7

weapons extracted from 74 bodies, reveal the following information:

No. 1. Of rifled arms but 9 makes were involved. These included the following:

Smith & Wesson .................. 27

Colt ...................................... 24

Thompson submachine ....... 8

Iver Johnson (?) ................... 3

Harrington & Richardson (?).. 1

Undetermined makes ............

  4

Total .................................... 67

No.2. Shotguns figured in 11 killings, 9 times alone and twice in conjunction with other weapons. In the shotgun murders,

buckshot were employed in each instance, indicating that all of these homicides were premeditated, for in the casual

shotgun shooting birdshot commonly figure.

No.3. Once more we may call attention to the very high grade of arms employed, which tallies with the findings from our

study of confIscated weapons as already set forth.

*The makes of weapons which had fired these projectiles were deduced from a study of the rifling marks left upon the

projectiles.

*No.4. As to calibers, those of .38 and larger were favored. The smaller calibers were poorly represented, as may be seen

from the following analysis:

Caliber

 Type

 Number

found

.22

Short

1

.32

S&W Short

1

S&W Long

5

.32-20

5

.38

S&W

7

Colt (Short)

1

S&W Special

30

S&W Special Target

2

.38

Type ?

1

.45

200 grain A.C.

1

230 grain A.C.

10

Colt Revolver

1

Auto rim

2

Total 67

Since in 55 of these cases out of 67 (or 85 per cent) the projectiles were of .38 caliber or larger, and in 14 (20 per cent) they

were of .45 caliber, it is once more evident that the larger and more deadly calibers are commonly employed.

No.5. Examination of the individual projectiles showed that in the great majority of cases they had been fired through barrels

in good condition, again agreeing with the findings upon study of weapons captured from gangsters, most of whom appear

to realize better than the layman the importance of keeping a weapon in good order.

No.6. As to powders used, of 67 bullets from rifled arms (when more than one bullet of the same caliber and type, fired from

the same make of weapon, was found in the same body, that caliber and type of bullet and make of gun were allotted a unit

count in this analysis) 56 were propelled by smokeless powder, and 11 by black or semi-smokeless powder. Thus we see a

large majority in favor of the first type of propellant. which, again, indicates a knowledge oj what will produce the best

results, since, as we all know, the use of black powder in small arms results in quick fouling of barrels and consequent

inaccuracy.