Lee Harvey Oswald's Rifle
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- čas přidán 6. 02. 2023
- In this new series we examine what happened to weapons used in infamous crimes or incidents. In this episode, the fates of Lee Harvey Oswald's rifle and pistol, and Jack Ruby's pistol used against Oswald!
Dr. Mark Felton FRHistS, FRSA, is a well-known British historian, the author of 22 non-fiction books, including bestsellers 'Zero Night' and 'Castle of the Eagles', both currently being developed into movies in Hollywood. In addition to writing, Mark also appears regularly in television documentaries around the world, including on The History Channel, Netflix, National Geographic, Quest, American Heroes Channel and RMC Decouverte. His books have formed the background to several TV and radio documentaries. More information about Mark can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Fe...
Visit my audio book channel 'War Stories with Mark Felton': • One Thousand Miles to ...
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Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Mark Felton Productions. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Mark Felton Productions does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
Credits: US National Archives; Library of Congress
If this becomes a series, an episode on the gun that Gavrillo Princip used to kill Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary would be a good follow up episode I think.
The .380 Browning 1910 is a neat and fun little gun for sure!
Good call
Yes, please. FN/Browning 1910 in 380 I believe it was.
Took the words right off my keyboard.
My first thought aswell
My mentor at a former job is a very dear friend, and as a life long resident of Dallas Texas, he loved to tell me stories of the town I just moved to. He said that a few decades ago he met an employee of the Texas Department of Education, who just so happened to work on the fifth story of the Texas Schoolbook Depository building. Yes, his office was directly under "that window".
My friend asked him what it was like to work there. The employee said, "It's awful. Imagine working at your desk, standing up to take a break, and every time you look out the window, about a dozen strangers are pointing at you."
There was an employee of the depository, Harold Norman, watching the Presidential motorcade go by from that very window. He not only heard the three shots fired, but heard the bolt action of the rifle between the shots.
Well, I don't know about you, but I think the place should be demolished....The city most likely imagines that income is generated by tourists from that awful day....perhaps a small plaque in a new, smallish park would suffice. What say you, Jeff?
@@RandomDudeOne If I remember right Mr. Norman said he also heard the ejected brass hitting the floor above him.
@@RandomDudeOne He also stated the last two shots were almost simultaneous, and couldn't say for sure where exactly both shots were fired from.
@@user6008 Where can I see that statement? I'd really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.
Edit: I went back and watched the video where Mr. Norman described what he heard. The video is on CZcams, it's called 'Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?', at 1:23:18 in the video he describes clearly hearing 3 separate shots fired from the window above. "Boom...click click......Boom.......click click.......Boom.......click click.........was how he described it.
I have been to the plaza. Almost a point-blank shot for a trained Marine.
Shussh. You're upsettng the conspiracy clowns.
@@hiataki7 😊
Been to the Plaza and the 6th floor twice. The first thing that struck me was how close and confined everything is
Back in the early and mid 60's I was a teenager and used to deer hunt with my father and uncles in Pennsylvania. They did not have a lot of extra money to buy new guns, and since most of them were WW2 vets, they bought and hunted with old WW2 bolt action rifles. My aunt actually hunted with an old Italian 6.5 rifle that was just like Oswald's rifle. I remember those days when you could buy a M1 Garand for $89.95. Same gun today will start at over $2000.00...
1963 an ounce of gold was two hundred dollars. Today it's two thousand. The fed has destroyed the dollar.
I'm guessing you tried to shoot some of those bolt action rifles to see how fast you could shoot three shots?
It's not as long as one would think. A little practice and one can work the bolt fairly well.
Picture is fake, head out of proportion to the body.
Mark Felton continues to be THE MAN
How about Ric Flair 😂
same comment everytime
Nice, but you have to work on it a bit.....
What? You thought he might make a gender change because of YOU ?
Ha, awesome. I thought I was alone! Thank you Mr. FELTON.
I'd start a TV broadcasting company just to give Dr Felton his own station
Why move from the internet to a dying media though?
He should at least have a streaming channel on Pluto TV!
@@deadeyeduncan5022 TV is not so much dying. Is more heading towards VOD and Interactive.
@@MIMALECKIPL no it's indeed dying.
TBS started as a UHF
Can do a lot with a Low power UHF like get on cable, sell to other UHFs etc
The scope was actually manufactured in Japan and imported into the US via a company in Hollywood, CA. called Ordnance Optics. It was actually a 4 X 18 scope designed for a .22 caliber rimfire rifle and was not at all suited to the 6.5 mm Carcano. The scope mount was also of Japanese manufacture, but was originally designed under a contract from the Chilean government for Mauser sniper rifles their army had in its possession. Klein's in Chicago was likely able to get these extra components on the cheap, and simply move them out the door for a few extra dollars above basic retail for the Carcano and turn a profit. But from any kind of a knowledgeable perspective, neither the scope nor the mount were really suited to the rifle in question.
True, except that tests by the US Army and the FBI proved the MC was more than capable in killing JFK. The final shot was only 86 yards.
@@JBliehall worst shot in the army and best shots , with lots of practice just managed it.
FBI initial tests indicated the scope was badly misaligned to the rifle and Oswald couldn't have struck Kennedy with it. This misalignment could have been caused by the police sloppy handling of evidence. It's also entirely possible Oswald knew the scope was badly misaligned and used the iron sights instead. At the distance he is believed to have fired from, lethal hits were entirely possible. 86 yards is not a long distance for a practiced rifleman.
Thanks for answering a few questions for me. I've read in many publications that the scope " itself" was a cheap Japanese knock-off with very low power, as you said.
We went to the book depository and it's very interesting to visit it for yourself. I don't know how much target shooting or hunting you do ( I target shoot, I'm not big on killing animals), then you'll know how difficult it is to hit a moving target at 80 yds. Especially with a cheap low power scope, and you're under a staggering amount of stress and pressure and terrified of what's going to happen to you afterward.
How often did Oswald practice? Who sighted in the scope and at what distance? They also mention the gun being disassembled at one point. By whom? When?
If you have a chance to go to the book depository, go. It really is a fascinating and unsettling look at our history up close. It's a tear jerker.
Thank you very much for your input. Stay safe in this mad world.
@@828enigma6you can c look early see the head shot to the right of JFK's temple as an entrance shot in the zspruder film.Had it actually came from behind, Kennedy would have moved forward and there would have been a huge exit wound to the front of f his head.
Interesting video. Thanks for posting Mark. Just a couple of points:
At 2:58 the video says that, "the rifle was found at the sniper's nest".
The rifle was actually found between some boxes on the sixth floor near the top of the stairs at the north west corner of the TSBD, diagonally opposite the sniper's nest.
At 3:37 the video says that, "Oswald was not found in the book depositary building".
While climbing the north west stairs with the TSBD supervisor, Roy Truly, policeman, Marrion Baker, spotted Oswald standing in the doorway of the second floor lunchroom facing into the lunchroom. Baker aimed his gun at Oswald and told him to come forward. When Truly confirmed that Oswald was an employee, both Baker and Truly continued up the stairs to search the TSBD.
Oswald then entered the back door of the clerical office, on the second floor, where he was seen by Jeraldean Reid. He crossed the office leaving via the office front door and went down the south east stairs to exit the TSBD at the front entrance. He was carrying an unopened bottle of coke.
It was a Dr. Pepper
@@2Tubist Oswald did prefer Dr. Pepper, but from the Warren Commission report, page 6:
_Within about 1 minute after his encounter with Baker and Truly, Oswald was seen passing through the second-floor offices. In his hand was a full "Coke" bottle which he had purchased from a vending machine [on the west wall] in the lunchroom [on the second floor]._
You are correct. Well done.
@@AaronMark-ns8df Thanks
A Dallas policeman interviewed said that when a roll call was done just after lunch (after the shooting) Oswald was the only employee missing. (Did he leave with his "curtain rods?")
Just when I thought Mark Felton couldn't get any better, he comes out with this. He is a worldwide treasure.
A SE England treasure
@@y_ffordd you think it was Lee Harvey Oswald that planted that rifle?
that's ridiculous. he did not correctly identify the origin of the scope and did not even bother to research how much ammunition Oswald purchased. poorly researched. he's just a grifter.
If you think that perpetuating the Harvey Oswald myth is "getting better" then my apologies but I feel sorry for you all.
@@XwpisONOMA Why do people thing Oswald was a patsy? Maybe he wasn't the lone gunman, but he sure as hell was in the conspiracy if there was one.
If this is a new series, I’m very excited.
Me too.
Not me
Nah its episode 1 of 1. Lol
@@nickknepper6417 why?
@@michaeldunham3385 no reason - he’s simply the anonymous cybernetic contrarian. It’s best to not acknowledge their existence.
Thanks, Mr. Felton !!! 👍🏼😊
I likee the way you tell histories stories !No romancing or anything like! Thank you for all the research and hard work on your videos!
Keep them coming!
Disinformation is what this is as JFK wasn't killed by Oswald, regardless of the fact that Lee Was responsible for the death of the 35th president.
Mark Felton: the gift that keeps on giving. Thank you sir
Almost.....you get 1st runner-up.
@@b2tall239 Mark THE MAN WHO KEEPS ON GIVING - cmon guys, the format IS not that hard :D
Ps. I am Just having fun with utmost respect for people involved. Dont bother.
As I recall, the scope on the Carcano was not a WWll Italian scope , rather a one from a company in Hollywood, California. I believe I read that in the Warren Commission Report.
The S&W Victory revolver was reworked into snub nose configuration post WWll. I think they originally had a 4” barrel. They were still on the surplus market as late as the 1980s .
Note; they were chambered for .38 S&W, not .38 Special.
In mid-1963 surplus WWll rifles were everywhere. $15 could buy you a Carcano, Mauser,Enfield SMLE or an M-1 carbine.
Ah, the good old days.
Victory models were made in both calibers.
@@WALTERBROADDUS thanks, I didn’t know that.
@@WALTERBROADDUS True,the .38S&W was made for the British under the lend lease program,they had a 5 inch barrel,the .38 Special with a 4 inch barrel was made for the US forces.
The Carcano had to have the scope remounted so that the target could be seen in the scope at 70 yards! Personally i like to see the target in the scope IN THE MIDDLE OF CROSS HAIRS at any time but apparently he dint think it was needed to see the target he was shooting at! 🤦♂🤣
@@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307 where did you get that from?
Fascinating stuff I had no idea that the weapons were involved in all that legal wrangling years after the assassination had taken place, as an aside the rifle used by Oswald was originally identified by a Dallas Policeman at the book depository as a German made Mauser.
Stamped on the barrel as 7.65 mm not 6.5 mm as Oswald's was.
Cops freely owned up to initially misidentifying the unfamiliar rifle and carelessly letting slip to the media their misidentification, leading to sixty years of conspiracy theorists insisting somebody left the wrong kind of rifle, or multiple rifles, lying around the crime scene for an army of police to swiftly find.
A well researched documentary!!
The 4-power telescope, made by Ordnance Optics, had been attached to the rifle by a gunsmith at Klein's Sporting Goods , was made in Japan and wasn’t an Italian scope
I remember those Kleins ads. Hunters Lodge too..
So the gov. just so happened to find Oswald and just so happened to place him as the shooter. The gov. didn't want to give the weapons up for examination by a third party none gov. agency, the gov. imprisoned the man who killed Ozy and he died in prison. Wow. just wow.
@@777SFINN777 conspiracy cels SEETHING at TRUE AND HONEST government chads
@Mae An so such thing as "federal chads". If you can't see that this is suspect as all hell then Idk whT else to say to you. Not that winning you over is imperative or anything.
@@777SFINN777 It was also reported (on the Boiling Frog IIRC) that Ruby had died of pancreatic cancer. At autopsy his organs were found riddled witn cancer, except oddly his pancreas. Apparently the "conspiracy" theory supposed that he had been injected with cancerious cells while awaiting trial. He never made it to trial.
This is a fantastic idea for a series! From Vasily Blokhins Pistol to the derringer that killed Lincoln, there's a lot of infamous weapons with very interesting stories.
Hmm.
Lincoln....Killed in Kennedy Continental
Kennedy killed in Lincoln Continental
🤔🤔🤔🧐🧐👀👀🙊🙊
Vasily had a brief case with german guns.
I'd like to see one about Gaddafi's pistol.
A man of knowledge I see.
When the government says “this is the rifle that did it,” and then says “no one is allowed to look at it though” …. We have a problem.
That's not true. It was evidence and was being protected from fingerprint contamination. It was later auctioned. How old are you? Are you new to this?
@@user-xi7gz6sz4w how old are you? Because you don’t have clue what you are talking about. Literally NONE of the many rifles attributed to LHO “assassinating” JFK have ever been positively ID as actually belonging to LHO. NO ONE has ever proven that "A. Hidell" was LHO. Neither of The freakin’ rifles in the sixth floor museum or the National archives match the photos of the obviously heavily doctored “backyard rifle” OR the photo of the rifle allegedly “found” by the DPD the day of the shooting. All three have different sling mounting positions. The TRUTH is, NO ONE knows what kind of weapon actually delivered the fatal shot to JFK, as NOTHING other than fragments of bullets were recovered at either Parkland OR during the autopsy. Maybe you should back off on the caffeine just a wee bit.
No, we don't.
"(a)The Mannlicher-Carcano 6.5-millimeter Italian rifle from which the shots were fired was owned by and in the possession of Oswald.
(b)Oswald carried this rifle into the Depository Building on the morning of November 22, 1963.
(c)Oswald, at the time of the assassination, was present at the window from which the shots were fired.
(d)Shortly after the assassination, the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle belonging to Oswald was found partially hidden between some cartons on the sixth floor and the improvised paper bag in which Oswald brought the rifle to the Depository was found dose by the window from which the shots were fired.
(e)Based on testimony of the experts and their analysis of films of the assassination, the Commission has concluded that a rifleman of Lee Harvey Oswald's capabilities could have fired the shots from the rifle used in the assassination within the elapsed time of the shooting. The Commission has concluded further that Oswald possessed the capability with a rifle which enabled him to commit the assassination."
-Warren Report P.19 .-
@@BeefT-Sq LMAO!!!… The Warren Commission… now THERE is a reliable source!!! … too funny!!
@@user-xi7gz6sz4w apparently you can’t even watch the video, where it is clearly pointed out that the rifle is held in the national archives and came directly from the FBI, and NO ONE has ever been allowed to inspect it outside of the federal government. How old are you anyway?
I can't help it, but I just love this intro music. Very interesting stories you provide to us. Thank you very much Mark for all your efforts.. May we see much more of your fascinating videos........
Me too that music is bad ass when I hear it say oh ole Mark is at it again👍🏼
I used to work a security job in Glenarden, MD. The building that stored these items (and many others) was part of our patrol area. One of the lobby guards and I became friends and he took me in the storage area once, to show me around. He showed me box these were in, and he opened it so I could see them. I didn't get to touch them, though. The building used to stand at the SW corner of Evarts St and Brightseat Rd, across from the Landover mall. I think there's a gas station or liquor store on that site now.
Good thing you didn't get to touch them. Your finger prints someday being found by one of the many crusading investigators could get you snared in the next conspiracy theory! 😏
@brianarbenz7206 Imagine that headline:
"US Marine born 7 years after assassination of JFK gave Oswald rifle. DOD linked directly to murder in Dealy Plaza."
😆😆😆
@@scout3058 Some of the conspiracy believers would have gotten around that inconvenient fact. They'd claim a faked birth record, your chin being different in one picture than in another, or you name it.
It really looks like there was some glitch in the time space continuum that day.
The things you find out you never knew about events that you lived through during your life is astounding! Thank you Dr. Felton.
Well done, Mark.
Hey Doc i appreciate you doing something not ww2 but historical in that era dont get me wrong i absolutley love! your ww2 content but this is a refreshing change to see your investigative knowledge put on display!
This really belongs on television. The quality of production is insane.
Not so much!
Not true, blatantly so.
Insane? You mean insanely well done?
Only one correction - the rifle was not discovered by the alleged snipers nest, it was found between boxes by the stairwell descending to the lower flows of the Texas State Book Depository building - this was an excellent documentation of this historical weapon.
I was going to say the same thing, the gun was not found at the sniper's nest.
Right . . .
There are actually multiple errors in this video. For example, he keeps referring to Oswalds handgun as a "pistol" . . . when it's a revolver. This makes me question the reliability of all of his videos . . .
@@QED_ revolvers are often referred to as pistols in British English
@@QED_ My God man, give him a break, everyone makes little mistakes. Yet it makes you question his validity?? Besides, you should research for yourself and don't take anything anyone says as gospel
Another amazing production by Mark Felton. An habitual abuser of CZcams, I watch way more YT in my retirement than I ever did television when I was employed. What I find astounding are the tight production values of every Felton Production. He nails his topic and usually in around ten minutes. An impatient and peevish person, I have seen (but not watched) many videos about very mundane subjects that hang in there for 13, 15, 19 minutes, all to explain how to get a wine stain out of one's shirt, or how to tie a knot that one can untie in three seconds. The economy of these videos, that doesn't play to the bottom feeders, but constantly tests the viewer who has been paying attention, by framing topics in ways that stimulate the the pedestrian history buff, but that also satisfy the professional historian. Thank you, Mark Felton. You are the best teacher I have ever encountered, and I was a university librarian and administrator for 43 years, and my speciality is at the opposite end of Mark Felton's deserved position as a brilliant thought-provoker and explainer. I could expand on any subject concerning academic administration, ad infinitum.
250 feet…he was 250 feet away and shooting at a moving target. Oswald got off 3 rounds in just 6 seconds with an old Italian bolt action rifle, and scored 2 hits, including a head shot. This individual demonstrated what one motivated Marine and his rifle can do. - Gunnery Sergeant Hartman
Except Oswald wasn't a real Marine. And he did not act alone. 11 shots fired. Explain how Oswald hit outside upper windshield & frame? Back and to the LEFT.
Unfortunately Hartman was going by the Warren report when it came to lho, Charles Whitman he was a hundred percent correct on that.... Whitman was a badass lho not so much
The shot was 80 years with a 4 power scope it's now 20 years or 60 ft. I make head shoots on squil 7:49 res at that distance with a 22 rifle
And even got the steel core round to magically fragment on the last round, the head shot.
Amazing.
So cut and dry, that all of the documents and photos and evidence are open to the public...wait...
Infamous Weapons.. way to grab my attention again Mark. Please continue this series, and am stunned to see the growth your channel has experienced the last year or two. Hope you're living the good life!
The US FBI recently re classified all information on this for another 25 or 50 years. This tells me someone in the detail is still alive and they are protecting them.
The driver did it
This tells me that a revolution would commence with the truth, our corrupt govt can’t be believed
@Proud Veteran KITDFOHS, our government is so bad right now with all the lies. It has progressively gotten worse over the last 30 years. I haven't watched US news sources for 17 years now, so I can get the known facts and unbiased opinion. Not false lies to spun a narrative that our news has become so great at doing
The US wont survive another 25-50.
Listen to the blowback podcast season 2 covering the CIA’s relationship with the Kennedy’s through his term and their distaste for him after the bay of pigs and operation mongoose. It will make your hair stand up
Great episode
Good video Mark.
New series on my favourite history history Channel? Yes please!
Great idea for a series Dr Felton. People appreciate greatly the work you put out 🙏
I had a Brescia 6.5 Carcano carbine, WWII bring back w/o scope, which I always thought was the same type rifle used in the Kennedy assasination. But, after watching your video I realize the Kennedy rifle was actually more a rifle length weapon than mine.
While I have personal opinions on the circumstances of the shooting, one will never change. Marine riflemen are well known for their marksmanship but regardless of their skills I could never be convinced a rifle like I owned, even using a scope, could have made the shot(s) that killed President Kennedy. The rifle shown in your video, doable in the hands of very well trained shooter, with a lot of luck.
Another of your well researched and prepared videos, Dr. Felton!
Wow, I have a rifle featured in this ad! I have a British .303 (SMLE) Sporterized just like the one on the bottom right. I always thought someone had done it individually, but apparently, it was done by a reseller back then. Very accurate rifle, BTW.
I have a sporterized Nazi Mauser. It clearly wasn't done en masse as the whole stock was replaced, but it's clearly a very old conversion. The Weaver bases they'd fitted back then perfectly accept modern Picatinny rings so it was a no-brainer to give it a modern Nikon scope.
I had had one as well great rifle got stolen has a quarter inlaid into the stock on tight side if you ever run across it lol
I'm going to love this new series, one of the most intriguing assassinations in history. It happened during my lifetime.
But you'll never know what actually happened
@@stephenclemence5856 Actually some of are aware of the truth, which is why the cover up exists.
Fascinating new topic! Most people knows the basic history of major events but learning about what happened to specific items used within the events is so interesting.
The rifle was not found in the sniper’s nest as stated. It was hidden on the other side of the 6th floor.
Always excellent work Mark❤
The scope mounted on Oswald's rifle was a 4 X Ordnance Optics Inc. Hollywood CA 010 Japan. Not an Italian WW2 Military scope as stated in this video.
Yep, was gonna post this. Question; was Ordnance Optics the importer for the 4x18 scope which was made in Japan?.....OO was not the manufacturer I'm guessing.
...so the Japanese helped to kill JFK?
And Hollywood assisted?
Wow!
(Silly joke.)
There are actually multiple errors in this video. For example, he keeps referring to Oswalds handgun as a "pistol" . . . when it's a revolver. This makes me question the reliability of all of his videos . . .
@@QED_ In fairness, mate - that's not a distinction a ton of people would make. I'm a gun nerd and I differentiate between pistols and revolvers, but not everyone does. Seems a slim reed upon which to hang a broad scepticism regarding Dr. Felton's entire work...
@@danjohnston3422 Sure . . . but here it's relevant because multiple cartridges were found next to Tippit's body. So "Oswald" shot Tippit . . . then stopped to eject each of the shells from the revolver (not pistol) so that police could find them later (?)
Dr Felton’s worldly knowledge is truly amazing. Thank you for being the modern day history channel. Without talking about aliens.
Great video
Interesting information
What a fantastic idea for a series, Dr. Felton. I'm already eager for the next episodes!
This is a series? I thought its a one off.
Mr. Felton, this is such an interesting series idea! Kudos to your creativity and commitment to provide unique content.
DR
Thanks!
This series is going to be great.
You ought to do a video on the Beretta model 1934 that killed Gandhi sometime.
Of course
I was so impressed I bought one and added the same type scope. I like how it shoots, have taken over 20 wild pigs with it.
This is presented excellently, covering important details while not stating anything as a fact that can’t be proven to be such. Now if anyone want s to hear one of those alternative theories that this video is not about, I recommend watching Everything Is A Rich Man’s Trick, a buffet of obscured historical information, a unique perspective on what happened to jfk, and yes some speculation but without that we wouldn’t be able to say much as the perpetrators of crimes like this don’t leave notes.
Yes New Mark Felton
fun fact regarding the photo of the forensic officer holding the rifle above his head. The individual was simply bringing the rifle to the basement to hand it over to the FBI, when coming out of the elevator (or stairs?) he faced a horde of journalists waiting for an update from police so he raised the weapon up to prevent anyone from touching it. So he was not "showing off" as many thought...
If it's the photo I am thinking of, that rifle has a different sling configuratiion.
@@kazkazimierz1742 The rifle the police seized from from the library where the shooting took place
Good thing he held Oswald's rifle up so nobody could contaminate it. Somebody might have contaminated Oswald's fingerprints which were clearly on the Carcano rifle!
@@radar0412 It was a palm print. The FBI found no prints on the gun. T he palm print showed up after a couple of Dallas cops took the gun to the funeral home where LHOs body was kept. According to the funeral home owner they cops put the palm print on the gun there.
@Jeepus Chrysler You've watched "Full Metal Jacket" too many times.
Suggestion, Weapon documentaries: Please do a segment on the pistol that Otto Skorzeny used to kill Hitler's body double with at point blank range. You know, the body double found dead and charred next to Eva Braun!
Once again a very interesting video Mark, thank you for all you share.
I knew you would cover information that had not been covered after all these years. Good job. 👍
Another excellent and informative video from Mark Felton.
Done with much aplomb... Well done.
One must wonder where Mr. Felton's thoughts lie in this case... Going by how this was presented, one might infer that he indeed does have some doubts as to the Warren Commission's assertions...
"Oswald was not found at the TSBD"?!
The first officer on the scene and Oswald's supervisor passed him in the lunchroom on their way upstairs.
2:57 the rifle was not discovered in the ‘sniper’s nest’ per se, but was discovered behind the boxes seen here on the west side of the sixth floor, near the stairwell.
I was getting ready to make that exact comment. Officer Gene Boone found the rifle in the NW corner of the building, about as far away from the sniper's nest as it could be and still be on the same floor.
When the cop held Oswald’s rifle up to show the press, the sling was pulled tighter than a guitar string. Nobody shoots a rifle like that.
I was 7 years old at the time when this occurred and it was shocking, and as a result I never wanted to go into politics as long as I lived in the United States of America.
I love this already! Here's hoping this becomes a series.
The pistol was a surplus Smith and Wesson .38 caliber "Victory Model" (military version of the Model 10) that had been cut down to a snub nose. Thousands of these things were sold as surplus to gun stores and sporting goods after the war and given to gunsmiths for modifications to then be sold on the civilian market. You see them messed up in all kinds of ways - cut down barrels, nickel plating, cheap plastic "pearl handle" grips, etc. It's getting quite hard to find these things in just regular surplus condition anymore. They came with a gray parkerized finish, 4" or 5" barrel, plain smooth wood grips, and a lanyard loop of the bottom of the grip frame.
I've got one with a two inch barrel and front sight moved back. British Proofs and a British re-armored stamp. Either for armored use of pilot use. Later FTR'd at one point. Retains its parkerization with some wear. Was my first carry gun. Victory models also had V prefix before the serial number.
@@bad74maverick1 We had eight ex-British service ones in our Revolver and Pistol Club when I was at uni. Four had been 'targetised' and were worn out after heavy use. The other four were in unmodified service specification and lightly used. The best of those locked up really nicely and would shoot 1" groups at 25 yards.
@@derekp2674 Man I wish mine would do that! I'm glad it hit center mass at 50 feet lol. I have a spare surplus barrel I thought about taking it back to factory but it was FTR'd that way, so the Brits left the modification after the rebuild. Part of its history I guess.
Another the not-often-mentioned modification was boring the cylinder through to convert the .38 S&W (U.S., British equivalent .38-200) to .38 Special. Both the .38 S&W and the .38-200 were slightly larger in diameter, so shooting the .38 Special resulted in bulged cases and difficult extraction, along with sloppy accuracy.
BTW, weren't the cartridge cases found at the Tipppit murder scene .380s? Seem strange that Oswald would shoot Officer Tippett with a revolver, reload and dump the spent cartridges, then hustle down to the theater.
@@bad74maverick1 At uni we also had a Browning Hipower with German acceptance marks. It was so badly worn that it would rarely get more than 2 out of 10 shots on target at 25 yards.
Here are the known movements of Oswald before and after the assassination:
*11:55am* Givens, a member of the TSBD sixth-floor laying crew, took the elevator up to the sixth floor and saw Oswald walking away from the southeast corner, but saw no one else on the sixth floor at that time. After collecting his jacket, Givens then took the elevator back down to the first floor. He was the last person to see Oswald before the shooting. (WR 250)
*12 noon approx* Williams, who was also working with the 6th floor-laying crew, returned to the sixth floor to eat his lunch and watch the motorcade. He looked out on Elm Street from a position in the area of the third or fourth set of windows from the east wall. At this point he was approximately 20-30 feet away from the southeast corner window. He remained for 5 to 12 minutes eating his lunch which consisted of chicken and a bottle of soda pop. Williams saw no one on the sixth floor during this period, although the stacks of books prevented his seeing the east side of the building. After finishing his lunch Williams took the elevator down. (WR156)
*12:30pm* Three shots are fired from the TSBD 6th story south east window, over a duration of approximately 9 seconds. The first shot misses. The second shot hits JFK's back slightly below and slightly to the right of his neck. The third shot hits the back of JFK's head to the right. (WR543 Exhibit 387)
*12:31:49pm approx* Having roared up to the TSBD front entrance and run up the northwest stairs, motorcycle policeman Baker apprehended Oswald at gun point, as Oswald was walking into the second story lunch room from the vestibule. When supervisor Truly, who accompanied Baker up the stairs, confirmed that Oswald worked at the TSBD, Baker released Oswald and continued up the stairs to search. Baker was the first person to see Oswald after the shooting. (WR5)
*12:34pm* Oswald is seen carrying an unopened bottle of Coke by Mrs Reid in the 2nd story admin office adjoining the lunch room. He walks across the office and exits by a door leading to the south east stairs, down to the TSBD main entrance. (WR154)
*12: 45pm approx* Truly, the TSBD building supervisor, notices that, of the 15 male TSBD employees, only Oswald in missing, so he tells the police. He does not bother about the *female employees.(WR156)
*12: 45pm and 12: 48pm* The police broadcast an APB, with a description matching Oswald (WR165)
*1:15pm approx* Oswald guns down policeman Tippit in the Oak Ridge area. (WR165)
*1:50pm Oswald arrested in the theatre. (WR20)
WRxxx = Warren Report and page number The WR and supporting documents are available on the net.
Iss05a 2023_12_13
Maybe Marina. She and RP alibied each other. When LHO realized what happened he took off.
Please DO the historical details surrounding Martin Bryant's rifle from the Tasmania shooting!
Interesting segment Mark, thanks. Surplus weapons have always had some nostalgia to me
It was an Argentina Mauser one report said
I have been in the Texas Book Depository building and looked out that window. I have also been in Ford's Theater in D.C. Both places are in their own way very eerie.
Yes, so have I. For those claiming the shot was next to impossible they really need to go to the book depository. The shots were very, very easy and most boys in school back in that day and age could have made those shots. The only question I had was why did he not take the shot when the limousine was coming straight towards him and passed right under the window rather than wait until it turned and was headed away.
@@randallmarsh1187 what about the guys seen with rifles near the grassy knoll, Oswald was a stool pigeon
@@johnfrancis2215 I have not seen or heard anything corroborated about people on the grassy knoll with weapons. Suffice it to say that given any situation there will always be people who claim to have seen something.......until they have to swear under oath, witness the whole Don the Con election BS! I agree Oswald was a clown who could have been swayed very easily, but that doesn't mean he didn't do it.
The question I was asking myself was if ballistic tests were ever carried out on the rifle in order to see if the bullets removed from Kennedy at the autopsy were fired from the gun?
Yeah and the car and cement overpass.
I know one of the men who was part of the reopening of the assassination, he was the ballistics expert, said he got to see all of the evidence, all of the bullets matched the rifling of the carcano...he said there was no doubt that the rifle killed Kennedy.
All bullets and fragments ever found were firmly matched to Oswald's rifle.
I'm pretty sure all the bullets shot through him(which is expected with a high powered rifle using fully jacketed ammo), but they did recover pieces of them and do tests
@ 3:14 - One piece of info I had always wondered about: There was a fourth, unspent round still inside Oswald’s rifle.
Yes.
Absolute legend of a rifle, never known another to curve bullets so well.
No curve needed, Connally's jump seat was lower than JFK's. People just assume that all the seats in the limo were at the same level, so the "magic bullet" BS was born.
@@misfitsailor Well I feel like an idiot now haha. But thanks, always nice to learn something new.
@@misfitsailor found the cia agent
@@misfitsailor The "magic bullet bs" was the theory proposed by Arlen Specter, only after a stray bullet was found to have impact a bystander by the name of James Tague. It was concocted to corroborate the predetermined conclusion of a "lone nut"; a "lone nut", mind you, who maintained very intimate relationships with various members (or contacts) of the intelligence community, one of whom was even a close friend of the Bouvier family.
By the way, Connally stated that he was not impacted by the same bullet that struck President Kennedy, and the throat wound was originally described as a wound of entry. When debating the "magic bullet", it's not about whether such a scenario is conceivable, but about whether there is sufficient evidence to support it in this case. Ultimately, there is not.
@@misfitsailor
True, but it's literally impossible for a bullet from Oswald's gun to blow Kennedy's brains and bone fragments all over the trunk.
Which is exactly where they were.....
Lees Scope on his Carcano was an Ordinance optics of Hollywood scope made in Japan!!! The mount was a cheap sheet metal commercial item. It wasnt an Italian military telecopic sight. A trivial point in a great video though Dr Mark , keep them flowing
Bingo! Thank you pointing that out.
Nice presentation. Just a minor comment: Ruby didn’t die in 1966; he died on January 3 1967.
The rifle at the 6th Floor Museum may not be Oswald’s actual weapon - but it probably came from the same dealer! 😊
The rifle seen on display at the museum is admittedly a sister gun, not the one that they even say was used. The so called original is in Maryland at the Nat Archives.
Aliens.......!!!! 👽👽
Thank you, Mark!
I've had the opportunity to tour the book depository many times during an era of living in Dallas/Ft. Worth. ....the location is now a museum.
did you ask where the AR15 is located?
@@user6008 I missed that opportunity.
Almost certainly the Oswald rifle telescopic scope was NOT WW2 Italian made as claimed. Rather it was a 4x made in Japan "Ordnance Optics" (also "Hollywood") scope. It even says that on the display at 5:55. This is gonna be a great series!
There is no way the scope pictured was a military scope.
The scope on the rifle wasn't sighted. The Army Lab had to shim it in order to do ballistic tests for the Warren Commission..
@@bobholtzmann The fact that the 'scope wasn't zeroed-in was what first led to my understanding that Oswald was the shooter after all...
@@tooleyheadbang4239 The Army lab reported they needed 3 shims for the sight to line up with the target. This fact alone would tell us about whether this was the weapon of the shooter.
@@bobholtzmann It would certainly tell us why his first shot missed.
Mark, enjoyed this a second time. But, I was troubled the first time by the picture of the "Smith and Wesson" at 7.35. I believe that, FBI not withstanding, is a picture of a Colt revolver. S&W, so far as I know or can find, always had a projection just in front of the ejection rod.
Its a S&W m&p model
You should also know that the cylinder release on a colt requires you to pull backwards then, while the S&W requires you to push forward. That's clearly a S&W or S&W style cylinder release not a colt
oh my god Mark Felton and the JKF incident! Couldnt ask for more! Brazilian fan here.
Interesting.
You could also do episodes on John Wilkes Booth's derringer and Gavrilo Princip's FN 1910.
How about Guiteau's British Bulldog and Czolgasz's Iver Johnson revolvers?
Good idea
2:57--When police found the rifle, it was NOT in the sniper's next. It was clear across the School Book Depository building's 6th floor near the stairwell stashed behind some boxes. It was also a Mauser when they found it.
As a life long shooter I can see many things wrong with the official account. Who would choose a 6.5 carcano for this job? 303 Lee Enfield rifles were available for around the same money. The jungle carbine with its superior ballistics and accuracy would have been a better choice. The excellent iron sights on the 303 carbine would have negated the need for that pathetic 4x15 Japanese scope. Kennedy's brains blown all over the trunk of the limousine tells everyone the shot came from the front right. Over 50 witnesses reported a shot from the top of the fence on the grassy knowl. No way there was one shooter.
Great episode but I'm disappointed that you didn't mention the other man allegedly murdered that day by Oswald, Dallas police officer J D Tippet. Hopefully in future episodes you'll discuss the FN1910 used by Gavrilo Princip to assassinate Archduke Ferdinand and his wife, the guns used by the police in the ambush of Bonnie and Clyde, and the dueling pistols that resulted in the shooting death of Alexander Hamilton.
Well I can answer that even tho u probably don't want me too....He wasn't the PRESIDENT!!! and he didn't kill him with that gun ...
If he should've mentioned that, he should have mentioned that JFK was assassinated with help from the CIA.
I like the "allegedly". The CIA approves this video.
@@slowturtle6745 There never was an official investigation into the Tippit murder. Various eyewitness accounts (and an improbable sequence of events) contradict the "official" narrative.
You are right. J.D. Tippet is not to be forgotten. But let's drop the "allegedly. " No one is going to sue you for slander or libel.
Nice to listen to something different from Felton. Especially about a minor subject based on a worldwide piece of history. More please.
Agreed
My daddy bought the shorter carbine version of the 6.5mm Carcano Mannlicher...he called it his "Kennedy-killer"...and "drunk Indian & bear gun" when we went steelhead fishing on the Klamath.
It only cost $19 and he ordered it from the same mail order shop Oswald did. I still have the gun and it shoots great. Ballistics on the 6.5 Carcano are good = a medium velocity model for penetration with high sectional density.
You should do an episode of the mishandling and questionable shells both rifle and revolver..
Thank you for another most interesting and informative video, Dr. Felton. Author Stephen Hunter wrote a novel where the hero proved that Oswald was a lone assassin. Now then, he added a lengthy appendix at the end where he speaks of actually inspecting the Carcano and Tasco scope supplied with it. He stated that the fit of the scope to the rifle was so bad that the seller included a metal shim for placing between the scope mount and the receiver of the rifle. This shim was missing when Hunter examined it. He opined that it was one thing if it had become lost over time. If it was never there to begin with, "someone got away with murder." 🤔
Not quite. The scope and mount were not made for the rifle, the mount was simply screwed into the side of the stock by the seller. When the FBI test fired it, they found that the impact of the rounds was outside the view of the scope. It was they who added shims to make the scope functional for further tests.
Oswald did it, everything points right at it.
As usual sir YOU'VE NAILED IT! Looking forward to this becoming a series hopefully. One I'd like to see would be the "palm squeeze" type of pistol used in the assassination of President William McKinley.
Funny that at the scene of the Ofc. Tippit murder, 38ACP shell casing were found. Oswald had a 38 cal revolver. Upon testing Oswald's revolver it was found to have a bent firing pin and was inoperable, thus the "malfunction" during his arrest at the Texas Theatre.
Originally a 38 sw. Bored out for 38 special rounds not 38 acp
Oswald used different types of ammo, all shells were matched to his revolver, and he was ID'd by nearly a dozen witnesses.
Perhaps 380 ACP cases from a Colt 1908 pocket hammerless...a ganster gun used by Capone Dillinger and Bonnie Parker - also issued to senior US WW2 officers - Jack Ruby was said to have been a long time owner of one of these guns... the Colt Cobra was said to have been given to him by a Dallas policeman only a few years before he killed LHO....
I believe it misleading to state "Oswald was not found in the depository," I understand he was standing at a lower floor coke machine as the elevator carrying a Texas state trooper and the building 'super' ascended: The 'super' reassured the officer "He's O.K. He works here." The duo continued on upward: That understandable mistake would cost officer J. D. Tippit his life.
Hi Mark. I love your content. Would you ever consider telling the story of the last remaining German A7V tank, Mephisto?
Absolutely love the theme song
There is also an identical Carcano rifle in the museum at FBI headquarters in Washington DC. I saw it while on a tour of the building in 1974.
The rifle discovered on the 6th floor of the TSBD was first identified as a Mauser by somebody who was an expert in firearms. This was reported on the news programs at the time. Something hinky was going on regarding this 'evidence' allegedly connecting LHO to the murder of JFK, especially how LHO's package containing 'curtain rods' was supposedly carried into work -- tucked between his armpit and his hand -- which would rule out the MC rifle, which was too long to fit that length.
Oswald had broken the rifle down into 2 pieces. The WW2 Mauser is a bolt action rifle as well. No bolt action rifle could have produced the extremely close 2nd and 3rd shots heard by almost everyone. There was a 2nd shooter. Several policeman saw flocks of scared pigeons flying off the roof right after the 3rd shot. One cop was trying to go to the roof but he had to wait for building maintenance to get him there. Shooter was long gone by then.
@@bhcfr - do not discount that neither shooter was Oswald. He was only the fall guy.
@@spacejaime I totally agree. The 3 shots were from a Pro with an expensive rifle and optics. The rapid , dead on, 2 and 3rd shots prove that point unequivocally. Oswald never fired a shot. A Patsy. Oswald hadn't been to a rifle range in many years... good marksmanship is not retained without constant practice. Marine or no Marine...you must practice every 6 months at the least. 60 years of US secrecy prove one thing...the US Government killed JFK. The US protects NOBODY for 60 years unless they are protecting THEMSELVES.
about 15 years ago, I used to deliver propane to a very nice old man that lived on the outskirts of Cedar Hill, Texas. For the longest time, all I knew that he was a retired policeman, but a few years after he died I learned that he was on the security detail at Parkland Hospital the day Kennedy was shot.
As someone who grew up and have shot guns my entire life and would consider myself a much better than average shooter. It would be extremely difficult to get off 3 shots off with a bolt action rifle, much less 3 shots in a high stress situation like that. Like Mark, I'm not saying he did or didn't do it, but it would be an extremely difficult shot to make.
Oswald scored 18 out of 20 in rapid fire at targets 200 yards away in the Marines, and he had 8-9 seconds in the assassination.
@@aaronz7056 Sounds like the perfect fall guy...
@@aaronz7056exactly, also 8 to 9 seconds to get off 2 shots, not 3. As you know, 1st shot starts the clock, it's not already running. How anyone can't see how easy it would be for a former marine sharpshooter to get off 2 shots in 8 to 9 seconds, is beyond me.
@@jwg9338 In that case we look forward to you explaining how the people framing this fall guy knew:
- he would show up at the Paine house Nov. 21, otherwise they can't pretend he smuggled the rifle
- he wouldn't simply stand out on the sidewalk during the parade
- nobody would ever find any bullets or fragments that don't match to his gun
- the guy planting a bogus bullet at the hospital within one hour of the shooting has any idea a bullet needs planting at all or that he's not simply planting one bullet into evidence too many and blowing the whole plot
- Oswald would immediately flee the plaza
- Oswald would help frame himself getting ID'd by nearly a dozen witnesses as the man seen shooting a cop and fleeing
- he would get caught red-handed trying to shoot a second cop
- he would lie to police and refuse to cooperate with any investigator
- he would refuse help from the President of the Dallas Bar Association during their interview
- he would act so smug and placid he would even convince his own brother he was guilty
- he would make no attempt to blurt out anything about any conspiracy and instead would just shrug a hollow, rambling reply when asked on live TV, "Did you shoot the President?"
- they can safely count on scores and scores of witnesses, ballistics experts, police, FBI, Secret Service, military personnel, doctors, x-ray technicians, photographers, Oswald family members, whole commissions, etc., to obey illegal orders to commit grave crimes and bend over backwards making themselves all loyal accessories to murder and treason...
Who sighted in the scope? If Owald, when and where. I doubt it was done by the Italian refurbishers.
Very nice to have a completely different topic to educate people with.
Nice job!
Two things: One was that the FBI said that within 24 hours they knew who sold Oswald the rifle. #2 was the pristine unfired bullet head that was laying on the gurney.
The first time I visited Dealey Plaza, I was surprised by how small the area was. The President's car was shockingly close to the book depository building. A good marksman almost wouldn't have needed a scope, unless they wanted to be absolutely sure of headshots.
I was just looking at that on Google maps. It appears that Oswald starting shooting when Kennedy's car was just 50 yards from the building and at most was 100 yards from the car on the last shot. Those measurements are at street level. There may be some additional yards that needs to be added for the fact he was on the sixth floor shooting down at Kennedy. Thanks.
@@jeffreywj7773 I was standing in the window next to the original "shooter's nest". You can't look out the actual window, it's surrounded by clear Lexan but the next one is very close. That floor is a museum and you can tour through it. Looking down out of that window at the "X" painted on the street where JKF was shot, like I said it's shockingly close. It's much different being there than seeing it on TV. I was very surprised.
I've been there too. I had the same impression.
A crime investigation, a serious and honest attempt to find out who did it and why. Requires skill, experience and routines followed to achieve the objective which must be to find out who committed the crime.
Wow, this was fascinating. As a law student and lifelong history nerd, I loved this video and would love to see more episodes like this.
At 2:54 you refer to the Carcano as an "Italian infantry carbine fitted with a World War II Italian Army telescopic sight" when the scope was actually an inexpensive Japanese-made commercial 4x18 telescopic sight that was imported into the USA by a company called Ordnance Optics, Inc. in Hollywood, California. Klein's Sporting Goods bought the scopes & mounts from Ordnance Optics & then installed them on Mausers & Carcanos.
Good catch, he would have hard time hitting anything so fast with wwii scope. Japanese wasn't much better beside not being set correctly. Strange event.
@@codaalive5076 simo hayha a world war 2 sniper laughs at you. Why couldnt a weapon from then fire fast and accurate. Ever heard of the M1 Garand the Lee Endield or mauser 98 and they were bolt action
@@sanderson9338 Try taking 3 shots with bolt action rifle in ~5,6 seconds with very little aiming, you might be very surprised....
I agree bolt action rifles are very precise, probably still more than semi auto. Simo was specialist for iron sights, great shooter for sure.
@@codaalive5076 Well, I can't shoot, but I've seen people who can, in conditions set up to mimic Dealy Plaza, and they were able to do it easily, with the same weapon.
@@philsurtees No you didn't because they can't produce the magic bullet. I know people who could probably shoot a person with at that conditions using iron sights but no one using that bad scope. They claim 3 shots in 5,5s with magic bullet and wtc 7...