Norma 6.5 Carcano ammo question

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Mars5l

Mars5l

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I have a bunch of the PPU 6.5 Carcano, but it's in the .264 diameter bullet. Both my rifles key hole badly at 25 yards with it. I've read the larger .267/.268 fixes this. Looks like Norma released some Alaskan line in 6.5 Carcano. But I can't find what the specs are, any one have any experience or insight?
 
The Norma Alaska bullets are 156gr .264". They are available in loaded Norma cartridges and the bullets alone are available for reloading.

My Carcano (Model 38, made Terni Arsenal 1940) does not group well with bullets lighter than 140gr. I have five Italian SMI arsenal 953 6.5mm Carcano cartridges and the bullets are 160gr. round nose. The Italian military bullets are a bit bigger than .264" but not quite .268".

My rifle shoots best with 160gr bullets in either .264" or .268". I reload mine and prefer to load .264" 160gr bullets in Norma cases.

Carcanos with the older gain twist rifled barrels, especially if worn, and especially if carbine length cut down from rifles, seem to benefit from the tighter, longer .268" 160gr bullets.
 
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The Norma bullets are .264 diameter. Hornady (at least used to) make 160 grain bullets in .268 diameter that shoot very well. I was able to find some 123 grain (I think) bullets in .267 diameter that were made by PPU. I haven't shot any of those yet.
 
Yea I'm the search for some larger diameter ones to try. Not a reloaded so can't go that route
 
I got interested in this a little lately with my 6.5 Carcano Italian Terines and 1876 Vetterli conversions.
I have a box of unknown vintage “Hornady Custom 6.5 Carcano, 160 gr, muzzle velocity 2250 fps, # 77405000000”
I miked these bullets a while back and I think I got .266. I’ll recheck and post if I’m mistaken.
So that might be a source for your .266.
 
.268 is the proper bullet diameter for 6.5 Carcano. PPU does show that particular bullet listed on their online catalog. Whether they're actually available is a good guess. Their own commercial production ammo was, until recently, loaded with the smaller bullet. Rumor was they were going to begin new production using the larger bullet, but I haven't been able to verify that. I should order some one of these days just to find out. I've got some Steinel ammo with the proper bullet size ordered but who knows if or when I'll ever see it.
 
With the huge influx of surplus Carcanos showing up in the US I was hoping someone would make the correct size ones. I still have about 6-7 boxes of PPU in FMJ and SP
 
Good question?
Could have been Sportsman Guide or Natchez or _____ I’ve had them at least 5 years.
Sorry, but at least you now know what to ask for- see reply #5 above
Good luck!
 
I had a ton on correct bullets that I sold to guy on this forum ten years ago. The guy at the post office gave me a fit thinking there was some hazmat stuff in there. I said, no, just heads.
 
wiscoaster said:
Hah, well, I hope you're really patient. My order for same is way ahead of yours in the back-order queue, having been put in Dec 2020 and 14 months later I'm still waiting.
Click to expand...
It's funny they say it's based on virgin brass but PPU seems to release a lot of their own loaded. Wish I could send my once fired brass in and let them load it
 
I got a couple boxes of new production PPU 6.5 Carcano ammo - one box of 139 gr FMJ BT and one box of 123 gr SP - and they're both loaded with .264 in diameter bullets - and it's specifically stated so on the front of the box. Why they're doing so when people want the .268 in bullets I dunno, but there it is.
 
Yea all my boxes are fairly new production with the. 264. Only reason I'd buy more is if was cheap and just to blast some rounds thru the rifle. But with Sgammo at $35 a box I'll pass. Rather buy more M1 Garand ammo
 
A few years ago I worked up loads for my carcanos. In every single case, even a perfect LHO museum quality rifle, right out of a closed museum with the correct scope (did not shoot using the scope) every single gun worked worlds better with the hornady bullets....EVERY SINGLE ONE. I think I have 4-5 of these silly things now. Carcano also never used a pointy bullet, hornady also had the correct bullet bearing surface for it to work with the rifle....it is what it was made for. It was not till the 30 cal carcano....yea they made them did they not go to spitzer. I really enjoy the guns they are great fun to play with after you learn the little quirks about them. And the 30 cal flavors are a real 30, not 311 or 308. Don't do it. So in true italy style the correct bullets don't exist.

I am currently sitting on about 7 boxes, here is a quick photo of what you are looking for.
upload_2022-3-3_6-29-8.png

They are bottle nose. Here is a photo of the 30 and a box
upload_2022-3-3_6-31-21.png

The clips are interchangeable, you can use 30 clips with the 6.5, and you do need to use the clips, If you are single loading and don't want to spend the $30+ for a old wornout clip, look at one of the MVU arms (just google it) to find the little cheapo adapter, you need this adapter or you risk tearing up your rifle....they need the clip, or this little gizmo. They are only 3d printed but they do tend to hold up well.

Carcano gets poopooed on quite a bit, but if you luck across a "good" example they do shoot on par with everything else, "good" examples are not finickey to feed, don't have bolts that make a mosin look good and with right sized projectiles shoot very nicely.

I really hope hornady or someone else starts making bullets again.
 
Thanks for pics Remington 1911!!!!
Those must be the bullets loaded in my one box of Hornady Custom ammo I mentioned back in reply #5 & #7.
It good to know the actual bullet number is #2645, the grain wt is 160, the diameter is 0.267”!
Also great to know the 7.35 magazine clips are interchangeable as I have two or three of them!
Thanks again for sharing!
 
Mars51 and others
Please post if you find any new production 6.5 Carcano Hornady bullets!!!!!!
 
I wanted to post up photos of my "pretty" carcano. I toyed with the idea on removing the markings it had on it from the museum but decided against it. It is the history of this specific rifle.

So what you see is exactly how I bought it.

upload_2022-3-3_7-29-42.png

upload_2022-3-3_7-30-7.png

upload_2022-3-3_7-30-49.png

She is a very pretty old girl, and if I come across any more 6.5 I will keep you in mind.
 
I'm pretty sure Hornady isn't making any new 6.5 Carcano ammo. I just spent about ten minutes searching their online product catalog. It's simply not there.
I am currently sitting on about 7 boxes
Click to expand...
Those are going up in value daily.
 
I was digging through the photos for another thing, photo of a type 99, and on my phone and came across this one, it shows the roundy bullets carcano used.

What is interesting is just how LONG they are.

You ever go through your phone and go why in the world did I take this picture.

The dots on the box are how I bust up loads for testing, so for example one dot is going to say 30, then the next dot is going to say 30.5 The space is how I tell where the one loading stopped and the other starts. This had to be from the load workups for specific rifles. By the date on the photo I had I THINK 3 of the things by then. Workup a load that works on one, then that is the base line for another. Then in the book make the notes that reflect each sn#. This way you know what works best with what.

upload_2022-3-4_7-7-38.png
 
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