Identify this Rifle -- I've never seen anything like it...

[colonelhogan44]

I've been approached with the option to purchase this gun for cheap. The seller doesn't know anything about rifles, and but just inherited it. He said it was "missing the top piece" ..... turns out he meant the bolt.

All he says he knows is that it is "35 caliber and built in 1959"

Usually I'm an amateur when it comes to things made 30 years before my birth ! This one has me stumped. Wisdom, please.







It looks like a sporterized something...

 

[Float Pilot]

Looks like a butchered 6.5mm Carcano to me...

 

[TurtlePhish]

Yup, looks like a sporterized Carcano. Shouldn't be .35 caliber, though... Maybe it's been rebored.

 

[colonelhogan44]

He also said it has the outline of a star stamped into the metal, but it was very worn. I'd drive over and look, but I don't want to waste my time if a bolt is hard to come by.

 

[colonelhogan44]

Looks like some Carcano rifles were chambered in a 7.35x52 -- probably where the 35 comes from.

 

[kingcheese]

Its a carcano, I've handled enough to tell that, a bolt i can honestly say I've never tried to find, the only one I've shot didn't particularly feel all that well made so who knows, i had the opportunity to get one in 300 savage for 180(i passed on that)

 

[BadWool]

If the price is cheap enough, grab it.......make it a conversation piece

 

[Gunnerboy]

if its any 35 cal itd be a 35 remington

 

[SaxonPig]

Am I the only who noticed the bolt is missing? Or did I miss something?

The rifle has very little monetary value and if the bolt is gone it is utterly worthless. Frankly, I wouldn't take it as a gift.

 

[mnrivrat]

Bolts are sometimes available in the $50 range . (a couple on GB at this time). Not realy worth the effort in my opinion as they are not worth much.

With replacement bolt the headspace can be a problem and by the time your done you will have too much in a cheap gun with high ammo cost. No collector value, and not much of a shooter either.

 

[Ian]

I hope "cheap" is really cheap. If it were complete, that would be a $75-$100 gun. Without the bolt, I wouldn't offer more than about $40. And that's just because I would make it into a project gun rebarreled in 7.62x39.

 

[madcratebuilder]

A Carcano 91/38 in some kind of aftermarket stock. Zero value. These can be found in 6.5mm and 7.35mm. A lot of the 7.35's went to Finland and have a SA in a box stamped on the receiver ring.

Surplus 6.5 ammo is very poor, 7.35 is much better if it's been stored properly. Most have only been dropped one time and have good bores, they can be good shooters, loading dies are readily available as is brass and bullets.

1938 Carcano in 7.35mm


SA stamp


7.35mm ammo, manufactured in 1939.


For a short period the Italians made a very neat detachable, folding bayonet for the 91/38. These can be twice the cost of the rifle.

 

[drsfmd]

The others have nailed it... I'd pass on this gun. It's worthless as-is, and not worth investing any money into.

 

[303tom]

If you can get it cheap, I mean real cheap get it, Numrich lists a bolt for it, they are sold out right now but that don`t mean a week or 3 down the road they won`t get a couple or 3 or 4 & if you got your name in, they will let you know, & yes it is a Carcano & Numrich lists every thing for em................Don`t pass on something you may regret some day.

 

[colonelhogan44]

That's the conclusion I came to as well. Thanks, Guys.

 

[desidog]

Yep, Carcano carbine that's been trimmed; with an odd pistol grip addition. As you can see in madcratebuilder's pics, they had a straight stock and no pistol grip.
They came in two chamberings, with both casing having the same base diameter; so the bolts are interchangeable.

I have three 6.5 Carcano carbines, one is a parts gun, with an intact bolt...if you'd like it.
I don't know what the market is for them currently, but i'll undercut the competition... send me a PM if interested.

 

[minutemen1776]

Run away!

 

[desidog]

Well, since we don't know what price they want yet; why would you run away?

If you got it for 50 bucks, add another 30 for bolt, and 5 for a charger clip, you'd be into a handy little deer rifle for under $100. What's not to like about that?

 

[Dr.Rob]

It's a neat stock.

And maybe a neat project piece, or a wall hanger. Probably costs more than it's worth to get it shooting, but still a neat rifle.

 

[colonelhogan44]

The guy accepted my offer of 25 bucks. Here's to taking a gamble every now and again. It keeps you young.

 

[Dr.Rob]

This what you need?

https://www.libertytreecollectors.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=718

 

[pseudonymity]

I hope the offer was that he gave you 25 bucks to take it off his hands. After you find a bolt and a 7.35x52 headspace gauge you will have a rifle that was regarded as pretty mediocre at best. Maybe it is me, but that Carcano looks like it was dropped more than once. If you were born late 80s/ early 90s you probably never heard the line about the Carcanos - used rifle for sale, great condition - never fired and only dropped once.

Best of luck to you - I love projects myself, but in the sub-$100 range I would find an old rimfire to mess with. Lots of those around, and some of the wood and barrels on those old guns are really pretty good even by modern standards.

 

[WardenWolf]

Carcanos aren't generally considered very good guns. Very poorly regarded in most circles. I'd have run away from that one. It's not really a gun you'd want to invest money into, because even if you fix it you'll probably never shoot it much once you try it out.

 

[spence]

madcratebuilder, thanks for sharing those photos. if i ever see a decent one for sale I'll probably buy it after seeing yours!

 

[colonelhogan44]

I got it in my hand. I already have enough guns, but a friend of mine wants a project. This'll be his first milsurp (I can't help but spread the disease...I's a sick, sick man). No I just need to find a bolt, and we'll be ready to roll.

It looks like it's a 7.35mm rifle...built in 1939. other than the stock and the weird add-on sight, it seems to be intact. Some surface rust, and the bore is not pristine, but serviceable. The crown is not great, and there is wear on the rifling near the muzzle -- we may just cut the barrel down and make a short (16.5inch) brush/pack gun out of it. I wonder how easy it would be to re-chamber to something more common...7.35 ammo is probably hard to come by.

Pictures!