Posted on 10/16/2002 11:21:33 AM PDT by TC Rider
Thanks for the kind note.
It is clear that more people need to be talking about how flexible the science is around the whole .223 issue.
Brent
Brent E. Turvey, M.S. Forensic Science
I heard someone on Fox say the sniper may not be Al Queda directed, but could certainly be Al Queda inspired, like the LA airport shooter, back in July.
Still a terrorist. Still a good reason for some sensible profiling.
You can mount any scope or target aid you want on anything your heart desires as long as you can find the gun smith to do it. For a pro sharp shooter you have two catagories the rich and the thrifty. The rich are the ones who have their rifle custom made, ex. Garcia the founder of the Army's sniper school had the government pick up the tab for his $80,000 custom made 50 cal. I, hobby sharp shooter, on the other hand am an average american (I have higher debt then annual income) and my rifle cost $300 with a $75 scope.(30-30 bolt action)
I can say the same disclaimer as you, though I've done my share of reloading in the past. But I own a Mini-14 and SKS, and my experience with this cheap Chinese and Russion ammo is negative. In other words, at 100 yards, I was lucky to hit the paper let alone the black on a 100-yard NRA target. The stuff is junk, literally "spray and pray". You get what you pay for. If this shooter is hitting square in the vitals or the head every time, assuming it's 100 yds or more, he's using high quality ammo. Not that it matters that much. My opinion anyway. I just wish they'd catch the perp and let the victims' families have at him.
"The police retrieved the spent case laying in the parking lot following the Home Depot murder."
This is in combination with the witnesses identifying some type of Kalashnikov. And in addition to 11 bullets at least some of which must have some residual rifling marks.
When Mark Fuhrman stated that it was an AK 74 he likely had enough info to do so.
BTW, the Soviets and Chinese deployed some arty and mortar pieces that would use our ammo. Never heard of that on the small arms level though.
"The police retrieved the spent case laying in the parking lot following the Home Depot murder."
Good point, from my research it appears the AK-74 has a very healthy ejector mechanism. Supposedly can toss spent brass 15 to 40 feet away. If he's been shooting from inside a van box, that may account for the scarcity of found brass.
There are also gadgets that attach a cloth bag over the ejection port to retain brass.
Another thing I read on the AK-74, specifically those built to fire Remington .223, is that it's very easy to accidentally do a double-tap. Obviously, that hasn't happened, so maybe he's just loading one round at a time.
Somehow, I doubt we'll ever learn all of the details, unless a trial ends up on TV.
Sorry. Never used one, figured they existed, but didn't know exactly what to call them.
mighta been from the slough they were sitting in.
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