Shells, rifle, SN... Who?

[John Iacoletti]

Please show me where Boone described a mauser.....

[Walt Cakebread]

Duh...The way I read Boone's affidavit it says "What appeared to be a 7.65 mauser"....  THATt My Dear Johnny is NOT a description of a 7.65 Mauser.

[Mitch Todd]

I think that someone familiar enough with the Argentine Mauser to mistake the TSBD Carcano for one would also be familiar with 2 of it's main identifiable characteristics. The ground off Argentine national crest and the receiver markings noting the model designation and the manufacturer information.
My take from this is the opposite of yours. I don't think anyone mistook a Carcano for a Argentine Mauser. The logical conclusion is 2 rifles recovered. The Mauser didn't fit the LN story and was ghosted.
[...]

Your logic assumes that Weitzman/Boone were bolt-action cognoscenti enough to know that the crest would be ground off (and that different rifles would not have their national crests ground off). It also assumes that they saw the ground off crest and/or the receiver markings. There is no evidence whatsoever that either assumption is true. 

[John Iacoletti]

Duh...The way I read Boone's affidavit it says "What appeared to be a 7.65 mauser"....  THATt My Dear Johnny is NOT a description of a 7.65 Mauser.

This is most certainly a description:

"what appeared to be a 7.65mm Mauser with a telescopic sight. The rifle had what appeared to be a brownish, black stock and blue steel, metal parts."

[John Iacoletti]

Your logic assumes that Weitzman/Boone were bolt-action cognoscenti enough to know that the crest would be ground off (and that different rifles would not have their national crests ground off). It also assumes that they saw the ground off crest and/or the receiver markings. There is no evidence whatsoever that either assumption is true.

If Weitzman was capable of reading the printing on the scope, then he was capable of reading "made in Italy" on the rifle.

[Bill Chapman]

The rifle was Kleenex/Coke/Mauser in appearance

[Walt Cakebread]

This is most certainly a description:

"what appeared to be a 7.65mm Mauser with a telescopic sight. The rifle had what appeared to be a brownish, black stock and blue steel, metal parts."

a telescopic sight. The rifle had what appeared to be a brownish, black stock and blue steel, metal parts."

That describes the Mannlicher Carcano.....  Weitzman got a quick glimpse of the carcano as Day and Fritz were examining the rifle and made a WAG at the calber, and manufacturer....

[John Iacoletti]

That describes the Mannlicher Carcano.....  Weitzman got a quick glimpse of the carcano as Day and Fritz were examining the rifle and made a WAG at the calber, and manufacturer....

Except that was Boone's description.

You yourself have admitted that Weitzman described a Mauser.