Silencers, Sniper Rifles and the CIA

[Bob Prudhomme]

Carol Hewett makes reference to the shell casing found on the roof of the Dal-Tex Building, dubbing it the "Dal-Tex Specimen". She further describes it in this manner, "What was unique about this case was the crimped edges along the neck suggesting that either the shell had been handloaded or had been used in conjunction with a sabot."

I have handloaded many rifle cartridges, and was unaware of a special crimping used in handloading or for factory loaded or handloaded sabots. In fact, I have never crimped the neck of the cartridges I handloaded, and do not know anyone who ever has. Unless crimps are of the indented type, such as seen on the 6.5mm Carcano casing, they are difficult to see on a fired cartridge, as the brass stretches outwards to fill the chamber under the pressure of hot gases.

Perhaps someone could educate me on just what Ms. Hewett was referring to.