What Rifle Do I Have?

[Racinfan83]

I need help identifying a rifle I have acquired. It is a bolt action that I believe has been "sporterized" - looks like a military action of some sort, but it has a Monte Carlo style stock on it and the barrel appears to have been cut down and lightened. Here are the markings: On top of the action in front of the feed/ejection port is a "crown" engraving with some sort of gothic letter symbol under it. Under that is "CARL GUSTAFS STADS" - under that is "GEVARSFAKTORI" - and under that is "INTERARMCO G 33/50". On the left side of the action is stamped "RL 47926" - on the rear left side of the action is "969", and there is "969" stamped on the back of the bolt and safety lever. On the floor plate are two small "crown" engravings and "839". It does not appear to be a movable floorplate - as in you have to load magazine from the top, and the magazine follower locks the bolt back.
I have no idea what caliber it is or if I can shoot it. It has a Williams peep sight setup and is a really nice short, light little rifle. Any help you guys can give would be much appreciated!

 

[waidmann]

Your rifle began its life a a Swedish military rifle. The government chambering is 6.5X55 an excellent cartridge. The Swedes and later Kimber have re-made some of these in other calibers but it should be so marked. The action is a licensed 1896 Mauser. Cocks on closing and not quite as strong as the later 1898 model, but not to fear. I assume Interarmco remanufactured/imported?

Hopefully someone can expand on this. With luck you have decent shooter, fully adequate in the whitetail/antelope league.

 

[Racinfan83]

Thanks! That helps. Now I know the caliber and what it is. Any more info would be appreciated! As long as I can run like Remington factory ammo through it - it would make a sweet little deer rifle as short and light as it is....

 

[Vaarok]

Hokay, it once was a Swedish military M94, M96, or M38 rifle. Intearmco, a major importer in the sixties, bought it, brought it in, chopped it up into a deer rifle, and sold it wholesale to some sporting goods store. Whereupon somebody bought it and threw a Williams sight on it.

Most every major ammo manufacturer makes 6,5x55 Swedish ammo, so feeding it should be no problem, and the round is very potent and well liked for deer sized animals.

 

[Jim K]

That "G33/50" has a history. When Interarmco (later Interarms) first imported the Model 1894 Swedish carbine, they ran into a problem because the barrels were under the then-18" minimum. So they welded a 1/2" extension on the end of the barrel to bring it up to the legal length. But then ATTD (the predecessor of BATFE) said the Model 1894, by definition, had a short barrel* and was still not legal; the guns with the extension would have to have a new model number. So Interarmco pulled "G33/50" out of thin air and had the Model 1894 marking removed and the new model number put on.

Later, GCA '68, in one good part, lowered the barrel minimum for rifles to 16" and the world seemed to keep rotating. In spite of what has been written, though, the change was not to accommodate Interarmco or the Swedish Model 1894. It was to legalize a number of U.S. M1 carbines with 17 7/8" barrels that had been mistakenly sold by the Army through the old DCM. "The government" could/would not admit it had made a mistake, so "the government" corrected the mistake it didn't make.

*Once a short barrel rifle, always a short barrel rifle!!!"

Jim

 

[Racinfan83]

Very Cool! Thanks!

 

[Exsemperfi]

Similar rifle I need help with

I have a similarly marked rifle and you guys were so informative about this one that I thought yall could help with one I have. It is also a carbine. Bolt action. Takes a clip, loaded from the top and expells the magazine once out the bottom once all the rounds are fired. Left side of barrel is marked L7234. On the top directly behind the sight is a small crown and the words re term or r.e terni? On the right side is 36-xlv. All of these are in front of the action. On top of the bolt when engaged is stamped H H or H K and the numbers 1048. Those are all the markings. I know this gun shoots a 6,5x52 round. Any help would be great. Thanx!

 

[Ron James]

Research Carcano rifles

 

[natman]

Research Carcano rifles

Why? Does ""CARL GUSTAFS STADS - GEVARSFAKTORI" sound remotely Italian?

 

[Jim Watson]

Because Exsemperfi does not have the same rifle as Racinfan83.

I remain amazed at people's willingness to buy stuff they cannot identify. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. But there is a lot of crapshooting going on.

Of course these guys didn't say they bought their mystery rifles, one "acquired" his and the other just has it, origin not specified. Maybe they were gifts or bequests.

 

[Exsemperfi]

I acquired this rifle from a friend who found it in grandfathers basement. Not a cent invested bc I am not

 

[Exsemperfi]

(sorry for the half post) I am not one to buy things I cannot I.d. That being said I knew this rifle was a carcano I was looking for information about the markings I described and if they say anything about history, age, or value of this specific rifle. Thank you for the responses.

 

[waidmann]

Terni is the producing arsenal. Carcanos are usually considered less desireable, yet everything has a following. Like the man said research! Good luck.

 

[Exsemperfi]

Ok I have researched the type of gun. Was looking for more specific info on this gun. Thanks anyway it was worth a try but you guys seem to only know things I already know. By the way for future reference telling someone to research is not really helpful or what these forums are for. Assumed this thread would be a tool to aid in my research not really what I got.

 

[Ron James]

Hi natman, no, CARL GUSTAFS STADS-GEVARSFAKLORI does not sound even remotely Italian, however R E Terni does have a nice Italian ring to it
Exsempefi, Sorry you feel that way, the problem is, there are 10 different versions of the Carcano rifle, you have long versions, carbine versions , even a Italian youth rifle. There are even some models with a folding bayonet. If you want more information then we have to have more information. Most of the markings you described are simply inspection and production numbers used to keep the parts together, they have no special meaning. We need barrel length, pictures. Other wise all that is possible is to make a guess of which one you have Sorry about that.

 

[bk42261]

It should be said that any "sporterised" weapon needs to be checked as to the CURRENT caliber, and DO NOT assume that just because the original chambering was 6.5 x55, or whatever, that the present chambering is the same. Let's all be very careful and safe.

 

[Exsemperfi]

Ron. Thank you very much. That is the kind of info I was looking for! Very helpful. I will gather the more pertinent information you spoke of in your response and hopefully you can help more.

 

[niteowl1]

Hey, Exsenperfi!
Check with chuckhawks.com for basic info, if it is a Carcano. I would avoid anything made after about 1941 since production rates exceded quality control standards. I had a 1929 Beretta, (the vast majority of those made in the early 1900's were made by Beretta) which shot tiny groups with open sites. They generally compare to a 243without all the power. Although they don't take well to a scope however, it is possible. The one which Killed (Or not) Kennedy had a scope adapted with the scope rotated so the dials had to be reversed for windage and elevation. This rifle has a battle proven smooth action, which will work under very harsh conditions. I would avoid all of the 7.35 calibers since there were numerous complaints with respect to range. At it's best I would limit it's range to 110 yards with deer sized animals or shorter in the 6.5 size, then again shot placement is paramount. If I can be of further assistance , bo all means send me a PM. In the words of Chuck Hawks: "Deer are taken every year with less capable cartridges" Your Friend, David

 

[Racinfan83]

I remain amazed at people's willingness to buy stuff they cannot identify. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. But there is a lot of crapshooting going on.

Of course these guys didn't say they bought their mystery rifles, one "acquired" his and the other just has it, origin not specified. Maybe they were gifts or bequests.

I didn't buy mine - it was given to me because the previous owner had it stored in a dank basement for years and years, and found it, and didn't want it anymore - so knowing that I like guns they gave it to me.

Been on vacation for a bit - sorry for no sooner reply - have one more question. The stock has some water damage from the butt up about 4". I think I can remove the stock and refinish the whole thing and take care of it. Knowing what I know now from you guys - I probably won't be harming the future value of the gun by doing this will I? Better off to just refinish it and shoot it and don't worry about it you think??

 

[Jim Watson]

Wow, two basement guns in one thread.

You sure won't be hurting anything by refinishing the stock.
The stocks I am having redone after the fire are coming out at various levels, from "OK" to "better than expected" to "better looking than new."

 

[NCsmitty]

For the INTERARMCO G 33/50, if it's still chambered in 6.5x55, it will take a standard .264" diameter bullet.
If the Carcano is in the original 6.5x52, it will need .268" diameter bullets. Of course it's always good to check actual bore diameter size by slugging the barrel, with the appropriate buckshot pellet. A #2 or #1 buckshot.



NCsmitty