The Position of the Bolt on the MC

[Charles Collins]

Thanks James. I hadn't noticed the abrasion on the right-hand cartridge which is more central. Cartridge left or right could be candidates for being the last round in the clip - proving that the unspent round was dropped in from the top.

It would be impossible for both of them to be the last one in the clip. Also, those abrasions do not appear to be what I would expect (location and shape and severity) if made from contact with the elevator.  So, I think another possibility should be explored.

Another possibility, that seems more likely to me, is that during transportation from New Orleans to the Paine’s garage, the clip might not have been inside the magazine of the rifle. This would be one of the basic safety precautions that most of us are taught regarding firearms. And since the sides of the clip are open, if something relatively hard was up against the clip (say packed tightly inside one of the duffle bags) it and the vibrations of the trip, etc. could make the type of abrasions that we see on two of the cartridges. The very top one would be protected by the top portion of the clip and therefore would not get the same abrasions.

[Jim Hawthorn]

It would be impossible for both of them to be the last one in the clip.

I'm aware of that, which is why I said that the two were "candidates".

[Walt Cakebread]

It would be impossible for both of them to be the last one in the clip. Also, those abrasions do not appear to be what I would expect (location and shape and severity) if made from contact with the elevator.  So, I think another possibility should be explored.

Another possibility, that seems more likely to me, is that during transportation from New Orleans to the Paine’s garage, the clip might not have been inside the magazine of the rifle. This would be one of the basic safety precautions that most of us are taught regarding firearms. And since the sides of the clip are open, if something relatively hard was up against the clip (say packed tightly inside one of the duffle bags) it and the vibrations of the trip, etc. could make the type of abrasions that we see on two of the cartridges. The very top one would be protected by the top portion of the clip and therefore would not get the same abrasions.

It would be impossible for both of them to be the last one in the clip.

No, it's not impossible....It seems impossible to you because you believe that those shells were fired that day.   What the abrasions tell us that both shells were the bottom shell when they were fired on the rifle range, and then picked up and possibly used as filler in a clip for practice with the rifle.....so they could have been the bottom  shell in a practice clip.

[Jim Hawthorn]

It would be impossible for both of them to be the last one in the clip.

No, it's not impossible....It seems impossible to you because you believe that those shells were fired that day.   What the abrasions tell us that both shells were the bottom shell when they were fired on the rifle range, and then picked up and possibly used as filler in a clip for practice with the rifle.....so they could have been the bottom  shell in a practice clip.

Agreed.

[Jim Hawthorn]

It would be impossible for both of them to be the last one in the clip.

No, it's not impossible....It seems impossible to you because you believe that those shells were fired that day.   What the abrasions tell us that both shells were the bottom shell when they were fired on the rifle range, and then picked up and possibly used as filler in a clip for practice with the rifle.....so they could have been the bottom  shell in a practice clip.

The only thing is - the conspirators (who had intelligently and meticulously planned everything in order to frame Ozwald) would HARDLY have left an unfired rifle in the TSBD. A sniff test would instantly prove that the gun hadn't been fired. They couldn't have known that there would be no sniff test.
So, there are many possibilities:

1. The rifle had been fired - but the guys forgot to do a sniff test (unlikely)

2. The gun hadn't been fired - but the guys forgot to do a sniff test (unlikely)

3. There was a sniff test which detected gunpowder odor but the guys higher up later needed to give the world a lone assassin and it was scratched off the record.

4. Certain officials of the DPD were part of the conspiracy from the outset (which I doubt very much). They faked or didn't do a sniff test.

[Walt Cakebread]

The only thing is - the conspirators (who had intelligently and meticulously planned everything in order to frame Ozwald) would HARDLY have left an unfired rifle in the TSBD. A sniff test would instantly prove that the gun hadn't been fired. They couldn't have known that there would be no sniff test.
So, there are many possibilities:

1. The rifle had been fired - but the guys forgot to do a sniff test (unlikely)

2. The gun hadn't been fired - but the guys forgot to do a sniff test (unlikely)

3. There was a sniff test which detected gunpowder odor but the guys higher up later needed to give the world a lone assassin and it was scratched off the record.

4. Certain officials of the DPD were part of the conspiracy from the outset (which I doubt very much). They faked or didn't do a sniff test.

Certain officials ( Captain Fritz )of the DPD were part of the conspiracy from the outset ......

[Jim Hawthorn]

Certain officials ( Captain Fritz )of the DPD were part of the conspiracy from the outset ......

Is there a thread here all about that proposition?