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Wed, 26 Nov 1997

John Ritchson <jonr2@worldnet.att.net>

Subject: More Evidence Revisited

"The Unfired Cartridge" There exists a large color photograph of the alledged physical evidence linking LHO to the JFK murder. The photographer, if memory serves is Michael O'Neill who worked for Life magazine. photograph from DPD, see #6 Somewhat centrally located is an unfired cartridge, designated as CE-141 and sworn into evidence as a WCC 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano cartridge. All Winchester cartridges are jacketed with Gilder's Metal which is an alloy of copper and zinc and has a distinct copper color as evidenced by the 6-groove CE-399 also depicted in the color photo blow-up. However this is not the case with the unfired cartridge depicted as CE-141. This cartridge possesses what is obviously a cupra-nickle alloy jacket which is not used by American bullet makers,but common in European ammunition. Also clearly present is a banded crimp on the neck corresponding to the smooth cannelure commonly found on military surplus ammunition of European manufactor. The inescapable conclusion,with a high degree of certainty, is that the unfired cartridge,*SWORN* into evidence as a *WINCHESTER* 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano cartridge, *IS IN FACT* a European Military surplus Carcano cartridge, *PROVING* falsification of if not outright tampering with material evidence in a capitol murder case. The above additional evidence added to the existing body of evidence presented in the following attached article presents an overwhelming case of not only massive evidence tampering, but of reasonable doubt as to the guilt of LHO. John Ritchson ------   The Shooter: One thing both LNers and Buffs seem to agree on is that LHO was a rather poor shooter, although the LNers are quick to point out that his shooting skills were obviously adequate. How obvious, and how adaquate is an issue I feel worth exploring. There is no real record that I can recall off hand of LHO ever being a gun enthusiast or shooter prior to his entrance into the US Marine Corps so I think it safe to say he entered the Marines,wet-nosed and green, as do many if not most recruits. From the very beginning, LHO would be immersed in a society that brooks no loners, malingerers, odd ducks, individualists, screw-offs, and screw-ups, a society which from the very first, ruthlessly culls out the people that demonstrate such traits. To exist in such a society, LHO would have had to be a personable team-player, with the capacity to bond with the men in his unit. Hardly the psychological profile of the loner and outsider that would later be used to describe LHO. It would be some 3 weeks, if memory serves, before Marine Boots are introduced to their weapons and the firing range. LHO would have had this long to bond with his unit before it would become apparent that he simply had no proficiency as a shooter, and it was this fact that kept him from being branded a screw-up and rewarded with the obligatory blanket party reserved for GFUs. There are various types of problem shooters encountered by Drill-Instructors on the rifle range. Some have shooters-flinch, which is a form of recoil anticipation that causes the shooter to jerk instead of squeezing the trigger, resulting in more cases than not, in the shooter completely missing the target. The fact that LHO was fairly consistent in getting his Maggie's Drawers is a strong indication that that he possessed this tendency. In every training cycle there will be Marine Boots that no matter how well instructed, simply will not possess the manual skills necessary to accurately fire a rifle. LHO was one such person. Failure to qualify on the rifle-range means a wash-out for the trainee involved, as well as casting the trainers in an unacceptably unfavorable light. The easiest solution is to have another trainee, usually a friend that volunteers, qualify in the place of the problem shooter. Then, because in a combat situation, each soldier's life depends on the combat skills of the other men in his unit, a problem shooter would be assigned a permanent MOS in areas least likely to put them in a combat situation. LHO was assigned as a radar operator in Japan, at a top secret base with virtually no chance of ever seeing combat, and this fact shows that other than his poor shooting, he was in every other way, an exemplary Marine, or at least one that had demonstrated worthiness to receive the training, clearances and confidence to perform an important mission in a top-secret installation. After his Marine service, there is no evidence that LHO ever joined any shooting clubs or frequented any firing ranges,and was only known to have taken 2 hunting trips prior to Nov63, in which on one was known to have missed hitting a rabbit at close range with a shot-gun. This is the man the WC Apologists would have you believe,was able to take a poorly made surplus rifle that was assembled on the spot, not sighted in, and accurately place 2 shots at a moving target, wounding both JFK and JBC, and killing JFK.   The Rifle: Known as the rifle that was never fired and only dropped once. The WW2 6.5x52mm model 38 Mannlicher Carcano is arguably the worst military rifle ever made. Among its many known defects include but are not limited to,Improperly sized breech and bore, improperly crowned muzzle, incessive or excessive headspace,faulty extractor, worn or faulty trigger-sear, improperly heat treated firing-pin, badly tempered springs, misaligned sights, excessive barrel run-out, all working to make this weapon nearly as dangerous to the shooter as it is to the target. After WW2, this weapon would flood the world surplus market and thousands would find their way into the American market where they would be purchased mostly by people looking for cheap rifles, and who were not overly concerned with quality. That with reworking they could be turned into an adaquate one-shot deer rifle is the best that could said for this weapon. There is no evidence that even if LHO had used the Hidell alias to purchase this rifle mail-order, that he ever spent any time with it on a firing range or had it worked over by a gun-smith so would not have had the slightest idea as to how this weapon would shoot or if it would even shoot at all. Dry firing doesn't count and can even damage the firing-pin. It is inconceivable that had LHO been planning on doing any shooting at all that he would not have used the one weapon that he had trained with and had any hope of being able to actually effectively shoot, a .30-'06 M1 Garand.The argument that he was too poor to afford such a weapon doesn't wash as Marines are trained to adapt and improvise, and LHO being true to his training would have found a way to acquire this rifle.Also being true to his training he would have taken it to a rifle range and properly sighted it in. Also LHO would have been trained in the basics of tactical ambush and would have been true to this training as well.If LHO had acted in the manner the WC and its apologists would have you believe, he would have violated nearly every tenet he was trained in. A case in point would be that no military trained shooters would ever outline themselves against a dark backdrop, such as shooting from an open window while positioned in that window. The rifle depicted in the color version of the evidence shows it to possess a stock appearing to be a dark gun-metal blue in color. This is not with a standard military issue service rifle, and it certainly doesn't stack up to the published photos showing LHO holding this rifle which appears to be much lighter in tone.This rifle also clearly has a side mounted sling-swivel contrary to the published photos which show the rifle LHO allegedly holding as clearly having a bottom mounted sling-swivel. Also curious in this photo depiction is the presence of a black leather sling. If memory serves the original reports listed the sling as being a piece of rope. On a final note, the WC reported that LHO allegedly carried the disassembled rifle into the TBSD wrapped in brown paper. The FBI reported the rifle to be well oiled but upon microscopic examination, could find no evidence of oil anywhere upon the alleged wrapping paper. FYI, brown paper wicks oil like a sponge. He is also alleged to have reassembled the rifle with a dime. I attempted this with 2 Carcanos I had access to, using a circulated pre 64 silver dime and found it to be wider than the screw slots and useless as a assembly tool. The bullets and cartridges: Some time ago a researcher,Walt Cakebread, discovered an apparent discrepancy between the photos of WC Exhibit CE-399 and HSCA Exhibit CE-399 which were published together so that it was possible to compare the two in single-vision. He then acquired two high-quality photocopies of the respective bullets and precisely measured the lands and grooves of each bullet, which is the markings made on a bullet from contact with the barrel's rifling as it is fired, and is what makes the bullet spin. The measurements revealed the two bullets were fired from different rifles and were in fact, different bullets.

Mr.Cakebread sent two copies of the Exhibit Photos to me for another opinion. I am now in the process of acquiring archive-quality photocopys for myself, which I will then forward to the chief ballisticians of the Lyman Gun-Sight Company, the Western Cartridge Company, the Sierra, Speer, Hornady reloading companies, and the Hodgen powder company for additional verification. In the meantime, and in anticipation of such verification, I am prepared to offer up the results of my own preliminary analysis. The photos I am working with are 8x10" reproductions of the actual archive exhibit photo-enlargements. All measurements were made with Starret Precision Instruments. All figures reflect the enlarged dimensions of the respective photos. The first thing I noticed, looking at the two bullets side by side, was the nearly pristine condition of WC CE-399 and the slightly more marred but very-good condition of HSCA CE-399. Hell, I could pretty much reload either bullet as they are and fire them again. Near the nose of HSCA CE-399 is a nick of a kind I have seen before in bullets that due to a sloppy action, chamber a bit too steeply, catch-the breech-edge and incur a small gouge when the bolt is slammed home. (note: this is also where the FBI took a sample) Also if both photos are transposed over each other and exposed to a bright-light,the nose of WC CE-399 will measure .125" longer and will appear noticeably blunter than the nose of HSCA CE-399. The overall condition of HSCA CE-399 is somewhat rougher in appearance than WC CE-399, showing indications of scoring and a distinctly unpronounced groove entirely consistent with having been fired from a slightly oversized barrel or one nearly washed-out, eg. having been fired so many times that the rifling is nearly gone. WC CE-300, on the other hand possesses an excellent groove in terms of depth and symmetry,with an overall smoothness that is consistent with having been fired from a barrel that was well-cut and finely polished. Groove photo The extruded lead from the base of HSCA CE-399 is .780" in length and extrudes .009" from the base as opposed to the distinctly dome-shaped extrusion of WC CE-399 which measures .506" in length and extrudes .012". That these diverse measurements could be obtained from different photos of the same bullet, when size and base profile is otherwise equal, is an abject impossibility. On WC CE-399, the groove-width measures .385" and the land-width measures .400" on HSCA CE-399,the groove-width measures .400 and the land-width measures .650" for a respective difference of .015" in groove-width, and .150" in land-width. On WC CE-399, the land-width represents 28% of the bullets diameter, and on HSCA CE-399, the land-width represents 45% of the bullets diameter which is 1.45" yielding a circumference of 4.55". Using the above figures, it is possible to calculate the number of grooves that must exist by simply dividing the circumference by the total of the land and groove figures which in the case of WC CE-399, plainly shows a six-groove bullet,and in the case of HSCA CE-399, just as plainly shows a four groove bullet. I can only conclude that WC CE-399 was fired from a high quality six-groove barreled rifle, possibly a sniper-rifle, and the bullet represented as HSCA CE-399 was fired from a much cruder four-groove rifle, at least consistent with an MC rifle. Around the bullets near their bases is a cut, ridged groove called the cannelure.When passing through the blood and tissue of a live body, it will invariably become packed with organic stuff. Had either bullet passed through a live body they would show evidence of that passing. One can only speculate on the ways and means, and hows and whys this is so, but the inescapable truth of the matter is WC CE-399 and HSCA CE-399 are TWO DIFFERENT BULLETS, fired from DIFFERENT WEAPONS, and neither one of them impacted a live-body. Some time ago,researcher Walt Cakebread sent me a photo-reproduction of Exhibit CE-738 taken at Dallas Police Headquarters around 10:00-10:30 pm, on November 22nd,1963. Among the items inventoried, allegedly connected to LHO, are two spent brass cartridges identified as 6.5mm MC cartridges, and one live round identified as an unfired WCC 6.5mm MC cartridge. It is these two items that are the focus of my evaluation. Measurements are made by Starrett precision instruments,and a Dietzgen precision protractor,and will be in the English system. The unfired cartridge designated as Item-6 of Exhibit CE-738 and identified as a WCC 6.5mm MC Cartridge appears not to be as represented. I say appears, due to the fact that in the blow-up I'm working from, it is impossible to read the make of the cartridge. However,the primer is clearly visible and is markedly similar to the odd-sized Berdan primer that is characteristic of Italian GI Ammunition and is different in size than the american primers that would be used in WCC Ammo. Also in evidence, is the counterbored neck-step just above the shoulder, that locks the neck into the bullet's cannelure which would not be present in WCC Ammunition. Conclusion: The unfired cartridge represented as Item-6 of Exhibit CE-738 more closely resembles an L.B.C.936, 6.5x52mm MC Italian GI cartridge, then it does an American made WCC 6.5x52mm MC Cartridge.(note) Virtually all American bullets are jacketed with Gilders Metal which is an alloy of copper and zinc, with a distinct brassy appearance. The color photos of the unfired cartridge shows a bullet that is distinctly silver in color consistent with the cupra-nickle alloy used by European bullet makers. The MC Cartridge possesses a shoulder width of .160" and a shoulder bevel of 25 degrees. This is an extremely critical point as measurement of the spent cases show a shoulder width of .186" and a shoulder bevel of 24 degrees, for a difference of .026" in shoulder width and 1 degree of angle in the bevel.   Conclusion:That the spent cases more closely resemble a 6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schoenauer (MS) Cartridge then they do a 6.5x52mm MC cartridge. The distinction made in the above conclusion, if it holds up, is an important one as the Austrian designed MS rifle is prized for its smooth action, magazine efficiency, chambering characteristics and accuracy as opposed to the dismal performance of the MC rifle.   Note: Many a custom Mauser is chambered for this cartridge which makes for an excellent medium range deer rifle as well as a sniper rifle.     What this all boils down to is massive evidence fraud,committed upon the American people and the world,by elements within the federal government, underwritten by the Warren Commission,in a capitol murder case. The whole affair smacks of treason and every individual that had a hand in it should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I strongly encourage all who would see justice done in this case to write your elected representatives and demand that this case be reopened. Let them know that there can be no closure until the myth that is the WCR be relegated to its rightful place as a piece of historical fiction,and all individuals connected to the murder of JFK and the subsequent coverup be brought before the bar to answer for their crimes. Regards, John Ritchson(SSGT.499th TC USATC HG US Army,Class of 69) (Master-Machinest, Gun-Smith,Ballistician,) (and Survivor of the US Foreign-Policy ) (Experiment in SE Asia.[11bravo7, RVN 70-71])     Not even the strength of mighty armies can match the power of a single idea who's time has come. (Victor Hugo)

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