Both .22 & 9mm are similar in size, strength, and capability. .22 weapons are often used for targets, small game, etc. .9mm has often been used by police officers, but more recently, police have gone to .40 calibers etc because of the lack of strength of a .9mm weapon. When police are shooting at an armed or drug enraged suspect, they often have found that the .9mm is just not strong enough to adquately put down a suspect.

As far as Zodiac’s choice of a .22, it may simply have been a weapon that he was driving around with or happened to have with him at the time. The fact that Zodiac used multiple weapons and calibers, demonstrates to me, that he was familiar with and had access to/or owned, multiple weapons. I dont know of the police asked around at various shooting ranges in the SF Bay area, but they should have, because I think there is a good chance that Z may have been a regular to those ranges

Both .22 & 9mm are similar in size, strength, and capability.

I’m sorry Morf but thats just not true. I’ve shot both and the 9mm is much more powerful. The .22 wont even shoot through a bail of hay.

Look at the difference in exit wounds:
http://fishnurse.tumblr.com/image/46075635276

I just find it amazing that there were hunters in the area with the same caliber weapon and one was allowed to turn in his own (choice) of gun for testing. I know LE looked at these guys, but who knows how well.

Also in the Domingos/Edwards case, .22 ammo boxes were found at the scene. Meaning the killer was probably already there shooting at small game when Domingos/Edwards arrived.

Also can someone tell me what the top part of this says?

http://www.zodiackiller.com/LHRPR24.html

Something about shooting a raccoon with a .22 revolver…
Then the bottom says he turned in a rifle.

says "this revolver was examined and has been eliminated by shell casings of the suspected weapon"

And I have to agree with Paul, Morf…while it’s definitely not the most powerful weapon of choice, a 9mm is much more powerful than a .22
Been around guns all my life.

I agree with you, there is no question a .22 & a 9mm have differences in power(I own both), but both ARE on the lower power end of a handgun. .22’s are just not good for stopping power, and are never carried by police, and as a matter of fact, .22 bullets once entering a body are known to many times not exit cleanly, but rather ricochet around,and sometimes that can cause damage. As I mentioned above, police are also going away from the 9mm in favor of .40 calibers, and over the years of course, some have carried .38 calibers. The .38, 0r the .40 would both be more powerful than either a .9mm or a .22. I am considering for my next handgun, getting either a .Glock .40 or Glock .45, either I would prefer for protection over a 9 or 22.

Just a little imagery to go by:

The one thing I will say about a .22lr is that usually they are hollow point…meaning that on impact they will shred or expand and make a larger wound that a regular .22 wouldn’t do. But still, not very powerful at all.

Was a .22 HP made in the late sixty’s ? I do not remember them as
I take it the casings were long rifle . A long will be noticably quieter than a .9mm which could be what he wanted . I have seen that a .22 fragments and many times is destroyed enough that a trace to the gun is unconfirmable . Many cops carry a .32 as there off duty and /or back up which is a down grade from a 9
Also a 22 auto is much smaller than a 9mm and fits in a pocket and is drawn out easier and still pretty lethal at 0-30 ft
the biggest draw back might be the rim fire and jams way easier ,most every body had a 22 back then ,so it would be harder to find the match.

Take your pick…..

a) overtaken by impulse and only weapon he had available (crazy)

b) totally clueless about fire-arms

c) both

Take your pick…..

a) overtaken by impulse and only weapon he had available (crazy)

b) totally clueless about fire-arms

c) both

Don’t forget, the murder weapon used at Lake Herman rd was either a hi standard 101, or a JC Higgins model 80. The JC Higgins model was the exact same gun made by Hi Standard for SEARS to retail at their stores under a different name, for a lower price. Sort of like Tylenol vs Generic(why anybody doesnt buy the generic and save a few bucks boggles my mind, its the same exact thing). Maybe Z shopped at sears, or bought his guns on a budget. Back then, he could have still got them thru the mail. Then again, maybe he stole them from Daddy’s gun case, who knows

And the funny (for lack of a better word) thing is, the .22 ended up killing his victims while the 9mm left one alive. It’s all hit or miss…so-to-speak.

When it comes to a common, more readily available hangun…look to the .22.

Thanks for the replies – at least it seems to clarify that it’s not necessarily a worse choice to opt for the .22
However it still highlights that his choice of weapon for LHR and BRS matches the way things went down – flashlight and low-recoil weapon for shooting a moving target in the dark, versus a bit more power for a spray-and-pray attack on seated targets that are slightly protected by door frames, car seats, seat belts etc. I wonder why he abandoned the flashlight idea that he was so proud of?

Zodiac left his headlights on as he drove up behind Darlene’s car so he probably did not need the flashlight. Mike talks about being blinded a bit by the headlights which made it hard for him to get a good description of the killer.

And he didn’t completely abandon the flashlight. He used one at BRS for a different approach. Did he abandon guns because of his LB approach? No he used one in his next murder. He was exploring, adapting, it wasn’t all about avoiding capture, IMHO, as cold and cruel as it seems I believe he was spicing things up a bit for himself. He was playing with the experience and playing with his prey, he actually was starting to enjoy this ‘killing business’ but he had to balance exactly how he chose to do it with, not getting caught, and with his own recon.

In some ways I don’t wonder if he wasn’t a reluctant killer. "I like killing people" possibly he was surprising himself? Surprised that this was fun. I think he thought the thrill would come from the power of fear once he started his media campaign and the control that, that would bring. And just to be sure, he was trying different things, a way of exploring if it was fun.

Maybe he decided it was, and I wonder if he was conscious of that, the lack of control that could come with that. The inevitability of capture that would come with going down that route. Is that why he stopped? Did he really have that level of control and awareness of his own compulsions? Did he stop before the thrill took over?

Uncanny.

What is? lol. Well his timings, the peripheral circumstances, the witnesses. How does he manage to exist like such a phantom in all of these things? Well, I would suggest prior knowledge. Like what? Well …. how about using the same type of weapon as the hunters that night? Did he know they would be there and with those weapons? did he know people would be out checking pipelines? I think he hid amongst everyday life. Look at PH, he commits a murder in the same area as recent cabbie robberies. I think he studied areas and regions and recent crimes to allow himself to hide and yet still claim responsibility. It’s safe because no one knows who he is but it’s human nature to look for similarities so LE waste time investigating every little similarity. DId he know the hunters would be there? Maybe that’s what we should be asking? Did he even know Jim Owen would pass by there?

Not to mention LB. Did he happen upon them or did he eavesdrop and follow them? Did he check out the wrong area first? did he ask for directions? (you know what I’m referring to). Even at BRS the driving in then driving out, then back again for the kill. DId he overhear a convo that kids would be there, bottle it as they left in the pick up truck, then go back, see the lone car, leave, then decide, go for it?

I think he planned, as best he could, to attack in a tight window. Like a phantom, red with rage.

I bet he sat in social places, like a bar and listened to conversations nearby and then followed people or planned something based on what he heard. He was integrating himself into other people’s live’s just to accomplish the kill. Clever boy.

Just my thoughts on it but if it were me, I would think that rather clever. You hide in the normal so at the end, you really are a phantom, an aberration, integrated into normal timelines. In control of all things, even his own desires?