What happened to the Mauser?

[Jake Maxwell]

Mitch, You say,
There is also no mention of "7.65 Mauser" in his 1971 work "When They Kill a President."

I just read through Craig's book, When They Kill a President... He does mention a Mauser (below):

Capt. Fritz asked if anyone knew what kind of rifle it
was. Weitzman asked to see it. After a *close* examination (much
longer than Fritz or Day's examination) Weitzman declared that it
was a 7.65 German Mauser. Fritz agreed with him.

[Walt Cakebread]

That's beside the point. Craig's "7.65 Mauser" story isn't in his 11/22/63 report, not in his FBI 302 and not in his testimony to the WC. In the 67/68 interview with Penn Jones, he said that the 6th floor rifle was a Carcano, but a Mauser was found on the roof. He didn't mention the Mauser in his '69 testimony in the Shaw trial. There is also no mention of "7.65 Mauser" in his 1971 work "When They Kill a President." The earliest I know for sure that he brought up seeing "Mauser 7.65" on the rifle was the "Two Men in Dallas" video, made in 1975. It took 12 years for him to bring it up, despite having plenty of opportunity to do so.

And, it ought to be noted that neither Mary Ferrell nor Harold Weisberg believed him.


In the late 1950's and early 60's, Argentina was unloading a lot of their old model 1891 Mausers. Those were chambered in 7.65. The M1889/1891 Mausers are fairly unique for the brand in that they use a single-stack magazine that extends below the forestock like you see on a Carcano. Later Mausers (ie, 1893 and up) use a two-stack magazine that is completely contained within the stock. Someone who had some experience with the Argentine rifles but not too much else could easily look at a Carcano and assume from the magazine that it was a 7.65.

Weitzman spent something close to a year running a chain names Lamont's. Over the years, I've seen Lamont's described as either a regional department store, or a small chain of sporting goods stores. I don't think anyone has ever nailed down exactly what it was, though it has to be the source of Weitzman's "I was in the sporting goods business" comment in his WC testimony. But he only did it for about a year, and was overseeing the sale of a panopoly of sporting goods beyond guns, so he didn't pick up too much experience from the job.

And, it ought to be noted that neither Mary Ferrell nor Harold Weisberg believed him.

Mary and Harold were both SERIOUS researchers.....intelligent, with good commonsense.  They recognized a liar when he revealed himself....    Neither of them believed J.Edgar Hoover's proclamation  that Leee Harrrrrrvey Ossssswald was responsible for the coup d e'tat.     

[Walt Cakebread]

It is ashame that you cannot show that he lied.

It is ashame that you cannot show that he lied.

Your challenge would be viable and your statement accurate if you had written :...

It is a shame that you cannot show (ME, Rob Caprio)  that he lied.

Because that would be 100% accurate .....I cannot show anything to anybody who will not open their eyes...

[Mike Orr]

The rifle found was said to be a 7.65 Mauser which had 7.65 Mauser stamped on the barrel and the news outlets were told that it was a 7.65 Mauser and was a 7.65 Mauser for almost two days as per Walter Cronkite and other news outlets but then the rifle became a 6.5 Mannlicher Carcano. Who was the first person to say that the rifle found was not a 7.65 Mauser (as was stamped on the barrel) but was said to be a Mannlicher Carcano a couple of days later. Roger Craig would not recant his ability to read 7.65 Mauser on the barrel of the rifle . It took "whoever" almost 2 days to tell us that a Mauser had become a Carcano . Roger Craig was shot at , had his car run off the road, and the engine on his car blew up and he was said to have committed suicide . Weitzman changed his story and went on to have a successful career. The markings on the Mannlicher Carcano were Cal. 6.5 Made in Italy & Terni ( which is the city of the manufacturer ) . 7.65 Mauser  and Cal. 6.5 , made in Italy & Terni are not even close as far as markings go. It was a 7.65 Mauser as per Craig and Weitzman . Live with it !

[Walt Cakebread]

The rifle found was said to be a 7.65 Mauser which had 7.65 Mauser stamped on the barrel and the news outlets were told that it was a 7.65 Mauser and was a 7.65 Mauser for almost two days as per Walter Cronkite and other news outlets but then the rifle became a 6.5 Mannlicher Carcano. Who was the first person to say that the rifle found was not a 7.65 Mauser (as was stamped on the barrel) but was said to be a Mannlicher Carcano a couple of days later. Roger Craig would not recant his ability to read 7.65 Mauser on the barrel of the rifle . It took "whoever" almost 2 days to tell us that a Mauser had become a Carcano . Roger Craig was shot at , had his car run off the road, and the engine on his car blew up and he was said to have committed suicide . Weitzman changed his story and went on to have a successful career. The markings on the Mannlicher Carcano were Cal. 6.5 Made in Italy & Terni ( which is the city of the manufacturer ) . 7.65 Mauser  and Cal. 6.5 , made in Italy & Terni are not even close as far as markings go. It was a 7.65 Mauser as per Craig and Weitzman . Live with it !

All of the films and photos taken that afternoon clearly show that the rifle is a model 91/38 Mannlicher Carcano.

We don't need no stinkin opinions of anybody....

[Walt Cakebread]

Here's one...

Michael .....The rifle in the photo is NOT stamped on the barrel....That stamp is on the receiver....

[Gary Craig]