What gun/caliber was used to kill President Kennedy?

[SteelyNirvana]

President Kennedy's death was way before my time(I'm 25) and I've never known which gun/caliber was used to assassinate him. I hope this doesn't get a big "conspiracy theory" thread started

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_assassination_rifle

I'm sure someone will drop by shortly and let you know what the second gunman on the grassy knoll had.

Straight from the Warren Commission report: http://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/warren-commission-report/chapter-3.html#description

 

[Vern Humphrey]

It was an Italian Mannlicher-Carcano in 6.5 X 52 Carcano.

 

[Cpl Nobbs]

it was a pulse rifle in the 40 watt range of course.

 

[ArmedBear]

Carcano rifle loaded with magic bullets.

 

[Grump]

Anyone truly interested in getting past all the hyperbole, supposition, blathering and exaggerations regarding this topic would be very well served to look up what Massad Ayoob had to write about his own actual test of making that shot, with a comparable rifle and optics, with a panel of shooters of various skill levels.

Case Closed. There is yet another book out on it which reaches a similar conclusion. I happen to disagree with Ayoob's theory on something like a .220 Swift being used for a frontal headshot. Surely possible but the same thing *can* happen with a lower-velocity rear headshot.

 

[MrPeter]

I can't say what show it was since I don't remember, but there was an in-depth investigation on how that shot was made, and the conclusion was that it could have been made with one shot that wasn't magic, just extremely lucky.

2cents.

 

[JimmyN]

The grassy knoll gunman was also using a Mannlicher-Carcano, as he needed to use the same 6.5 x 52 magic bullets.

That one was equipped with some tactical improvements though, to enhance effectiveness:
Non-glare wood fence camo finish
Bayonet lug
High capacity magazine
Flash suppressor
Barrel shroud
Pistol grip forearm and stock
Shoulder thing that goes up

 

[psegnatelli]

The only thing I have to add is the photos of the rifle. I see two different rifles. One has sling attached to the heel of the buttstock, then in another photo the sling is attached to the side.

 

[SaMx]

"the shoulder thing that goes up" makes the gun extra deadly.

 

[longeyes]

Distance was 88 yards, is that right? With scope?

 

[Gator]

58 yards for the first shot, 88 yards for the third according to Wikipedia.

The Carcano has had a bad rap as a cheap, inaccurate rifle ever since Oswald made it famous, but they really aren't that bad.

 

[slzy]

with the kgb,cia,cuban govt,cuban refugees,retired ss,mafia,jesuits,dallas police,fbi,all firing at the same time,they could'nt miss.

 

[Eightball]

It was the CIA, in league with the Aliens.

On a slightly serious note, is that a carbine, or the carcano rifle? It looks to be a carbine with a scope mounted, though everyone refers to it as the Carcano "rifle".......weird.

 

[SteelyNirvana]

I can't say what show it was since I don't remember, but there was an in-depth investigation on how that shot was made, and the conclusion was that it could have been made with one shot that wasn't magic, just extremely lucky.

I know I am doing what I said I didn't want to do but.....

When the History channel was airing an all weekend thing on the 40th anniversary of his death they showed Kennedy getting shot frame by frame. It honestly looked like the back of his head exploded,which means that the shot had to come from the front (grassy knoll). Right?, or was I just imagining things?. I know from many years of shooting at various objects that the entrance hole is small round and clean while the exit hole is bigger and opened up.

 

[SteelyNirvana]

What about Robert Kennedy?. The Wiki article on him says it was a .22 revolver. The article on Sirhan Sirhan says it was an Iver Johnson automatic. So which was it?

 

[lamazza]

The Wiki article on him says it was a .22 revolver

6 shot revolver and he attacked form the front...Odd how kennedy's back was hit and several bystanders as well...

 

[SaMx]

The national geographic special I saw on Robert Kennedy said it was a 10 shot .22 revolver.

 

[default]

I am of the opinion that conspiracy theories about the Kennedy assassination are largely believed by people who have never shot a rifle. That a Marine could repeatedly hit a slowly-moving target less than 100 yards away with a scoped centerfire bolt-action rifle does not strike me as being at all remarkable.

For example, the average conspiracy theorist scornfully drops the phrase "bolt-action rifle" as if bolt-action rifles are somehow intrinsically less accurate than self-loading rifles. Strange then that the Army and Marine Corps still equip snipers with them...to make shots at 10 times the distance Oswald made his.

 

[270Win]

Although, I remember reading from several sources that Oswald's marksmanship scores were among the worst possible...

 

[Ash]

Even though they weren't great, that he was just a "marksman," he was still a trained shot with an open-sighted rifle. Heck, a guy could have made that shot with an SKS at those ranges.

Ash

 

[default]

a guy could have made that shot with an SKS at those ranges.

I actually wrote that in the first draft of my post, but edited it out due to my relative lack of experience shooting rifles. But it seems sensible, doesn't it?

 

[psegnatelli]

If you've ever shot a carcano you'd have doubts on his shooting ability. They are far from smooth. Their's a world of difference between Oswald's rifle and a 700

 

[gdvan01]

it was a pulse rifle in the 40 watt range of course.

Hey, just what you see, pal.

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

That reminds me...I need to set out some empty hulls to get green in time for tourist season in November. We always leave the tourists a little 'souvenir' every year over around the Grassy Knoll.

Regards,
Rabbit.