Carcano rifles?

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Here is an article by Dave Emary of Hornady ammunition. http://personal.stevens.edu/~gliberat/carcano/emary.html
The best case I can make for the strength of the Carcano was a personal experience attempting to blow one up for a hunter safety course video. I was asked by the Department of Game and Fish of New Mexico about 12 years ago to help them with this. At the time I was one of the ones ignorant about the Carcano, believing it to be a weak action and easy to take apart. Well, the morale to this story was a full case of Bullseye failed to do anything significant to the action or barrel. We finally had to fill a cartridge case with C4 explosive and detonate it to get anything that looked like what we wanted. One other incident I have experienced with the Carcano further convinces me of the great strength of these actions. In my early experiments with .268” bullets, and loading data for them, I had several incidents of extreme pressure. The bolt had to be opened with a hammer and the cartridge case appeared to be a belted magnum. The headspace of the gun had grown slightly but otherwise was fine and has been fired many times since. I know from my experience as a ballistician that pressures in excess of 90,000 psi are required to do this type of damage to a cartridge case. A good condition Carcano rifle is as safe and strong as any other military bolt-action rifle you will encounter.
 
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Can't believe this has gone this far without a photo - I've got two and never have fired them, might get around to it now

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Pictures? OK, here are a few:

1. The "infamous" 7.62x39 Moschetto TS from 6 years ago...
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2. I can't remember who owned the 8mm hog carcano (Forgot who, crappy memory, this was 7 years ago.)
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3. My first Finnish Fucile Corto:
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4. Finn #2:
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Moschetto is Italian for small musket and was applied to short carbines, including 6.5mm and 7.35mm bolt action carbines, and 9mm semi-auto carbines and submachineguns.
 
I had one of these for a few years when I was younger (teens). I don't remember the model, only that it was a 6.5x5 carcano and that I had a heck of a time convincing the fellas at local gunshops that this long haired kid actually knew what he had and that it was NOT a 6.5x55 swede. After I finally found some ammo, I really liked it. It shot well enough for me using the original sights, and it was a real hoot due to the HUGE fireball that came out of the barrel every time. Did I mention the fireball was HUGE! No idea what kind of ammo I was using, some sort of mil-surp I'd guess, although it's possible I got my hands on some hand-loads... that was quite a few years back now.

anyhow, I'd say if you can get your hands on one cheap, AND can get some ammo for it, give it a whirl... I gave mine to my cousin for his birthday, as far as I know he still has it and shoots it occasionally. They're pretty nifty guns, I like their small size, and that weird long bullet looks like it probably could ricochet around quite a bit (referencing the kennedy thing)...
 
I've got a 7.35 carbine that I haven't got a clue about how to go about shooting as far as ammo or whatever the hell funky clips/mags it must take.

I figure it's - as Chief Dan George said - "...more for lookin' through" and nicely adds to my carbine amassment.
 
Apache, E-bay is always a good source for Carcano clips, and you can still find 7.35 on Breda strips on gunbroker, et al from time to time. Otherwise, pick up some Prvi 6.5 from AIM and fire form.
 
I've got a 7.35 carbine that I haven't got a clue about how to go about shooting as far as ammo or whatever the hell funky clips/mags it must take.

Same en bloc clips as the 6.5mm rifles

Ammo? Buffalo arms has it, brass is available (it is reformed, headstamped 6.5 MS).

http://www.buffaloarms.com/Detail.aspx?PROD=158109&CAT=4451

Bullets are an oddball; .298" diameter. Only round that has ever used them. I have some, they came from either Grafs or Buffalo arms, can't remember.
 
I just picked up a Carcano Rifle and I've only put one box through it so far but it seems accurate enough for what it is. The main reason I have one is that it's an interesting historical rifle and I only paid $100 for it:D

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Nice! I'm about to pounce on a cheap Tipo 1... I have been looking for years, and two pop up locally in the same week!
 
@ NW williams

Looking at yours, mine must have been some sort of shorter barreled version. I really don't think it was sporterized, but it had a much shorter barrel. Hence, the HUGE fireballs I guess...
 
Looking at yours, mine must have been some sort of shorter barreled version. I really don't think it was sporterized, but it had a much shorter barrel. Hence, the HUGE fireballs I guess...
The one I have is the Carcano M91 Rifle, the carbine versions are a bit more common.
 
Thanks Mach &.45 guy... I'll start looking though I'm thinking my Carbine may end up shooting like a 7.35 shotgun.:D
 
I saw a Carano carbine at a local gunshow today.It looked pretty rough and the seller was asking $125.I asked about en bloc clips and ammo.He knew nothing about the subject.
I then went to a vendor who carries a lot of hard to find calibers.He told me he didn`t have any.
I decided to pass on it . I have a feeling I`ll probably see it the next show.
 
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Thorin, if you don't mind having shipped to your FFL Gunrunner auctions usually has a few. I just got the Tipo I for 110, and a cav carbine just closed at 80 yesterday. Check out their 24/7 auctions. Beware their listing condition. I went down and checked the rifle before bidding, and there was 0 pitting in the bore... Thanks to their description I got it cheap though. Also, if it is a 6.5, AIM has Prvi ammo pretty cheap.
 
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Here's my Carcano carbine...the folding bayonet was removed years ago, probably by the importer. No import marks.
PRVI ammo is easily available in both FMJ and SP. This ammo uses a bullet which is slightly small. Some carcanos shoot it well, some don't.
As far as clips go...I find them to be pricey.
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