetration
and its subsequent loss of velocity. The pane] found that fruitful
examination of this bullet was not practical. (See hearings before
the Warren Commission, vol. 17, p. 819.)
(123) CE 856.--One fired 6.5-millimeter caliber full metal-jacketed
bullet, test-fired through a cadaver's wrist at the request of
the Warren Commission to ascertain the characteristics of the
bullet on penetration and its loss of velocity on impact. The
panel found that fruitful examination of this bullet was not practical.
(See hearings before the Warren Commission, vol. 17, p. 850.)
(124) CE 857.--Once fired 6.5-millimeter caliber full metal jacketed
bullet, test-fired into a skull at the request of the Warren Commission
to ascertain the characteristics of the bullet on penetration.
The panel found that the jacket had been separated from the core.
The panel also found that fruitful examination of the bullet was
not practical. (See hearings before the Warren Commission, vol.
17, p. 851.)
(125) Lester Bullet. One fired metal-jacketed soft or hollow point
bullet found in 1974 by Richard Lester about 500 yards from the
Texas School Book Depository and 61 paces east of the triple overpass
abutment. (See fig. 19.)
Was the CE 567 bullet nose portion found on the right
side of the front seat of the Presidential limousine fired from
the CE 139 Mannlicher-Carcano rifle?
(139) CE 567 is the nose portion of a damaged 6.5-millimeter
caliber full metal-jacketed, lead core bullet. The weight of
the exhibit is 41.5 grains. The class characteristics on the
jacket are four lands and four grooves. The panel could not determine
the direction of twist.
(140) The panel found the physical characteristics of this bullet
fragment to be the same as the bullet portion of the CE 141 cartridge
found in the chamber of the CE 139 rifle. When it compared CE
567 with the two CE 572 bullets test-fired by the FBI in the CE
139 rifle, it noted a correspondence among the individual identifying
characteristics. (See fig. 23A and 23B.)
(141) The panel concluded that all were fired through the same
barrel.
(142) The panel also compared CE 567 with bullets it test-fired
in the CE 139 rifle. The panel was unable to identify its tests
with CE 567. The panel attributed this to changes in the bore
caused by repeated firing of the rifle by the FBI and the Infantry
weapons Evaluation Branch of the U.S. Army to test its accuracy,
(76) as well as deterioration of the surfaces because the rifle
had not been properly cleaned, lubricated, and maintained. For
the same reasons, the panel was unable to identify its test-fired
bullets with those of the FBI. The panel's test-fired bullets
also could not be identified with each other, probably as a consequence
of the poor condition of the barrel.
Was the CE 569 bullet-base portion found on the floor
beside the right front seat of the Presidential limousine fired
from the CE 139 rifle?
(143) CE 569 is a bse portion of a damaged 6.5-millimeter
caliber full metal-jacketed, lead core bullet. The weight of
20.6 grains. The rifling impressions on the jacket are four lands
and four groves, right twist. The physical characteristics of
this bullet are the same as the bullet portion of the CE 141 cartridge
found in the chamber of the CE 139 rifle.
(144) The panel microscopically compared this bullet jacket
with the two bullets (CE 572) test fired by the FBI from the CE
139 rifle. Correspondence of individual identifying characteristics
was found on CE 569 and the FBI test-fired bullets. (See figs.
24A and 24B.)
(145) The panel concluded that the CE 569 was fired through the
same barrel as the FBI test-fired bullets.
(146) Next, the panel compared CE 569 with bullets it test fired
in the CE 139 rifle. The panel was unable to identify its tests
with the
Page 370
CE 569. The panel attributed this to changes in the bore caused
by repeated firings of the rifle by the FBI and the Infantry Weapons
Evaluation Branch of the U.S. Army to test its accuracy,(77) as
well as to deterioration of the surfaces because the rifle had
not been properly cleaned, lubricated, and maintained. For the
same reasons, the panel was unable to identify its test-fired
bullets with those of the FBI. The panel's test-fired bullets
also could not be identified with each other, probably as a consequence
of the poor condition of the barrel.
Were the CE 567 bullet nose portion and the CE 569 bullet
base portion found in the Presidential limousine components of
the same bullet?
(147) The panel was unable to determine whether CE 567 and
CE 569 were components of the same bullet. The panel weighed and
measured the fragments and found their combined weight and lenght
did not exceed that of a single-fired projectile. Nevertheless,
the panel could not match the two fragments physically because
a considerable portion of the bullet jacket was absent.
(148) Both bullet fragments were examined for cannelures.
The panel found only one cannelure present; it was on the base
portion of the CE 569 bullet.
(149) Was the CE 573 bullet recovered from the residence of
General Walker fired from the CE 139 rifle? (149) CE 573 consists
of a damaged 6.5-millimeter caliber full metaljacketed, lead core
bullet. The weight of this exhibit is 147.1 grains. The class
characteristics are four lands and four grooves, right twist.
(See fig. 14.)
(150) The panel compared this bullet microscopically with the
FBI's and its own test-fired bullets. Correspondence among the
class characteristics was found on all bullets. No significant
correspondence was, however, found among the individual identifying
characteristics. Conversely, gross differences were not found.
(151) The panel concluded that because of the damage to CE 573
caused by impact and penetration, it could not be identified or
eliminated as having been fired from the CE 139 rifle.
Lab Tests on JFK Evidence
Complete
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