Carcano Carbine History?
- Thread starter buckshotdog
- Start date
There were several models of the Carcano Cavalry Carbine made, used and sold off as surplus.
The original was the 6.5mm 1891 Carbine, which was superseded by the 7.35mm Model 38. Then Italy got involved in War Two and changed the Model 38 to a 6.5, sent the 7.35s to the Finns and built the 6.5 Model 38 Cavalry Carbine until the end of the War and even a small number afterwards.
Main difference between the 1891 and the Model 38 is the rear sight: fully-adjustable model originally, changed for a single fixed notch on the Model 38.
Cavalry Carbines are the model with that neat folding bayonet under the barrel. The similar TS (Truppi Speziali or "Special Forces") carbine had a bit more wood, detachable bayonet and a slightly-longer barrel.
Personally, I have a beat-to-death 1891 Carbine and a hard-used Model 38, as well as a couple of TS rifles and others. There are guys on this forum who have whole racks of nice Carcanos. Carcanos are fun!
MECHANICALLY they are all the same, parts interchange (except for Early and Late Extractors and their specific Bolts) and they all have barrels with progressive or gain-twist rifling.
Carcanos are interesting, too.
The nicest thing about them is that they are just about the CHEAPEST real Milsurp rifles out there, they have a long and intriguing history..... and you can make most of them shoot rather well.
I note that this is only your second post here. Welcome aboard!
The original was the 6.5mm 1891 Carbine, which was superseded by the 7.35mm Model 38. Then Italy got involved in War Two and changed the Model 38 to a 6.5, sent the 7.35s to the Finns and built the 6.5 Model 38 Cavalry Carbine until the end of the War and even a small number afterwards.
Main difference between the 1891 and the Model 38 is the rear sight: fully-adjustable model originally, changed for a single fixed notch on the Model 38.
Cavalry Carbines are the model with that neat folding bayonet under the barrel. The similar TS (Truppi Speziali or "Special Forces") carbine had a bit more wood, detachable bayonet and a slightly-longer barrel.
Personally, I have a beat-to-death 1891 Carbine and a hard-used Model 38, as well as a couple of TS rifles and others. There are guys on this forum who have whole racks of nice Carcanos. Carcanos are fun!
MECHANICALLY they are all the same, parts interchange (except for Early and Late Extractors and their specific Bolts) and they all have barrels with progressive or gain-twist rifling.
Carcanos are interesting, too.
The nicest thing about them is that they are just about the CHEAPEST real Milsurp rifles out there, they have a long and intriguing history..... and you can make most of them shoot rather well.
I note that this is only your second post here. Welcome aboard!
Walter H. Craig in Selma, Alabama, sold Carcanos at $27.50 a CRATE.
Ammunition was $25 a THOUSAND. It got cheaper if you bought a LOT.
They were so cheap that most guys didn't even Bubba them. They just threw them away or tossed them in a barn.
I have a nice one here which came OUT of a barn. It is a 1917 Marksman/Sniper rifle and it shoots very nicely. It was on its way to the local Dump but got dropped off here instead.
So, yes, there ARE Carcanos out there.
And they ARE a lot of fun.
Ammunition was $25 a THOUSAND. It got cheaper if you bought a LOT.
They were so cheap that most guys didn't even Bubba them. They just threw them away or tossed them in a barn.
I have a nice one here which came OUT of a barn. It is a 1917 Marksman/Sniper rifle and it shoots very nicely. It was on its way to the local Dump but got dropped off here instead.
So, yes, there ARE Carcanos out there.
And they ARE a lot of fun.
Boy the 'mericans do slang on the Carcano. Reading a reality based fiction on JFK's shooting and the author slags on everything to do with the Carcano; build quality, handling and sub-par caliber.
If I hadn't already handled Carcano's and know they are of quality, I'd...nah, I'd still not believe the Rah-Rah-sis-boom-bah 'merica is No. 1.
Know better than that.
If I hadn't already handled Carcano's and know they are of quality, I'd...nah, I'd still not believe the Rah-Rah-sis-boom-bah 'merica is No. 1.
Know better than that.
I have a Model 91/38 Carcano that is quite to Oswald's "C2766" and she is quite well made. What information I can find on the carcano online always has someone posting how these rifles are below standard but I doubt they have actually held or shot one.
Yes, with the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination coming up, there will be renewed interest in the 1891/38 Carcano....
I was 25 years looking for the correct scope to make a duplicate.
Cheers !!!!
B
Thank you for the info. Mine is not quite as nice as Bojangles (I am quite sure not many are. Nice job) Mine came out of my Grandfathers basement after he had passed. It was covered in dust and rust and I couldn't help but clean it up. What has gotten me curious about it was that he served in the Navy and I believe he had spent some time in Italy. Perhaps there is a story behind it. Or it could have been purchased right here in Canada for 30 bucks. No one will ever no for sure. Are there any markings on them to tell them apart?
To tell the truth..... I have not yet shot the rifle.
However, I can say that the optics are crap. Certainly not worth the price I had to pay for them. I don't see how this particular combination of scope and rifle could ever do the task the way the story is told.
The Carcano rifle itself is not really as bad as it's reputation. The 6.5 mm round it fires is actually very good although a bit underpowered compared to other military rifles of it's day. It would get the job done. In fact, some the Carcano rifles had gain twist rifling. The bullet when travelling down the barrel is accelerated both axially and radially. This is technology very few gun makers employed.
Cheers!
B
