Mr. Eisenberg.

Mr. Chairman, I would like C-250 admitted into evidence as Commission Exhibit 542.

The Chairman.

It may be admitted.
(The article referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 542, and received in evidence.)

The Chairman.

At this time I will interrupt to say I must now leave to attend a session of the Supreme Court, and I will return at the conclusion of the session.
In the meantime, Mr. McCloy will preside at the Commission hearing, and in the event he should be required to leave, Mr. McCloy, whatever Commissioner is here will conduct the examination in his absence.
(At this point, Chairman Warren withdrew from the hearing room.)

Mr. Eisenberg.

Have you examined the sling on Commission Exhibit 139?

Mr. Frazier.

Yes, I did.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Do you feel that this is--that this sling was originally manufactured as a rifle sling?

Mr. Frazier.

No, sir; it is not in any way similar to a normal sling for a rifle. It appears to be a sling from some carrying case, camera bag, musical instrument strap, or something of that nature.
We have made attempts to identify it, with no success.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Apart from the addition of this sling and mounting of the telescopic sight, have any modifications been made in the C-139 rifle--- in the Commission Exhibit 139 rifle?

Mr. Frazier.

No, sir.

Mr. Mccloy.

You would suggest, I gather, Mr. Frazier, that this is a home made sling?

Mr. Frazier.

Yes, sir; it appears to have been cut to length by inserting this strap, or this sling, on the rifle, and then trimming off the excess ends of the two straps to fit.

Mr. Mccloy.

How would that broad patch on the sling--how would that be used, in your judgment, in firing the rifle? Would it be wrapped around the base of your---

Mr. Frazier.

I find it very difficult to use the rifle with a sling at all. The sling is too short, actually, to do more than put your arm through it.

Mr. Mccloy.

You get quite a leverage with that?

Mr. Frazier.

Yes, sir, you do, in one direction. But it is rather awkward to wrap the forward hand into the sling in the normal fashion.

Mr. Mccloy.

This gives a pretty tight----

Mr. Frazier.

It can be used. But I don't feel that actually the position of this broad piece is of too much significance as far as use of the sling goes.

Mr. Mccloy.

But certainly the sling would tend to steady the aim, even in this crude form?

Mr. Frazier.

Oh, yes.

Mr. Mccloy.

It would make more easy an offhand shot than if you didn't have a sling? It would make it more accurate?

Mr. Frazier.

It would assist more in offhand than any other type of shooting, yes.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Returning to the scope for a moment, on the basis of the experiment, so to speak, which you had Klein's conduct, would you form an opinion as to whether the telescopic sight was mounted on Exhibit 139--was likely to have been mounted--by Klein's, or likely to have been mounted subsequently?

Mr. Frazier.

Well, I could not deduce from that--from the way the scope is mounted--who mounted it. I can only say that the two are mounted in identical fashion. And it is possible that the same person or persons mounted the two scopes.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Could you briefly explain the operation of this rifle, the bolt action and the clip-feed mechanism?

Mr. Frazier.

Yes, sir; the weapon is loaded by turning up the bolt handle, drawing the bolt to the rear, and inserting the clip from the top of the weapon, after the clip has been loaded with the number of rounds you desire to load.