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Dallas Sniper Rifle Controversy: Who Knows the Rifle?
Ammoland ^ | 11 July, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

Posted on 07/11/2016 10:34:52 AM PDT by marktwain

Dallas Shooting Rifle Controversy


There is considerable controversy and confusion about the firearms used in the Dallas sniper attack against police officers.  Early in the aftermath, numerous disarmist pundits proclaimed that it was an AR15 rifle, without any substantive verification of any kind.  One of them was the “gun guy” on the Huffington Post.  Another was Dallas Mayor (D) Mike Rawlings.  From newswest9.com:

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings says the suspect in the sniper slayings of five officers used an AR-15 rifle. Rawlings said that’s the type of weapon 25-year-old Micah Johnson used in the attack Thursday night in downtown Dallas. A similar assault weapon was used in the attacks at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people.

Early reports are often wrong.  It is common for politically motivated individuals to put out false reports in an attempt to hijack the narrative. A couple of days later, many major news outlets were citing sources that the rifle used was an SKS. Some were from authoritative sources. From nytimes.com:

 “It’s talking not only about how to kill but how to keep from being killed,” said Clay Jenkins, Dallas County’s chief executive and director of homeland security and emergency management, who said he had not read the original journal but had reviewed summaries of it. “It shows that he’s well prepared.”

(snip)

Mr. Jenkins said Mr. Johnson had used a semiautomatic SKS rifle and a high-capacity handgun. He drove his vehicle to the demonstration and parked it, Mr. Jenkins said, but was on foot at many points throughout the attack.

Another statement from Chief Executive Officer and Judge Clay Jenkins throws a bit more information into the mix. From sunny1015.com:

(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: banglist; dallas; dallasmassacre; rifle; saiga; sks; texas
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To: marktwain

Not an AR15, NOT an SKS, it is an AK-47 variant called a Vepr.


41 posted on 07/11/2016 12:04:57 PM PDT by fightin kentuckian
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To: SkyDancer

Wow, I’m old.

I remember that scene from Top Secret.


42 posted on 07/11/2016 12:05:49 PM PDT by T-Bone Texan (Don't be a lone wolf. Form up small leaderlesss cells ASAP !)
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To: marktwain

And it has a Tapco, 30 round magazine.


43 posted on 07/11/2016 12:11:47 PM PDT by fightin kentuckian
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To: cassiusking

You want to compare the Sandy Hook deniers to this?

Go call Alex he wants to talk


44 posted on 07/11/2016 12:15:23 PM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: cpdiii
The Saiga marketed to US civilians didn't have a pistol grip but like the Krebs Saiga shotgun it can be added. Saiga carbine photo: Saiga 7.62X39 Saiga762-1.jpg
45 posted on 07/11/2016 12:16:23 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: Billthedrill

Very nicely played


46 posted on 07/11/2016 12:16:46 PM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: E.Allen

My SKS was modified to take 30-rnd mags - and looked just like the one in the photo after the cops killed him.......didn’t like the gun and got rid of it......


47 posted on 07/11/2016 12:18:14 PM PDT by Arlis
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To: arthurus

The weapon in the right hand photo is NOT an SKS and that is the weapon in question. It is either a Saiga or a Vapr of some sort. Just by the looks of it you can tell. Notice that the huge silver colored bolt is missing that you find on every SKS every produced.


48 posted on 07/11/2016 12:20:31 PM PDT by vladimir998 (Apparently I'm still living in your head rent free. At least now it isn't empty.)
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To: Jed Eckert

It’s clearly an AK variant with Magpul furniture on the backend. Not sure about the fore-end, but there probably was no wood on it during the shootout.


49 posted on 07/11/2016 12:25:56 PM PDT by SJSAMPLE
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To: T-Bone Texan

My gramps has a pile of old tapes and one day he pulled that one out when I mentioned how awful Val Kilmer looks today. Never laughed so hard.


50 posted on 07/11/2016 12:28:02 PM PDT by SkyDancer ("They Say That Nobody's Perfect But Yet Here I Am")
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To: vladimir998

It’s definitely not an SKS.


51 posted on 07/11/2016 12:28:07 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: Arlis

Look at side of receiver and especially rounded profile at top rear of receiver on the SKS, its buried into the wooden stock. The one in the rubble has the standard ribbed sheet metal sides of the AK family. Profile at top rear is distinctly not the tubular profile of the SKS.


52 posted on 07/11/2016 12:28:20 PM PDT by E.Allen
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To: Jed Eckert

Has anyone identified what that is laying next to the rifle? Almost looks like a piece of the forestock blown off by the blast.


I think you’re right. If you zoom in on the stock right behind the barrel, it looks like something has been cut/removed/blown out from there. And if you turn the separate piece over, it looks like it would fit in that space.


53 posted on 07/11/2016 12:28:48 PM PDT by chaosagent (Remember, no matter how you slice it, forbidden fruit still tastes the sweetest!)
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To: NoLibZone

>>obama will say it was a high capacity automatic glock Ar15.<<

In other words a “belt fed machine gun”?


54 posted on 07/11/2016 12:29:11 PM PDT by B4Ranch ("The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.")
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To: B4Ranch

with lots of clips, too. Don’t forget the ‘clips’


55 posted on 07/11/2016 12:30:04 PM PDT by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah. Gloria Patri, Filio et Spiritui Sancto!)
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To: fightin kentuckian
Not an AR15, NOT an SKS, it is an AK-47 variant called a Vepr.

I seriously considered purchasing a VEPR in 308 Win years ago--a fine rifle that is a cut above most AKs. Whatever it is, the receiver is stamped, not milled.

It is an AK-74 (5.45x39mm). One can tell from the lesser curvature and length of the magazine. AK-47 mags are longer and have a pronounced curvature.


56 posted on 07/11/2016 12:32:59 PM PDT by nonsporting
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To: Robe
Loved that old gun , too bad I lost it that tragic boating accident

Surprising the number of guns lately that are drowning their sorrows and guilt in vats of cosmoline and subsequent funerals buried in the back 40 in hermetically sealed caskets.

57 posted on 07/11/2016 12:34:51 PM PDT by FateAmenableToChange
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To: nonsporting
vepr photo: TSD Tier One .308 VEPR IMGP6837.jpg VEPR in .308
58 posted on 07/11/2016 12:47:44 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: tumblindice

“Optimist” def.: the guy at the range with optics mounted on an AK dust cover.


59 posted on 07/11/2016 12:49:53 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: tumblindice

From photos posted in this thread, the Saiga has some thick metal piece at the front of the trigger guard. It matches the photo of the crime gun.

Saiga.


60 posted on 07/11/2016 12:54:30 PM PDT by Rio (Proud resident of the State of Jefferson)
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