Authorities finally released more details about attempted Donald Trump assassin Ryan Wesley Routh’s firearm (why do all assassins or wannabe assassins go by three names?) and all that can be said is it is clear the man knew about as much on guns as a CNN reporter. For a crazy man, it was a fitting and crazy setup he toted and that doomed his faulty plan from the start. Even if he had gotten off a shot, it is unlikely he would’ve struck anything he was intentionally shooting at.
The SKS rifle, first announced by media to be an AK-47, is similar to an AK in only that it shoots the same round—7.62×39 caliber—and their designs both originated from Russia. While the AK-47 is designed to accept detachable magazines, an SKS typically has an integral magazine that accepts 10-rounds. According to court records filed in support of Routh’s pretrial detention, the rifle found by FBI agents after Routh was shot at by a Secret Service agent, had an extended, detachable magazine installed. The gun had been modified.
“Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) agents searched the area where ROUTH had been hiding in the tree line. FBI agents located an SKS semiautomatic 7.62×39 caliber rifle with a scope attached and an extended magazine. The rifle was loaded with a total of 11 rounds and had a round in the chamber. The serial number on the rifle was obliterated and unreadable. The agents also found a digital camera, a backpack and a reusable shopping bag hanging form the chain link fence, as shown in the photo below:” read the report filed by U.S. Attorney Markenzy LaPointe and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Mark D. Dispoto.
“The backpack and shopping bag both contained plates. Subsequent preliminary ballistics testing showed the plates were capable of stopping small arms fire,” the report goes on to explain. “The photograph below shows the obliterated serial number:”
Additional details on the incident and firearm can be found in the criminal complaint filed with the court.
Looking at the full image of the gun, the magazine and the round that was apparently in the chamber of the rifle, there is more—much more—going on with this firearm than an obliterated serial number and a rough mag modification. Oddly, an SKS already accepts 10 rounds in the fixed box magazine it is designed with so why someone would modify one to accept a detachable mag and only use 10 rounds plus one in the chamber doesn’t make much sense. Of course, the gun was likely modified when Routh obtained it from who knows where. That information has not yet been disclosed or determined.
But looking at the rifle, anyone who has ever shot a scoped rifle more than once is going to shake their heads.
First off, the SKS was built with iron sights and was never designed or intended to have a scope mounted on it. According to the website Scopes Field, “The SKS is not an optic-friendly rifle.” To install a scope, as Routh’s rifle was scoped, more modifications must be made.
And “made” Routh or somebody he got the rifle from did. However they mounted the scope to the rifle, it appears in the photo that they used electrical tape or some type of thick, black rubber bands to actually hold the scope to the gun. It’s difficult to tell exactly what is going on there, but one thing is certain: good luck holding a zero on scope/rifle combination. Anybody who has ever sighted in a rifle only to discover their mount or rings were loose, knows no two shots are going to hit anywhere close to each other for a decent group, much less hit where you are aiming.
“Anybody who could make a 400 meter hit with that piece of shit deserves a pardon,” read one poster on a hilarious Reddit thread about the Routh’s rifle. “Is than an eye relief soda can with rubber band scope mount?”
Another poster wrote: “Robert Evans said on Twitter it’s got enough minutes of angle to watch the whole Lord of the Rings trilogy.”
In addition to the odd way the scope was attached, it also looks like Routh taped some sort of makeshift sunshade on the wrong end of the scope or maybe it was a self-created device to aid his eye relief when looking through the optic. It looks like it’s made from the bottom of a Banana Boat Sport spray sunscreen canister or a can from an energy drink or seltzer beverage that college girls like to drink.
Either way, it’s clear he never fired any practice rounds from that setup before his attempt to take out Donald Trump. Had he, that whatever he has mounted where his eye relief should be would’ve centerpunched his face in a most epic scope bite that would’ve left him looking like Bullseye, the Target stores mascot.
He would’ve also realized the futility of hitting any target beyond point-blank range and given up his foolish attempt before it started. But then, looking at the man’s history, he’s clearly mentally unstable, so probably not.
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