I don't agree with "easily identified" or that this somehow precludes a Mauser being found in the building, nor do I agree with "clear that Boone and Weitzman were simply mistaken" or that you can know that Craig "was lying".
I'm disappointed that you would continue to argue that the rifle that was found isn't "easily identified" as a model 91/38 Mannlicher Carcano short rifle.
I know that you've seen the video of detective JC Day dusting the rifle looking for finger prints. Alyea shot that footage just minutes after the rifle was pulled from beneath the boxes of books.... That film clearly shows that the rifle is a carcano.