The Birdwell Armoury Experiment

[Myster]

The Birdwell Armoury reconstruction is being discussed over on blue...,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK8VwC4DpW0

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrMiketesko/videos

The commentator mentions the first of the shots while the rifle is positioned parallel to the body, but according to Peter Vanezis the first shot was fired almost at right angles to the neck (around 10 - 20 degrees from perpendicular). It would have to have been to strike the cervical vertebra initially before fragmenting. If you re-run the first video over repeatedly, does the barrel length from the end sight/moderator joint to where it meets the wooden stock look shorter than on the original murder weapon in the Whiddon photo?



The top two photos below show the barrel length of the Anschutz (long version), compared to the bottom two photos of the Birdwell experiment which show what appears to be a shorter version. Look at how the position of the trigger differs in the top two compared with the bottom two.



I'd be interested to know what anyone else thinks?

[John]

Well spotted Myster.  I cannot believe we haven't noticed this before?  I suppose we just haven't compared photos of the actual murder weapon with frames taken from the Birdwell Armoury tests.  I totally agree with you, that rifle in the tests has a shorter barrel length than the actual murder weapon shown being held by the police officer.

What do you make of this Myster, could they have been so incompetent as to use the wrong rifle?

[Myster]

Well spotted Myster.  I cannot believe we have noticed this before?  I suppose we just haven't compared photos of the actual murder weapon with frames taken from the Whiddon tests.  I totally agree with you, that rifle in the tests has a shorter barrel length than the actual murder weapon shown being held by the police officer.

What do you make of this Myster, could Whiddon have been so incompetent as to use the wrong rifle?

John... I think you mean the Birdwell Armoury tests, although the name of the tester escapes me for the moment.

I wasn't sure if I was seeing things... maybe others could contribute their opinion, before jumping the gun?... (no pun intended).

It may well be possible that the wrong rifle was used, having first noticed the carbine one which was mistakenly used in the ITV documentary...,

[John]

Sorry, my mistake in the heat of the moment. 

I meant to say Birdwell Tests and it was Forensic Scientist Glynis Howard herself who actually conducted the tests if I recall correctly from her notes.  I will edit my last post accordingly to avoid any confusion.