What If the 'Beltway Sniper' Isn't Using a Rifle?

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 10/15/02 | Jeff Johnson

[kattracks]

Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - Much attention has been focused on the "rifle" used to shoot ten people, killing eight of them, in the Washington, D.C., area. But what if the so-called "Beltway Sniper" isn't using a rifle?

"We're willing, at this point, and able to say that from a 90-percent accuracy, we're dealing with a high-speed-velocity round," Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose said Oct. 4, the morning after four people were murdered in the same day.

"We're dealing with someone shooting from a distance," he continued, "someone using a high-velocity round, 90 percent sure that it is a .223 round from a rifle."

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) later displayed four "samples" of various rifles chambered for .223 ammunition, the round police say has been used in each of the shootings.

Investigators also displayed a number of carrying cases commonly used to transport the types of rifles shown to the media. Authorities have encouraged citizens to phone their toll-free tip line if they see anyone in the area of one of the shootings with a rifle, or with one of the carrying cases.

The public has also been encouraged to contact police about anyone who owns a .223 rifle, who has been acting in a suspicious or unusual manner since the murders began Oct.2.

But Neal Knox - former president of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, who now heads the Firearms Coalition - warned Monday that authorities may be overlooking another possible weapon in the murders - a handgun chambered in the .223 or similar caliber.

Hand-fired weapons capable of firing the .223 or similar rounds include three that provide for the mounting of a telescopic sight, which would improve accuracy at the 100 to 150-yard range from which investigators believe the sniper is firing.

One of the weapons is the Kimber Predator, a modified version of Kimber's M-85 bolt-action rifle. Another is the Remington "Fireball," a bolt-action handgun chambered for the .221 caliber, which was first produced in the mid-1960s. The third is the Thompson Contender, a single shot, "break open" style gun, which is "capable of serious long range shooting," according to the company's website.

The killer has fired a single shot in each of the attacks.

"Because it's smaller, either a Contender or Fireball would be ideal for sniping from a car if you had a sandbag between the butt and the window frame," Knox explained.

Glenn Beach, an ATF firearms examiner, acknowledged the existence of handguns that fire .223 rounds, but claimed they are rarely used, "especially when you're dealing with long ranges, for accuracy's sake."

Dennis Jackson, an advisor to Armed Females of America, disagreed. He told CNSNews.com Monday that it is "very realistic" to consider the possibility that the shooter could be using such a firearm.

"They are accurate for a handgun," said Jackson, who has fired the Thompson Contender. "People need to think outside the box."

Knox estimated the accuracy of the .223 or similar caliber handguns at "about one inch at 100 yards."

"I've shot Fireballs that were capable of 1/4-inch, center-to-center, five shots at 100 yards," he added. "That's as good as the very best specially modified AR-15 [semi-automatic rifles], and as good as many bench rifles."

Handguns chambered for .223 are typically less than 18 inches in total length and approximately 6 inches tall. They could be easily concealed in a nylon or hard sided briefcase, or a padded bag made especially for handgun storage and carrying.

After the eighth murder occurred near Fredericksburg, VA, Friday, authorities closed several interstate highways and other major arteries to search white vans fitting the description of one seen leaving the location of the shooting. Observers noted that police seemed to be quickly looking inside the vehicles for a rifle or storage container similar to the ones shown to the media.

"They're looking for a needle in a haystack because [the .223] is such a common round," Jackson noted. "This is giving them another alternative."

Chief Moose refused to answer questions Monday about the specific type of weapon the sniper might be using, saying, "We didn't come out here to speculate."

Police have been tight-lipped about details of the investigation since media outlets reported the discovery of a tarot card inscribed with the words, "Mr. Policeman, I am God," at one of the crime scenes. Critics say authorities are too concerned with building a criminal case, and that releasing more details could help friends, family members or coworkers of the killer identify him as a potential suspect.

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[knighthawk]

Ping

[LRS]

Thanks for posting this! I was just telling someone a few days ago that a long barreled pistol is a real possibility (I suggested a Thompson Contender at the time.)Part of the key to me involves shell casings. If the only shell casing found was the one left with the Tarot card, then the killer must be using something other than a semi automatic weapon, because I highly doubt he is sticking around to search for and locate a spent .223 casing after pulling off a shot (I sure know I wouldn't waste valuable escape time doing that!)

So, can someone give me the definitive answer: have they found other shell casings besides the one?

[You Gotta Be Kidding Me]

My prediction:

The "Beltway Sniper" is a Chechan who is here illegaly brought in for this killing spree. He's being sheltered and escorted by Arab sympathizers/members of Al Qaeda. He's using a smuggled weapon that he used in combat with the Russians in Chechnia.

[freeper12]

>>He's using a smuggled weapon that he used in combat with the Russians in Chechnia
\
Why would anyone smuggle in a weapon and deal with that risk? You can walk into any gun store and by a .223 rifle in about 5 minutes...

[riverrunner]

Why wouldn't he just had thrown the shell casing down that he had picked up at the local gun range. Doesn't have to be a 223.

[PaulJ]

Interesting, but what information do you base this on?

[packrat01]

bump

[Redcloak]

...I highly doubt he is sticking around to search for and locate a spent .223 casing after pulling off a shot...

Last night's shooting lends some support to the theory that this guy isn't using a semi-auto. I can't imagine him running around in the dark trying to locate a spent brass that went flying off into the night. (Though, of course, he could have a brass-catcher stuck to the side of a semi-auto.)

As to the theory that a pistol could have been used, that's a distinct possibility. It wouldn't be hard to make these shots with a scoped Contender, or a similar weapon, resting across one's arm in a car window. It would certainly be less ackward that trying to manuever a rifle out the window for the shot as well as less noticable to witnesses.

[tje]

I had a Thompson Contender chambered in Remington 222 (slightly smaller case capacity than the 223). I used it for prairie dogs in Colorado. Very accurate, nice weapon.

[RWG]

Is there a silencer on the sniper's weapon?

[Free Trapper]

I would have been very open to a Contender being used but there was a reported witness to the latest shooting that said he saw the shooter with a rifle.

[tje]

A Contender with a 14 inch barrel and a scope might look like a rifle from the forestock forward when viewed from a distance to the untrained eye. Albeit, a small rifle.

The shorter barrel makes it a little more difficult to work up a good load. You won't get the highest velocities the cartridge is capable of. I forget the rate of twist, but I used 50gr highly frangible bullets. But I don't think this shooter is using FMJ's. The kills/wounded ratio is too high, or he's putting the bullets where he wants them.

[Free Trapper]

Yep,I thought someone could have mistaken a Contender for a rifle especially if it was scoped,nice little pistols but it sounded as though the witness got a pretty fair look because the shooter was out of his vehicle with it.Who knows?

[lentulusgracchus]

Is there a silencer on the sniper's weapon?

No. Clear reports were heard and described by several witnesses in multiple attacks.

1. Single round per attack
a. Could be fire discipline, esp. if this is a trained attacker or terrorist
b. Could mean sniper is using a turnbolt, either long arm or something like a Contender
c. The brass picked up with the Tarot card was the only one reported. Was it a plant?

2. If the sniper is using a semiauto, he has to be using a brass catcher, and the brass discovered with the Tarot card is his, that got away somehow? If he's using a turnbolt weapon, the brass is probably a plant from another type weapon in .223 cal. If he's using a semiauto with brass catcher, then he is exercising fire discipline, and the brass may be a plant anyway.

3. If the sniper is planting misleading evidence, then confusion is a major goal, either to help him evade/escape, or because he's a terrorist.

4. If the sniper is using a semiauto like a CAR-15, then he is exercising fire discipline. Does that make him a trained terrorist?

5. Either way, he's a fanatic, taking huge chances.

That's as far as I want to go right now.

By the way, using two vehicles doesn't make sense. Why a two-man team? They couldn't communicate without being compromised by NSA, law enforcement, or someone else.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

A reporter reminded me earlier of the Remington XP-100 long range pistol, a predecessor to the Contender. They started at .221 but could take a new barrel up to .45.

Here's something interesting I found on the web about this very subject,
http://www.snipercountry.com/higrnd09.htm
The Sniper Pistol -- A Tactical Alternative

[lentulusgracchus]

If a) he is using a Contender or similar and b) that brass they found was his, then LE would know by now what he is carrying, and they might have told us. They produced four weapons for the press. Were the four narrowed down from evidence from the brass? What were they? Three were "assault rifles" is all I heard, and I saw a brief shot of someone waving an AR-15 around.

What was the selection of weapons in that news conference based on? Only four weapons? There are a zillion long guns that shoot .223.

Sounds like they're down to Armalite designs based on what they showed at the press shindig -- anybody know anything more about that?

[SLB]

FYI-Looks like ;some LEO are finally considering a "smaller" weapon.

[Straight Vermonter]

Lets not forget that he is suppossed to be using a van or a truck. He could have a little bench set up in the back from which to fire and improve accuracy. An accomplice driving the vehicle makes this a quick and easy way to get in, fire with accuracy, and get out again.

[FourteenthProfile]

Yours is the first post I have seen about a potential silencer. I have not heard this issue addressed by any Freeper or by any of the media.

Is it impossible to use a silencer with an AR-15 or any of the other possible weapons that can fire a .223 round? That would explain why witnesses have actually heard loud gun shots at the scene. If it is not impossible to use the silencer, why would the sniper NOT use one?

We've heard theories about a disgruntled former soldier, what about a disgruntled former employee of Michael's? From what I heard, three of these shootings took place at or right next to a Michael's store.