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Wales, however, was shot with .380-caliber bullets fired through the slightly larger 9-mm replacement barrel.

I understand that 9mm makarov used to be hard to get.

I dont understand the above statement, however, if they are looking for someone who bought a replacement .380 barrel, as the .380 is a smaller diameter

as far as i know, federal does not sell replacement barrels chambered for 9mm makarov (unless they started doing so recently)

Good point. I don't know what they are trying to say either, but I chalk it up to a reporter who have never fired a gun before and wouldn't have a clue about what they were saying during the briefing. If you check Shotgun News or any number of similar sources, you should be able to find the replacement barrels I was talking about.

Wales, however, was shot with .380-caliber bullets fired through the slightly larger 9-mm replacement barrel.

I understand that 9mm makarov used to be hard to get.

Not at any time in the last 5 years, though Makarov ammo may not be locally as available in some areas. And it still isn't loaded by some ammunition manufacturers; if you want some specialty ammo, you may need to go to another caliber, and .380 is an easy rearrangement with a PM/ Makarov.

I dont understand the above statement, however, if they are looking for someone who bought a replacement .380 barrel, as the .380 is a smaller diameter

My bet is that the shooter used a .380 with his silencer in order to allow the use of a slim-diameter .22 or .32 silencer with its baffles bored out to allow the use of .355" diameter .380 bullets, but was concerned about the possibility of a baffle strike with a larger .363" diameter 9x18mm Makarov bullet. The use of the rebored smaller-diameter but longer .22suppressors with a PM is an old dodge, also used with Walther PP and PPK pistols, which like the Makarov have sights mounted fairly close to the pistol's bore centerline. Using a .22 suppressor with the baffles reamed or drilled as closely to the bullet's diameter as possible allows the pistol's factory sights to be used, and keeping the reboring as close to the bullet diameter as possible maintains as much of the silencer's efficiency as possible, already degraded somewhat by the larger-diameter opening for the bullet's passage. Thus it's also helpful that effective .22 silencers are also often a bit longer as well, offering multiple baffles to help reduce the sound.

Since the shooter managed multiple hits on Wales, shooting through a closed window, it's most probable that he was using sights. And unless he had a Soviet-issue suppressed weapon fitted with higher auxilliary sights [as pictured in post #2 above] it's probable that he found the availability of the FAC barrels already threaded for a .22 suppressor [typically ½"x28 or ½"x36-pitch threads] to be a helpful convenience. And the availability of a .380 hollowpoint load in the .380 chambering rather than the most common 9mm Makarov full metal jacketed bullet may have been an added benefit.

He could have ordered a FAC barrel in .380 had he so desired; that he did not suggests a reason other than expecting there'd be no markings left on the bullet.

-archy-/-