l:onorablo J. Lee Rankin
General Counsel
Tile president's Commission
200 Maryland Avenue, Northeast
Washington, D. C .
Boar Mr . Rankin :
o
UNITED STATES DEIb.RTME- -Commission Exhibit No . 2974
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INV
anamonon .o.c . m.
on August 13, 1964, 11r, Norman Redlich of your staff,
orally requested of Special Agent Robert A . Frazier, FBI Laboratory,
certain information concerning the assassination rifle, Commission
Number 139 . Mr . Redlich requested information with regard to
the following questions :
1 - What is the meaning of the term "plunger"?
2 - Was the firing pin of the rifle replaced?
3 - Does the FBI have information concerning the
availability of spare parts for rifles such
as Commission Number 139?
August 20, 1964
9y Courier Service
you are advised that the term "plunger" is a colloquial
term applied to the firing pin or Striker of a firearm .
The assassination rifle has been examined and nothing
was found to indicate that the firing pin had been changed.
In this connection it should be noted that the firing
pin of this rifle has been used extensively as shown by wear on
the node or striking portion' of the firing pin and, further, the
presence of rust on the firing pin and its spring may be an
indication that the firing pin had not been recently changed prior
to November 22, 1963 . This rust would have been disturbed had the
firing pin been changed subsequent to the formation of the rust .
In this regard, the firing pin and spring of this weapon are well
oiled and the rust present necessarily must have formed prior
to the oiling of these parts .
COMMISSION EXHIBIT NO . 2974
Honorable J . Lee Iiankin
No oil has been applied to the weapon by the FBI ;
however, it is not known whether it was oilod by any other
person having this rifle in his possossiou . It was noted
during the a::aninhtion of the firing pin that numerous
shots have boon fired with the weapon in its present wolloilod condition as ohown by the presence of reoidues on
the interior surfaces of the bolt and on the LirinU pin .
The Laboratory has no record of any outlet where
spare parts, including firing pins, can be obtained for
rifles ouch as Commission Number 1:9 . In accordance with
; :r . ::odlich'e telephonic request and in the absence of any
indicat ion that the firing pin of the riflo was changed,
no investigative survey was conducted to ascertain whether
any such outlets exist in the United States .
Sincerely yours,
2
COMMISSION EXHIBIT NO . 2974-Continued
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