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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Mannlicher Discussion forum & Archive
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Rothhammer1
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'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965
      #338923 - 10/03/20 08:57 PM

Here's a link to the August 27, 1965, issue of Life for 'Cursed Gun' - The Track of C2766 :Cursed

It's an interesting bit following the Lee Oswald 'Mannlicher' Carcano from manufacture to infamy and beyond with some general history of Carcano rifles.

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93x64mm
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Re: 'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965 [Re: Rothhammer1]
      #338925 - 10/03/20 10:54 PM

Interesting article....I wonder where it ended up????

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TexasJohn
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Re: 'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965 [Re: 93x64mm]
      #338933 - 11/03/20 12:59 AM

According to Wikipedia:

The rifle and the pistol are now kept in a secure location within the National Archives and Records Administration Building in College Park, Maryland. A replica of the rifle is on display at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas by the stairs where detectives found the original rifle.

--------------------
John

"In the Texas Oilfield, everything that does not kill me today, gets another chance tomorrow."

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vykkagur
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Re: 'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965 [Re: Rothhammer1]
      #338944 - 11/03/20 12:45 PM

Quote:

Here's a link to the August 27, 1965, issue of Life for 'Cursed Gun' - The Track of C2766 :Cursed

It's an interesting bit following the Lee Oswald Mannlicher Carcano from manufacture to infamy and beyond with some general history of Mannlicher Carcano rifles.




The article is preceded by a quite inflammatory piece promoting gun control. On a lighter note, there's an ad for Lee clothing that speaks in awe of a man spending the exorbitant sum of $375 for an o/u shotgun!

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vykkagur
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Re: 'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965 [Re: TexasJohn]
      #338947 - 11/03/20 01:14 PM

Quote:

According to Wikipedia:

The rifle and the pistol are now kept in a secure location within the National Archives and Records Administration Building in College Park, Maryland. A replica of the rifle is on display at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas by the stairs where detectives found the original rifle.




The Wikipedia piece makes a good read, and ties up the loose ends that were left dangling by the 1965 article. In particular, it straightens out the misrepresentation of oilman John King, who Life portrayed as some sort of high-minded philanthropist trying to purchase the rifle for noble reasons. His $5 million lawsuit against the government (apparently it takes a lot of money to maintain high-mindedness, and oilmen are such an impecunious lot) was more or less laughed out of court.

Believe it or not, there's quite a community online for people creating replicas of the Kennedy rifle. Working examples of the el cheapo scope have been advertised for over $600, roughly a hundred times what they cost new back at the time. Prices on the correct Weaver side mount are equally eye-watering.

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Rothhammer1
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Re: 'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965 [Re: TexasJohn]
      #338951 - 11/03/20 02:19 PM

Quote:

According to Wikipedia:

The rifle and the pistol are now kept in a secure location within the National Archives and Records Administration Building in College Park, Maryland. A replica of the rifle is on display at the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas by the stairs where detectives found the original rifle.



Link to Wikipedia entry: Oswald Carcano

I like how the writer (or writers, Wikipedia being user submitted) distance the Carcano from the Mannlicher name.

From the article:

In March 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald, using the alias "A. Hidell", purchased by mail order a 6.5×52mm Carcano Model 91/38 infantry rifle (described by the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy as a "Mannlicher–Carcano") with a telescopic sight.[1]

Combined with:

After 1895, the Modello 91 used an en bloc ammunition clip similar (but not identical) to the Austrian Mannlicher ammunition clips, and hence the names of Mannlicher and Carcano came to be associated with the Oswald rifle; this included association with them by the Warren Commission.

Also from Wikipedia, the Carcano: Carcano

Excerpt:

Although this rifle is often called "Mannlicher–Carcano", especially in American parlance, neither that designation nor the name "Mauser–Parravicino" is correct. Its official designation in Italian is simply Modello 1891, or M91 ("il novantuno"). The magazine system uses en bloc charger clips which were originally developed and patented by Ferdinand Mannlicher, but the actual shape and design of the Carcano clip is derived from the German Model 1888 Commission Rifle.

Another, from militaryfactory.com: Article

Excerpt:

NOTE: The Carcano Modello 1891 is often (and incorrectly) identified generically as the "Mannlicher-Carcano" rifle. This is in reference to the weapon's origin laying in a Mauser-based Austro-Hungarian rifle design by Ferdinand von Mannlicher (it is noteworthy that many bolt-action rifles of the period utilized the excellent German Mauser action). Another known generic designation for the Model 1891 is as the "Mannlicher-Paravicino-Carcano".

--------------------
Citizen of the Cherokee Nation

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Rothhammer1
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Re: 'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965 [Re: vykkagur]
      #338953 - 11/03/20 03:03 PM

Quote:


The Wikipedia piece makes a good read, and ties up the loose ends that were left dangling by the 1965 article. In particular, it straightens out the misrepresentation of oilman John King, who Life portrayed as some sort of high-minded philanthropist trying to purchase the rifle for noble reasons. His $5 million lawsuit against the government (apparently it takes a lot of money to maintain high-mindedness, and oilmen are such an impecunious lot) was more or less laughed out of court.

Believe it or not, there's quite a community online for people creating replicas of the Kennedy rifle. Working examples of the el cheapo scope have been advertised for over $600, roughly a hundred times what they cost new back at the time.



Here was the U.S. government's contention:

The demand of plaintiff for $5,000,000 is on its face inequitable — in fact unconscionable — and would appear to be based on some projected market value which could only arise from the fact that these are curiosities which derive their character as such from the assassination and which can be exhibited on a profit basis. But the uniqueness of the items in question, in our opinion, precludes reception of evidence of market value. We can see no demonstrable market for these particular objects.[80]

Perhaps five million late 1960s U.S. dollars was a bit high, but the claim of "We can see no demonstrable market for these particular objects." is absolutely ludicrous, especially when one considers that after all of these years there's quite a community online for people creating replicas of the Kennedy rifle. Working examples of the el cheapo scope have been advertised for over $600, roughly a hundred times what they cost new back at the time.

It seems the case was decided on the matter of whether Mrs. Oswald was in legal possession of the firearm when Mr. King negotiated the purchase from her. The courts decided that Lee Oswald had abandoned it on November 22, 1963.

--------------------
Citizen of the Cherokee Nation

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500Boswell
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Re: 'Cursed Gun' - Life Magazine article 1965 [Re: Rothhammer1]
      #338958 - 11/03/20 09:18 PM

''The Final Judgement'' ,by Michael Collins Piper ,is the best read on the whole thing I have read ,who then later died of a ''heart attack ''.

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