Mr. Cunningham.

these cartridge cases in your hand. You would pick up unburned powder, residues, and partially burned powder.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Mr. Cunningham had ejected five cartridge cases from the revolver into his hand, and his right hand is now filled with small black particles, whose composition I am unable to determine.

Representative Ford.

That would happen any time that you did it?

Mr. Cunningham.

Yes, sir; every time you eject them, these particles will come out from the cylinder into your hand--unburned powder, partially burned powder, and gunpowder residues.

Representative Ford.

Had you fired this morning these particular bullets?

Mr. Cunningham.

Yes, sir; at 8:15.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Mr. Cunningham, these cartridge cases which you ejected were .38 Special cartridge cases?

Mr. Cunningham.

They were.

Mr. Eisenberg.

What time did you fire those bullets, those .38 Special bullets in this revolver?

Mr. Cunningham.

At approximately 8:15 this morning.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Let the record show that it is now 9:45. Now, Mr. Cunningham, could this revolver be loaded on the run, or while walking?

Mr. Cunningham.

It could.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Have you personally loaded a revolver like this while walking?

Mr. Cunningham.

Yes. And running.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Does this revolver have a serial number on it?

Mr. Cunningham.

It does.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Could you read that number to us, please?

Mr. Cunningham.

V-510210.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Is this serial number unique to this particular type of weapon?

Mr. Cunningham.

Yes. Smith and Wesson does not duplicate numbers. You may have a similar number, but not with the prefix "V."

Mr. Eisenberg.

So this is the only such weapon with this serial number that is in existence?

Mr. Cunningham.

That is correct. As far as I know. I have never found one in my experience, and Smith and Wesson does not duplicate serial numbers in a particular series of weapons.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Smith and Wesson claims not to duplicate?

Mr. Cunningham.

That is correct.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Mr. Cunningham, how fast could one get off shots from this weapon, shooting rapid fire, and without sighting?

Mr. Cunningham.

In a combat stance, that is crouched, with a gun at belt level, and your wrist locked, you would have no trouble at all getting off five shots in from 3 to 4 seconds.

Mr. Eisenberg.

With what degree of accuracy at close range?

Mr. Cunningham.

Excellent. All FBI agents, for instance, practice at 7 yards, which is 21 feet, and we are hitting in the "kill zone" without any problem.

Mr. Eisenberg.

How much training would one have to have with this weapon to get four hits in four or five shots at close range into a human body?

Mr. Cunningham.

None whatsoever--if you can pull the trigger and point directly at a person, at 8 feet you would not likely miss--with one exception. If you did not lock your wrist, there is a possibility you could shoot too low, or you could pull to the side. Anyone with a little bit of knowledge and with--and really grabbing hold of the weapon, would have little difficulty at all at that distance.

Mr. Eisenberg.

When you say "lock your wrist," do you mean just pointing the wrist so that it is in a straight line with your lower forearm?

Mr. Cunningham.

Yes. In other words, to tighten it, and not be in a relaxed position. By merely tightening the wrist, you would have no trouble at all hitting a person, approximately the same distance as Mr. Eisenberg and myself.

The Chairman.

I suppose a person who had the normal small-arms training that he gets in the Marine Corps would have the ability to do what you have just spoken of?

Mr. Cunningham.

Definitely, sir. As a matter of fact, with any training at all with a revolver, I would say that he would hit 90 percent of the time.