The Most Important Error the FBI told the Warren Commission about the Rifle

[Bob Prudhomme]

I'm not a shooter myself, but it sounds as if they're trying to imply that the fact that the gun shoots high and to the right works in his favor (as an automatic lead), but, as I remember my Dealey Plaza layout, and also Frazier testified that, no correction for lead would have been necessary, or helpful, in making the shot. The car wasn't really moving to the right at all from the perspective of the "sniper's nest" (in fact would have tracked a bit to the left from "magic bullet" to head shot) and not moving fast enough away to make much of a difference.

I agree that this is utter nonsense but, unfortunately, it is only Mr. Frazier's opinion and not what I was after.

The outrageous thing in Mr. Frazier's testimony is that he tells us he and two colleagues each fired three shots, with the assassination rifle, at different targets at 15 yards, and each of these shots hit the 15 yard targets 2.5 - 4 inches high of the point of aim.

He then further outrages any thinking person with even the slightest experience with shooting rifles by telling the WC that he and his two colleagues then each fired three shots, with the same rifle, at targets set up at 100 yards, and all bullets struck their 100 yard targets 2.5 - 5 inches high of the point of aim.

What Mr. Frazier has testified to here is physically impossible, and tomorrow I will show you exactly why that is true. If there is any truth to Frazier's testimony about the rifle shooting 2.5 - 4 inches high at 15 yards, C2766 is disqualified as being the assassination weapon; at least as far as shooting with the scope is concerned. I will explain all of this tomorrow, as well.

So until we get your awaiited explanation, Bob, is it right to assume that 2.5- 4 inches high of point of aim at 15 yards when converted to 100 yards would be 16-25 inches high of point of aim? (6.6 times the distance?)

Hi Ray

You are close, but it is even worse than what you think, by quite a bit. I had earlier attempted to employ algebra in determining how much above the point of aim at 100 yards the bullets would be impacting. Instead, I chose a more professional method and decided to employ a handy ballistics calculator found at this site http://www.handloads.com/calc/ . I entered all the relevant data concerning the Carcano and its ammunition. Muzzle velocity, as testified by Frazier, 2165 fps, bullet weight = 162 grains, ballistic coefficient (from another calculator) = .322 and sight height (centreline of scope distance above centreline of bore) as determined by Drew = 1.5".

In order to have a bullet impact a target at 15 yards and have that impact 2.5 inches high of the "point of aim" or line of sight (as claimed by Frazier) it was necessary, on this calculator, to zero the rifle at 5.5 yards. In other words, if the rifle was hitting 2.5 inches high at 15 yards, it would be dead on at 5.5 yards; the point at where the line of sight and the bullet path cross.

This diagram shows what I mean.


Notice that the bullet path crosses the line of sight just out from the muzzle, and again at the target.

The results I found with a target zero of 5.5 yards are shown below. Note that, at 0 yards, the figure in all calculations is -1.5", due to the fact that our barrel centreline is 1.5 inches below the scope centreline. The bullet will always, in this rifle, begin its journey 1.5 inches below the line of sight.

I just realized that the heading titles at the top of each number column did not c/p along with the numbers. The most important numbers to us are the first three columns and they are, left to right, Range (in yards), Muzzle Velocity (in feet per second) and Impact (measured in inches either below the line of sight, in negative numbers, or above the line of sight)
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]2165[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]-1.5[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1686[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]5[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2148[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]-0.14[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.03[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.01[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1660[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.43[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2136[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.21[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.02[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1641[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.44[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]15[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2123[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2.54[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.13[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.02[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1621[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.46[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]20[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2111[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]3.85[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.21[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.03[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1603[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.49[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]25[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2099[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]5.14[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.31[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.04[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1585[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.52[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]30[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2087[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]6.42[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.43[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.04[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1567[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.56[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]35[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2074[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]7.67[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.57[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.05[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1547[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.61[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]40[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2062[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]8.9[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.73[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.06[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1530[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.67[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]45[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2050[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]10.11[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.91[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1512[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.73[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2038[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]11.3[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.11[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1494[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]55[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2026[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]12.47[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.33[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.08[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1477[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.88[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]60[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2014[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]13.61[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.58[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.09[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1459[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.96[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]65[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2002[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]14.74[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.84[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.1[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1442[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.05[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]70[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1990[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]15.84[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2.13[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.1[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1425[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]75[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1979[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]16.92[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2.44[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.11[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1409[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.26[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]80[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1967[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]17.98[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2.77[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.12[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1392[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.38[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]85[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1955[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]19.02[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]3.12[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.13[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1375[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1943[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]20.04[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]3.5[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.13[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1358[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.63[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]95[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1932[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]21.03[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]3.9[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.14[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1343[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.77[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]100[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1920[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]22[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]4.32[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.15[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1326[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.91[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Looking at the range and impact columns, we can see the impact figure of -.14" at 5 yards. This is correct, as the rifle scope is zeroed at 5.5 yards, and the bullet is about to cross the line of sight at 5.5 yards. Further down, we can see, at 15 yards, the bullet is now 2.54" above the line of sight; precisely where Frazier claimed one of the FBI shooters was hitting a 15 yard target.

Now it gets interesting. If we scroll down to 100 yards, we find the rifle zeroed at 5.5 yards, and impacting 2.54" high at 15 yards, is impacting a 100 yard target 22 inches above the point of aim.

However, if we look again at Frazier's testimony, we find that Frazier's three shots at a 15 yard target impacted 4 inches high of the point of aim. Let's see how that changes things on the trajectory. In order to have a bullet impacting the target 4.08" high at 15 yards, it was necessary to zero the scope at 4 yards. The results are shown below:

[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]2165[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]-1.5[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]1686[/TD]
[TD="align: right"]0[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]5[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2148[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.37[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.03[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.01[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1660[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.43[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]10[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2136[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2.23[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.02[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1641[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.44[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]15[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2123[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]4.08[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.13[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.02[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1621[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.46[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]20[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2111[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]5.9[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.21[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.03[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1603[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.49[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]25[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2099[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]7.7[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.31[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.04[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1585[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.52[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]30[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2087[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]9.48[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.43[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.04[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1567[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.56[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]35[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2074[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]11.24[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.57[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.05[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1547[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.61[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]40[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2062[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]12.99[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.73[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.06[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1530[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.67[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]45[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2050[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]14.71[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.91[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1512[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.73[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]50[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2038[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]16.41[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.11[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.07[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1494[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.8[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]55[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2026[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]18.09[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.33[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.08[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1477[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.88[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]60[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2014[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]19.74[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.58[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.09[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1459[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.96[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]65[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2002[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]21.39[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.84[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.1[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1442[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.05[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]70[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1990[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]23[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2.13[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.1[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1425[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.15[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]75[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1979[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]24.59[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2.44[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.11[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1409[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.26[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]80[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1967[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]26.16[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]2.77[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.12[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1392[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.38[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]85[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1955[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]27.71[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]3.12[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.13[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1375[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.5[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]90[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1943[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]29.23[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]3.5[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.13[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1358[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.63[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]95[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1932[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]30.74[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]3.9[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.14[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1343[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.77[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]100[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1920[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]32.22[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]4.32[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]0.15[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1326[/TD]
[TD="width: 50, align: right"]1.91[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]