Can someone actually knowledgable about firearms explain engraved ammunition?

[Du916]

The WSJ apparently is reporting that “[a] early bulletin circulated widely among law enforcement officials said investigators found ammunition engraved with expressions of transgender and anti-fascist ideaology inside the rifle they was used” to kill Kirk. It’s behind a paywall, so I only see the first couple sentences. I also don’t trust anything coming from a Murdoch-owned news outlet. https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/charlie-kirk-shot/card/ammunition-in-kirk-shooting-engraved-with-transgender-antifascist-ideology-sources-pdymd1sXXMSlVRhpvR4b?mod=e2tw

It seems like someone would need to have sophisticated engraving equipment to inscribe messages on bullet casings. I have seen engraved firearms, but bullets? And why would someone go through the hassle? Wouldn’t engraving make the ammunition more traceable? It makes no sense to me that someone who has made every effort to evade capture would used ammunition that could be forensically traced back to their source more easily?

I really would like to hear what someone with expertise in firearms has to say, and not conjecture or conspiracy theories.

[Blues Heron]

1. Probably a bunch of bullshit from these Nazis

[orangecrush]

18. This

[yardwork]

22. It's already being walked back.

Also, it's not clear to me how anyone could convey "trans and anti-fascist ideology" in a few words scratched on bullets.

Also, DUers who know firearms say that etching the bullets would have made the shot inaccurate.

It's a lie. We don't know why the killer did it.

[thatdemguy]

2. Most bullets are brass, I would assume a normal electric pencil engraver could do it.

I use one to engrave my steel tools.

[Du916]

4. Bullets aren't large.

It seems like one would need to use pretty small typeface to engrave a message on a bullet, and some sort of magnifier to read them? I’m not sure what such a message could even look like.

[Vogon_Glory]

3. There were earlier threads discounting this claim

Those DU’ers familiar with guns and ammunition said that engraving typical rifle ammo was an open invitation to lose fingers or an eye—or worse.

The claim about engraved bullets was typical right-wing BS snapped up by credulous rumor-lingering idjits who claim to be journalists.

[sop]

5. It wouldn't require any fancy tools, just scratch (engrave) the words on the brass casing with a pointed object.

[jmowreader]

6. I have a problem with this "he had ammo engraved with anti-trans/anti-ANTIFA ideology" idea

Very few calibers have ammo large enough to really get your point across. Engraving the ammo is no problem - a Dremel can engrave brass easily. Engraving it with anything the ordinary person would recognize as racist, that's a different story.

[marble falls]

23. Magicians call it misdirection. He was trying to mislead investigators.

[question everything]

7. Bullets fired at UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson had words written on them, officials say

The words "delay," "deny" and possibly "depose" appeared on shell casings and bullets recovered from the scene of the shooting in New York City, according to New York City Police Department officials. Law enforcement officials said they are examining whether the words relate to a possible motive involving insurance companies and their responses to claims. ABC News first reported this information.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/united-healthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-shooting-bullets-words-written-on-them/

[Du916]

9. I was thinking about this when I posted.

I had the same questions then, but surmised that Mangione never believed he was going to evade capture, so it was possible and perhaps more likely. I don't see that as being the case here. The shooter seems to have planned the shooting and his escape pretty thoroughly. It seems unlikely that he would take a chance with engravings on his ammunition.

[RockRaven]

8. You don't need a firearms expert, you need a RW BS propaganda expert.

[Skittles]

13. THANK YOU

you know it

[Greg_In_SF]

10. 30.06 is a large cartridge

You could engrave plenty of words on one.

This is 30.06 alongside the much smaller 5.56 cartridge used in AR15's...

[dsc]

11. I see from post 10 the bullets might be large enough

but I would think the bullets might well explode from heat. Don't engravers cause the metal to heat up?

[sir pball]

17. Not enough to set off gunpowder

And brass doesn't spark, so there's really no worry.

The problem comes from weakening the part that holds in the pressure of the burning gunpowder (if you engrave the casing) or severely throwing off the accuracy (if you engrave the bullet).

Just write their name on the bullet with a Sharpie, FFS.

[sir pball]

12. As an experienced shooter, it's a trope and it's stupid.

I tried engraving bullets (the part that comes out of the gun) as a kid and it throws the balance off to the point that they aren't accurate past a few dozen yards, fine for a pistol I guess but you are not making a 200-yard shot with a bullet that's been gouged up on one side. Seriously, I didn't even hit an 8.5x11 piece of paper at 100 yards with an engraved bullet.

I never tried engraving the casing (the hollow part that holds the gunpowder), that just seemed like a good way to lose an eye.

ETA: if I REALLY wanted to put a name on a bullet…I'd use a Sharpie.

[Du916]

15. Would the casing be engraved before the bullets are loaded?

I knew someone who was into target pistol shooting. He would reload his spent casings (terminology?). Would a skilled shooter be apt to load already-engraved casings?

[sir pball]

16. They could, I could, but it would be ludicrous.

It's not about setting the cartridge off while engraving it; brass (the material cases are made out of) doesn't spark, so that's not a concern at all.

Rather, the casing is what keeps the burning gunpowder contained when the gun is fired - if it gives way the gun will do a very good impression of a violent explosion. Carving deep gouges in that critical piece of material is…not a great idea.

[sdfernando]

14. Whether true or not

I don't know....but could be misdirection on the assassin's part. Might have absolutely nothing to do with motive.

[usonian]

19. Lots of RW lies. A tidal wave.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

20. Maybe somebody binge-watched "Peaky Blinders".

There were a lot of engraved bullets in that show. Other than that, I never heard of the practice.

Some movies showed things written on bombs and artillery shells, but don't know if it happened in real life. It seems like anyone working artillery would be too busy to stop and write things on projectiles.

[yardwork]

21. Somebody on Trump's team did like Peaky Blinders.

They used shots from the show in their stupid AI campaign ads for Trump.