FBI Evidence Proves Oswald's Ammunition was not Capable of Sufficient Accuracy to Kill JFK

[Bob Prudhomme]

So, I measured the photos of the casings from NARA CE 543, CE 544, and CE 545 with my digital analysis software. All of the diameters of all the casings appear to match the specs within the error factor introduced by pixelation. The length from base to shoulder are as follows:



CE 545 41.66 mm (1.64 in.)
CE 544 41.66 mm (1.64 in.)
CE 543 45.72 mm ? (1.8 in.)? (I'm going to recheck this measurement. Ignore for now.)

I see the spec length is 41.20 mm (1.62 in.) Is the observed expansion here of the fired bullets CE 545 and CE 544 consistent, or inconsistent, with being fired from a M-C 91/38?

That would appear to be correct. This was military ammunition being fired in a military rifle, after all, and expansion in length by less than half a millimeter is to be expected.

Military rifles are designed to be used in less than ideal conditions and, should a bit of dirt or sand find its way into the cartridge chamber, a soldier must still be able to chamber a cartridge and close the bolt. Easing up on the tolerances in the chamber, by allowing for more headspace, provides these tolerances but, in some cases, will sacrifice accuracy in order to do so. If you ever purchase a military bolt action rifle, a gunsmith can check the headspace and bring it into the tolerances for that particular cartridge.

Too much headspace can have detrimental effects on a casing. As the casing "grows" in length during firing, it may stretch so much as to weaken the casing walls; causing the casing to rupture or even separate.

Of course, this doesn't really tell us all that much. If I was going to plant a 6.5mm M91/38 Carcano, I would also plant empty casings that had been fired in that rifle.

P.S. Interesting to see what the revised measurement for CE 543 turns out to be. I'm still baffled as to how it received the dent on the casing neck.