(Testimony of Robert A. Frazier)
Mr. Frazier.
bottom of the bolt. Then the extractor on the bolt, is the area shown at the left side of the photograph, as you view it--the actual bolt face itself is inset into the bolt below the surface of the extractor, and a supporting shoulder around it, and in the center, of course, is the firing-pin hole and the firing pin.
The marks produced during manufacture are the marks seen on the bolt face; filing marks, machining marks of the various types, even forging marks or casting marks if the bolt happens to be forged or cast. And then variations which occur in these marks during the life of the weapon are very important in identification, because many of the machining marks can be flattened out, can be changed, by merely a grain of sand between the face of the cartridge case and the bolt at the time a shot is fired, which will itself scratch and dent the bolt face. So the bolt face will pick up a characteristic pattern of marks which are peculiar to it.
The same is true of extractors and ejectors. They are in turn machined and will have a pattern of marks or scratches on their surfaces which will mark cartridge cases in the same manner each time.
The comparison we made was of the marks appearing in this photograph, 558, in fairly close proximity to the firing pinhole, since that is the area that the primer in the head of the cartridge case comes in contact with.
The primer in a cartridge case normally takes marks more readily than the surrounding brass portion of the cartridge case, which is a considerably harder metal and is not impressed with these marks as readily.
The three cartridge cases, 553, 554, and 555, were compared--
Mr. Eisenberg.
Is that 543, 544, and 545?
Mr. Frazier.
I am sorry--yes, 543, 544, and 545. These three cartridge cases were placed one at a time on the comparison microscope, and the surfaces having the breech-face marks or the bolt marks were compared with those on the test cartridge cases, Exhibit 557. As a result of comparing the pattern of microscopic markings on the test cartridge cases and those marks on Exhibits 543, 544, and 545, both of the face of the bolt and the firing pin, I concluded that these three had been fired in this particular weapon.
Representative Boggs.
Who manufactured these cartridges?
Mr. Frazier.
Western Cartridge Co., East Alton, Ill.
Representative Boggs.
They manufacture cartridges and bullets for all manner of rifles?
Mr. Frazier.
Yes, they do.
Representative Boggs.
This is not--this rifle is not common in the United States, is it?
Mr. Frazier.
It is fairly common now, but at the time it was manufactured or used primarily it was not. It was imported into this country as surplus military equipment, and has been advertised quite widely.
Representative Boggs.
These three cartridges--these three shells that you had were the same as the live ones that were found there, were they not?
Mr. Frazier.
There was one live cartridge found. They are identical.
Representative Boggs.
And the live one was manufactured also by----
Mr. Frazier.
Yes, the Western Cartridge Co. It bears the head stamp "WCC" and "6.5 mm. "
Representative Boggs.
These are not difficult to obtain? You can buy them anywhere?
Mr. Frazier.
Well, you can buy them from mail-order houses primarily, or a few gun shops that have accumulated a supply by ordering them. The information we have is that two million rounds were imported into the United States in one lot, one shipment--and they have been transmitted over the country and are for sale by several different surplus gun shops--used guns--mail-order houses and places of that nature and gunsmiths, and firearms shops sell this ammunition.
Representative Boggs.
Go ahead.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Mr. Frazier, what is the basis of the statement you made earlier that no two bolt faces would be the same?
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