AS it was, whomever (Oswald, 'Mac', some other bogey man) was firing apparently MISSED the first shot - and all three could very well have been missed or badly off-target, so, WHY WASN'T a weapon with a greater rate of firing employed?
There'd have to be a breakdown of three seperate questions to better look into that:
1. WHY was a simple bolt-action single-shot repeating rifle used. The Carcano is a bolt-action repeater IF the six-shot clip that holds the ammunition in line for the feed mechanism, similar to the eight-shot clip of an M1 Garand rifle, is present. Otherwise, the Carcano is a singleshot as you suggest.
2. WHY a Carcano? Price alone? Availability? Why purchase an unknown rifle mail order in a community well-served by gun shops, which Oswald had to go to to obtain ammunition, in any event.
3. WHY that particular model of Carcano? Just luck of the draw, or does it have any particular feature that makes it particularly useful for a rifle-equipped assassin, whether solo or working with partner/s.
Then go *here.*
-archy-/-
Ouch!
" The Warren Commission conclusion that three shots were fired was based, almost entirely, on the recovery of only three shell casings in the "sniper's nest". "
A site which FAILS to mention any account of one Harold Norman et al (who were at a window JUST BELOW the 'firing' position that day) YET delves deeply into the grassy knoll as the source of gunfire that day is off to a disingenuous start in my book.
" Some bystanders, accompanied by police and convinced that shots were fired from the "grassy knoll" area, "Of 200 some witnesses on record that day - 85% of them pointed out the TSBD building as the source of the gunfire; additionally, a number of people, including reporters and photographers SAW the gunman withdraw his weapon from the sixth floor window - THEIR accounts (such as those related by Photographer Bob Jackson who later snapped an award winning photo of Ruby shooting Oswald) are on the web for those seeking confirmation of this ... that's really all that need be said to dismiss the 'grassy knoll' wild goose chase (VERY few people today realize that the 'grassy knoll' theory was a LATER DAY creation as well - NO DUBT in my mind dreampt up and FUELED by a myriad of saleable 'conspiracy theories').
I found no clear answers either as to why only three (apparent) shots were fired that day; the use of a magazine/clip on the MC rifle should have allowed a few more shots (and in a shorter period of time) to have been released - including at least the round that was found in the 'chamber'.
There appears to be substatial misrepresentation on the finger/palm print evidence existing today, too. Whether this is intentional or just the product of much earlier, unrevised work in light of what we know today - I don't know ...
Substance of Harold Norman affidavit:
About 12:15 P.M. on this same date, after I had eaten my lunch, I went to the fifth floor of the building to watch the parade of the President pass the building. Bonnie Ray Williams and James Jarman, who also worked at this building went with me. We took a position in the south-east corner of the building on the fifth floor and I was looking out the window which is closest to the east end of the buuilding overlooking Elm Street.Note: The floors of the TSBD building are wooden.Just after the President passed by, I heard a shot and several seconds later I heard two more shots.
I knew that the shots had come from directly above me, and I could hear the expended cartridges fall to the floor. I also could here the bolt action of the rifle.
I saw some dust fall from the ceiling of the fifth floor and I felt sure that whoever had fired the shots was directly above me. I saw all of the people down on the street rut towards the west side of the building, so I went to that side with Williams and Jarman, and looked out the west side window. We discussed the shots, and where they had come from and decided we better go down stairs. We walked down the stairs to the first floor and did not see anyone else on the stairway as we went down. From the time of the shots until we started down-stairs was about five minutes.