$47 with tax rifle. . .

[Surat]

I'm sure there are some other C&R guys around here. . .

I had an hour to kill in between appointments when I was in Charlotte yesterday so i stopped in at a large privately owned store we have here. Looked at all the milsurps and Smith K frames and on my way back to the reloading area I passed a trash can marked with "As Is" In htere was a Carcano cavalry carbine I'd passed over about a zillion times. I used to think they were worthless and blew up but recently had read alot that said otherwise. Spotted and scabbed with rust, stock scarred up and missing it's handguard and bayo. It appeas to be in sad shape. but. . . .

I popped the bolt out and looked down the bore and the rifleing is strong amd crisp under the grease and dirt. The bolt face looks to be hardly shot and when I stripped off the wood there was no pitting or rust to be found under it. Bolt internals still had anchient grease on them.

Upon examining the wood and metal the rifle apparantly had the bayo taken off and it was given to a child as a playtoy. During the course of play the handguard wass cracked/lost and a saw was taken to parts of the stock and it was stabbed with a knife. More's the pity becasue it matches the reciver and has strong numbers/cartouches

Aside from looks, it's really in dang good shape. Gonna spend soem time with a bronze brush on the metal. trying to figure out a non-expensive way to work on the wood that will look decent. Metal will look fine after being brushed and clp'd. Any ideas? Anyone know where I can get a carcano folding bayo and stocks?

 

[USSR]

Any ideas?

Put it back in the trash can.

Don

 

[boilingleadbath]

I won't claim to know all the wood-restoration tricks in the book, but I would geuss that if the stock is in that poor of shape, it might be better just to get a new one - unless you arn't particurly worried about looks.

In which case I'd fill up the sawcuts with bondo (or similar), refinish the whole thing, and fill the smaller nicks and holes with a matching wax fill-stick.

What do you mean by losing the handgaurd?
The stocks I'm getting from google images all look like one-peice...

*pitties the rifle*

 

[.45Guy]

Don't listen to the nay sayers, you got yourself a fine little Moschetto per Cavalleria there. Email Rick at: [email protected] to see if he has your parts in stock. I ordered the parts for my TS from him, and I was very impressed with the service. E-bay is also a good place to look.

 

[Surat]

thanks and thanks. . .

Photos with rifle and messy kitchen

 

[.45Guy]

Hell, the wood doesn't look that bad. You could get away with steaming, sanding, staining, and finishing with a little BLO/tung oil/paste wax, etc.

 

[.45Guy]

Wingo! bayonet for 9.00! http://cgi.ebay.com/Old-Carcano-Italian-Bayonet_W0QQitemZ130007383407QQihZ003QQcategoryZ13965QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Nathanael_Greene]

Kiwi fruit, 6/$2? I want some.

 

[mrmeval]

It looks like a solid rifle. I'd not refinish the wood unless it interferes with your using it if it has any markings matching it to the rifle.

I have made several purchases similar to that one was a Yugo SKS that didn't extract. I had no idea it was a simple fix at the time. I sold it for more than I paid for it without fixing it. I just picked up a .30-06 that's identical to a Remington model 30, sporterized M1917 receiver but with nicer wood. It is a fine rifle. I love the 'junk' bins. Even when the gun won't shoot stripping it for parts and selling them is profitable though I have not had to do that for any C&R rifles.

 

[50caliber123]

"Oswald's gun!"

 

[mustanger98]

I won't knock this rifle. My brother-in-law has one that needs some work too. However, in gathering info for BIL, I found out most ammo in 6.5 Carcano is $40/20rds, so I hope you plan to reload. Otherwise, I did run across some FMJ stuff I think is Portugese new manufacture and it's a lot less expensive.

A couple of positive points I picked up about Carcano rifles are that it's a Mauser type action and a Mannlicher type magazine system (5rd en bloc falls out the bottom of the magazine when empty). The only thing Italian about this rifle is where it was built, but otherwise it's a German/Austrian deal. The bad reputation came from the fact that Italy hasn't won a war in the last 125 years or so.

 

[nbkky71]

I know that rifle...I've passed by that same garbage can many, many times before.

Yes, I'm from Charlotte

 

[eastwood44mag]

You got a project gun for less than $50.

Who cares what it looks like--you've got a new friend.

 

[.45Guy]

Graf's has Prvi Partizan at $12.99 a box. Also, it's a six round clip rather than five.

 

[DMK]

The metal looks pretty good and that wood isn't that bad. I've got some Yugo SKS that look worse. Some of those Serbians liked to carve their intitials in their stocks.


All you need to do is get a replacement handguard. If it were me, I'd strip the finish off all the wood with BIX paint striper or similar and then refinish is with real pure Tung oil (not the Forbsby's varnish stuff). With the dull finish Tung gives you, it would make those marks hardly apparent at all.

 

[Surat]

Wood looks better in picture then IRL. Camera doesn't focus down far enopugh. I think this was a kids "toy". There was mud in the barrel and there are fine "poke" marks all over the place on the stock like someone stuck a knife tip in over and over. Also what appears to be latex paint is msited on the stock. Perhaps it was out in the garage. . . A bad saw mark (about a 1/4 in deep) is on one side. Might go with some type of filler. If the stock didn't match I'd just scrape up another one but dang it, it matches.

Cleaned out the barrel today and it cleaned up nice and bright. Plenty of life left in it.

I've been reading that most "6.5 x 52" both the Privi and Norma is undersized for the bores. . tending to be about .262 instead of the bore's .266. . seen reports that they doen't shoot too well.

I plan on reloading when I can get the dies. First I have to pay off a Beretta .22 on layaway. . . umm. . . and pay off the credit card that has my Yugo underfolder AK on it. . .

Perhaps by restoring this I can get karma back for sporterizing a '03 Turk. . .

 

[.45Guy]

Hell, you could always get it rebarelled in 7.62x39

 

[kjeff50cal]

.45Guy how do you do that? what barrel? Theres a Carcano that needs liberating at one of my local haunts.

 

[.45Guy]

Check out the Gunboards Italian firearms forms for more info. I bought mine already done by a gent in Alabama, so I can't offer much info. http://www.gunboards.com/

 

[OldSchooler]

That fine old gun screams one thing: Scout Conversion!
Of course they all do that to me...

 

[cracked butt]

Not bad

My best deal ever was a k-31 with a slightly more beat up stock delivered to my door for $50 from Aim a year or so ago.

 

[quadfather03]

get some wood filler and smooth up the scratches sand it all smooth as possible then order a camo skinz kit from cableas for 11.99 and put it on.

 

[Surat]

I wanna restore it and at the same time I wanna dremel the bayo lug and handguard retainer lip, wirewheel the metal and shoot Duracoat on the whole thing.

Definately heading twords restoring but that little devil on the other shoulder keeps wispering. . .

 

[albanian]

That is not bad. I have been half looking for a Carcano so if it were me, I would have bought it for that price as well. Project guns are one of the best things about the hooby. You buy something dirt cheap that even when fixed up won't be worth a dollar more and you put twice what you paid for the gun into fixing it. After you are done, you have restored a $47 rifle and spent $147 on it but it is still worth it in the end somehow.

I am not bashing you, I have just been there and done that and I will do it again. I would rather bring a gun back from the dead than just buy another gun and put it in the safe or closet. The thing about guns is, they are just objects. It is only when you put some labor into one that you ever value it. If you spend $1000 on a gun, you know what it cost but you may not have and "value" placed on it. A $50 gun can be priceless if there are reasons.

I have an old Turk Mauser that I can't see ever selling because it was my first Mil surp and my bother and I went halves to buy it. We spend alot of days shooting that Mauser with the 1400rds of 8mm that we got in a sealed crate for $70. I think the rifle with sling and bayonet cost about $69 from a retail shop. We shot the heck out of it and had a great time doing it. I don't spend much time with my brother anymore so I look back on those days and smile.

BTW, I have used that Forbsby's varnish Tung oil and I like it. It is cheap and easy to apply and looks good. What is the problem with it? Is it that it is too glossy? On a Mil Surp, it can look out of place.

 

[OldSchooler]

After you are done, you have restored a $47 rifle and spent $147 on it but it is still worth it in the end somehow.
What this says to me is that there are few firearms worth having that come in at less than $150.00. Sure you might get them for less, but in the end they end up costing at least that much after you buy ammo and accoutrements, etc.

It segues into "The Oldschooler's Rule of 50":
"Everything worth having costs at least $50, and goes up increments thereof."

(I know, I know, there are exceptions to every rule - but dont tell me, I like it the way it is!)

The thing about guns is, they are just objects. It is only when you put some labor into one that you ever value it... A $50 gun can be priceless if there are reasons.
Well said - and the same can be said for relationships. Call your brother, man