[Nestor]

This is my first Carcano. Too often the bores on them aren't up to my personal taste and when they are pretty good the prices... make me run. Finally got one in decent shape that wasn't too expensive. It's 1942 Terni M41 rifle in 6.5x52. I am going to take it apart, clean everything and once I'll be done...hopefully the spring is going to be just around the corner. After quick oiling I can tell you that the action on this, particular rifle is smoother than on any Mosin in my collection. It can only get better with cleaning. It's not too long (you can see the SMLE for comparison) and surprisingly light. It has fixed 200 meters battle sight and adjustable one out to 1000 meters as well. There are traces of cosmoline in the guts, so it probably wasn't taken apart since factory post war refurbishment (wood stock is forced match). I am going to post occasional updates to show you how things are going with this Italian Signora. Thanks for your time.

ps. the website is not letting me to post the pictures in usual way

 

[AF-Odin]

I remember seeing lots of Carcanos in the US milsurp market back in the early 1970s. The odd caliber is what pushed me away from them and toward 8mm and .303 rifles.

That one you picked up looks nicer than most I saw then.

 

[Nestor]

I remember seeing lots of Carcanos in the US milsurp market back in the early 1970s. The odd caliber is what pushed me away from them and toward 8mm and .303 rifles.

That one you picked up looks nicer than most I saw then.

Many are very rough and latest import from Ethiopia is even more rough on average. On the plus side the market offers plenty of 6.5x52 ammo and small parts for those rifles

 

[FullClip]

They were popular in Texas back in the early 60's.

 

[norton]

They were popular in Texas back in the early 60's.

I was going to say something snarky but ya beat me to it.

 

[Nestor]

They were popular in Texas back in the early 60's.

That was a carbine version called M38 with the optics. There are quite a few videos on YouTube showing that the "impossible" rate of fire observed during the assassination was actually perfectly possible to obtain with that model. On the side note....the 1891 model rifle (which was about 3 inches longer than M41 and had different sights with minimum 300 meters setting) was issued to many soldiers defending my home city in 1920 from the Bolshevik hordes. Not to mention WW1 and WW2 history.

 

[Big Bird]

Italian tomato stakes...

 

[Nestor]

Italian tomato stakes...

🙂 With the proper ammo these may be extremely accurate rifles actually with the controlled round feed and pretty smart action containing two gas shields to protect the shooter in case of a catastrophic failure. It's also worth to remember that many were converted to 8mm Mauser and withstood the higher pressure without any record of failing. Gun Jesus had a whole episode about this.

 

[billorights]

Actually not bad rifles. They got a bad rep due to the ammo and caliber mostly. Most of us remember when they could be had all day for under $20 when other milsurps were 3 or 4 times that. They looked trashy to me and I never wanted one. At today's prices I still don't. Ammo is still a problem if you do have one.

 

[mj9mm]

i sure wish the Techs could fix the Picture "issue"...

 

[Nestor]

i sure wish the Techs could fix the Picture "issue"...

I don't know what's going on here. Pictures started to disappear gradually. I posted some back ups now, but not sure if those are visible or not.

 

[Nestor]

Actually not bad rifles. They got a bad rep due to the ammo and caliber mostly. Most of us remember when they could be had all day for under $20 when other milsurps were 3 or 4 times that. They looked trashy to me and I never wanted one. At today's prices I still don't. Ammo is still a problem if you do have one.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think that the long rifle looks elegant.

 

[mj9mm]

i'm pretty sure they were still selling them cheap up till 1968, i tried like heck to talk my dad into buying a carcano or enfield, as that's how much money i had saved up.. and then it was too late... luckily, a friend of our family came through with a pair of 1917 enfields about 1970. one of them being my first deer rifle...

 

[geodan]

Nestor, I always enjoy your restoration posts, looking forward to another one.

 

[Nestor]

Nestor, I always enjoy your restoration posts, looking forward to another one.

This one is going to be more of a detailed cleaning than restoration, but the last cleaning I did turned into a bit of restoration after I have found some serious issues with the wood and rust on my otherwise nice Berthier M16. So, time will tell. I like to go against the current and want to see myself if Carcano is indeed inferior to most of the late 19th century rifles. Thank you!

 

[pgg00]

Nestor, I always enjoy your restoration posts, looking forward to another one.

I do enjoy nesters restoration threads

 

[L Pete]

They were popular in Texas back in the early 60's.

I remember when I was a teenager in the early 1960s, the local military surplus had a barrel near the cash register, full of Carcanos, old Mausers, and a few SMLEs, all muzzle down in the barrel. The price was less than $20 for your pick. They were all in really poor condition. Later on, a guy I worked with had a Carcano that he deer hunted with. It was much nicer carbine model, and I remember he used Norma ammo. His got the job done. All of this was in East Texas, just as you say.

 

[garya1961]

From what I have read if you can get a bullet to match the bore they are really accurate. There seems to be some differences in bullets and variations in bore sizes. I was interested until I read this.

 

[Sherlock913]

From what I have read if you can get a bullet to match the bore they are really accurate. There seems to be some differences in bullets and variations in bore sizes. I was interested until I read this.

6.5 Carcano is actually .268 diameter, rather than a true .264 6.5mm. Companies are starting to bring .268 bullets back.

That was a carbine version called M38 with the optics. There are quite a few videos on YouTube showing that the "impossible" rate of fire observed during the assassination was actually perfectly possible to obtain with that model. On the side note....the 1891 model rifle (which was about 3 inches longer than M41 and had different sights with minimum 300 meters setting) was issued to many soldiers defending my home city in 1920 from the Bolshevik hordes. Not to mention WW1 and WW2 history.

The original carbine is the Truppe Speciali (TS) model introduced in 1898 or so. They are great, handy rifles. I have two. One is shot out and a wall hanger. The Italiam military started making changes to the TS in 1920, I find the originals to be the best looking.

As for ammo, Prvi Partizan is now making 6.5 ammo with .268 bullets.

There's also Casto's Curios, but I've read some stuff that 'in stock' does not mean in stock, and leads times from order to shipping are long.

There's also Steinel Ammo.

 

[Nestor]

From what I have read if you can get a bullet to match the bore they are really accurate. There seems to be some differences in bullets and variations in bore sizes. I was interested until I read this.

PPU is starting to offer .268 factory ammo now. My eyes aren't good enough to worry too much about that though.