He wasn't wearing a plate carrier.
Level IV armor is heavy and cumbersome. I have iii+ and sure as hell can't wear a tshirt over it

Although that is why the OP is asking, that wasn't the stated question.

Well he referenced conspiracy theories so don't act like it isn't obvious what it's in reference to.

I'd say most likely he was going for a head or body shot and missed.

This is the OB, sir…. We don't miss

theJonatron said:

---

He wasn't wearing a plate carrier.
Level IV armor is heavy and cumbersome. I have iii+ and sure as hell can't wear a tshirt over it

---

This.

You would 100% know if somebody was wearing a vest, much less a Level IV vest. It is patently obvious Kirk wasn't. The "outline" that everybody points to is nothing more than the cord for his lapel microphone. That's it. No vest, no deflection, none of that - just a hit to soft tissue in the neck with a high powered rifle and it did exactly what we all know it can do.

lexofer said:

---

I'd say most likely he was going for a head or body shot and missed.

---

This.

• Assume the gun was sighted in (to what degree we won't ever really know, but assume "close enough") at 100 yards on a horizontal plane like pretty much everybody does at the local gun range.
• With a .30-06, that's about a 4" drop at 200. Shot was from about 140-ish based on google earth measurements. So around a 2"-2.5" drop at 140 depending on ammo.
• Shooter was about 50' elevated above the target, so the drop is negated due to gravity doing what gravity does.
• Crosshairs on chest COM, hit was in the neck. That's about a 6" +/- margin of error.
• 2"-3" of that margin of error can be accounted for due to how the gun was likely sighted in versus the actual angle of the shot. The remaining 3" can be accounted for with how well the gun was sighted in and probably due to the fact that this kid isn't some trained sniper and likely had adrenaline and nerves and massive heartbeat going.

You end up with what is almost assuredly a shot that was intended for the chest but ended up high and unfortunately hit Charlie in the neck.

It would also depend on what kind of shape the barrel is in. Reports said it was an older model Mauser, so no telling how many rounds have gone through the barrel. That could affect accuracy no matter how the scope was sighted in.

Are any of you aware of a thicker plate that could stop, say, .338 Lapua or something like that?

BTW, I am, of course, usually carrying a pair of ceramic plates in my briefcase so that I can shield my head. My SO (we work as a team when necessary) has a similar accessory containing a breakdown NEF single-shot 300 WinMag with an 18 bbl. The plan is that I shield us with my body and "catch the rounds" while she assembles the NEF. I lay down covering fire with my 23 (Bar-Sto .357 Sig barrel) and she makes the long shots. I will then throw smoke grenades to obscure the area while continuing to lay covering fire. The problem, of course, is when I have to turn my back to run, and then the problem crops up.