Regarding the sniper's nest shooter, you somehow left out the parts: (1) shooter is standing straight up, (2) firing straight down, (3) firing through a 1/4 open window, (4) leaves hulls behind, and (5) leaves weapon behind. If this is not a "frame job", it has got to be a "crummy sniper".
Dear Comrade Storing,
1) Not straight up; standing and awkwardly leaning forward
2) Not straight down, but at a steep downward angle, nevertheless
3) Through a 1/3 open window
4) So what if he left the three shells behind?
5) Should he have taken the short-rifle downstairs with him, walked a quarter-of-a-mile and gotten on the bus with it?
6) He was a former Marine sharpshooter. Anyone would have had a hard time making that first shot.
D'oh!