Anybody got an Italian Carcano?  Particularly the 6.5mm carbine with the folding bayonet.  Opinions?  Should I buy one?

I had one a long time ago, but sold it to some guy in Dallas back in '63.

Has anyone really owned one?  I want to know if they're worth buying.

I've got an 1896 M91 long rifle.

Got to be careful reloading for these ones with the gain twist barrel.

I rather like mine.  You should get it.<G>

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted: Anybody got an Italian Carcano?  Particularly the 6.5mm carbine with the folding bayonet.  Opinions?  Should I buy one?

They are very crude. I have one of the 6.5 carbines. Paid 20$ for it and a box of hunting ammo at a gun show many years ago.

June 2004.  Ignore that newbie troll.

FIrst of all, ammo is expensive.  This rules out reason #1 for milsurp, that being cheap ammo.

Second, most bores are oversize, meaning you have extremely limited choices on reloading.  Hornady 160 grain bullets are your only choice.

But on the other hand, the rifles are cheap and reloading is easy.  The action and materials are strong enough for much more than most manuals IF you know what you are doing.  2400 FPS with the 160 grain is possible, making for a great deer rifle.  This is thanks to the gain twist rifling which reduces peak pressures with the typically heavy bullets available.

The minuses are the magazine, requiring a scope removal to load a full 6 rounds.  But you can partially load the magazine without scope removal by inserting an empty en bloc clip from the bottom, pressing the clip release to get it in the right position.  3 rounds or more can be inserted from the top.  More than enough for hunting non-dangerous game.

The other minus is the safety.  Although it is one of the safest safety known because it completely unloads the striker, it requires considerable effort to take it "off safe" because you are actually loading the striker spring.

Triggers are generally so-so but entirely adequate for hunting accuracy.  With the correct diameter bullet, you can expect MOA accuracy.  But using .2645" diameter bullets, 5-8 MOA is tha case.

And yes, the ammo LHO used was of the .268" variety, produced by Olin.

I have that exact gun. Haven't shot it in years. I think they are junky. If you want to expand a collection, why not?
I doubt you will use it much. ammo'e expensive, offers no benefit over easier  to feed guns.
How much are they asking for it? I got mine free from an uncle.

Quoted: I have that exact gun. Haven't shot it in years. I think they are junky. If you want to expand a collection, why not? I doubt you will use it much. ammo'e expensive, offers no benefit over easier  to feed guns. How much are they asking for it? I got mine free from an uncle.

About $125.  Worth it?

Quoted: Quoted: I have that exact gun. Haven't shot it in years. I think they are junky. If you want to expand a collection, why not? I doubt you will use it much. ammo'e expensive, offers no benefit over easier  to feed guns. How much are they asking for it? I got mine free from an uncle. About $125.  Worth it?

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976268505.htm       Not exact but close


http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976561143.htm  found another

I knew of a guy who said that he wanted to buy a Carcanno, then shoot a hole through a Kennedy Half Dollar with it and then send the half dollar to Teddy.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I have that exact gun. Haven't shot it in years. I think they are junky. If you want to expand a collection, why not? I doubt you will use it much. ammo'e expensive, offers no benefit over easier  to feed guns. How much are they asking for it? I got mine free from an uncle. About $125.  Worth it? http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976268505.htm       Not exact but close http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976561143.htm  found another

Wow! Those sellers must be smoking some crack if they think they will get that out of those guns.

Eh, I think a Mauser or Enfield is the better rifle, preferably converted to .308, but 8mm and .303 are still loaded and quite available in most cases.  

Out the book depository window
Over the grassy knoll
Though the governor...

Nothing but Kennedy!

Quoted: Eh, I think a Mauser or Enfield is the better rifle, preferably converted to .308, but 8mm and .303 are still loaded and quite available in most cases.

Yes, they are better rifles, but I want a Carcano w/folding bayo for sentimental reasons.  I found a real one back in the early eighties as a kid up in the mountains of Greece.  It was buried amongst ruins of a wrecked home (along with scattered bullets) which the Nazi's destroyed for aiding guerillas.  I brought that rifle home with me and have it in the basement of my house. BUT, I want to own a working Carcano.

What do you want a carcano for, an assisnation or sumthin? LOL

Get a mauser, much more ammo available. and lot of aftermarket stuff too.

Quoted: Quoted: Eh, I think a Mauser or Enfield is the better rifle, preferably converted to .308, but 8mm and .303 are still loaded and quite available in most cases.   Yes, they are better rifles, but I want a Carcano w/folding bayo for sentimental reasons.  I found a real one back in the early eighties as a kid up in the mountains of Greece.  It was buried amongst ruins of a wrecked home (along with scattered bullets) which the Nazi's destroyed for aiding guerillas.  I brought that rifle home with me and have it in the basement of my house. BUT, I want to own a working Carcano.

Then it's not even a question. You absolutly should buy it , it's worth$125 for that reason.

I dont have one now.....but as soon as I gets my Red Cross Debit card I'm goona haves 2 of em.

i had 1 but lost it years ago during a divorce. i like them as a conversation peice. crazy backassward action makes them noisy and hard to shoot the action is locked while pulling back the bolt as opposed to closing it.ammo was expensive then cant imagine buying any now. if you want it get it!!!!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Eh, I think a Mauser or Enfield is the better rifle, preferably converted to .308, but 8mm and .303 are still loaded and quite available in most cases.   Yes, they are better rifles, but I want a Carcano w/folding bayo for sentimental reasons.  I found a real one back in the early eighties as a kid up in the mountains of Greece.  It was buried amongst ruins of a wrecked home (along with scattered bullets) which the Nazi's destroyed for aiding guerillas.  I brought that rifle home with me and have it in the basement of my house. BUT, I want to own a working Carcano. Then it's not even a question. You absolutly should buy it , it's worth$125 for that reason.

+1

Make a display about the "before" and "After" of gun control

Quoted: I dont have one now.....but as soon as I gets my Red Cross Debit card I'm goona haves 2 of em.

Sept. 2004  Begone newbie troll! Ignore him! Everyone ignore him!

Quoted: I had one a long time ago, but sold it to some guy in Dallas back in '63.

Seriously though, I'd like one to set up a clone of the LHO rifle.
Be kind of neat to have, I have no other reason to own a Caracno - seem like junk to me.

They are the FIAT 600 D of military rifles.
Junk. The ammo costs more than the rifle. I used one to hunt deer ONCE. What a joke that was.

I just got the long rifle from my friend as a gift since he knows I'm into that stuff.

I haven't shot it yet, but surplusrifle.com has some good info on them. From my initial look over, this rifle gets an undeservedly bad rap.

For all you complaining about them, just what is so awful about it?

It looks well made to me, the action is decently smooth, the trigger is fine, and the only troubles I can see with it come from someone having owned it before me.

Another friend has a sporterized one that shoots fine.

So the ammo is expensive, it's a collector's piece, it rounds out my WWII collection. But I don't see a damn thing bad about it.

It's a lot like a Mauser really, with a different feeding system from that clip., and no big extractor.

According to the warren commission report, official U.S. government testing proved conclusively that the Carcano is one of the fastest firing, most accurate rifles ever made.

We all know the high quality of government thinking, so it must be true.

That should be the best rifle in the world. It shoots magic bullets!

I was given one in 7.35mm.  It is neat but not great.  The battle sights are very very high, IIRC something like 14 inches high at a 100 for a BSZ for 350 yards/meters.  I have a bout 50 cartridges left, genuine reboxed surplus and about 6 clips.  

I find the bolt awkward, the safety awkward, and the trigger a bit sketchy.  It does work though.

What was the old joke,......"Italian battle rifles for sale, only dropped once"

If you just want to collect, they are cool.  If you want a rifle to use, you are better off with a Yugo mauser for almost the same price.

I've got a M91/38, just like Oswald's and it came off the line at Terni only a few months before his.

Only shot one box with it, and it shoots fine.  I wouldn't take it to Camp Perry, but it is sufficient at Texas Book Depository ranges.

It's worth owning just for the history, both Italian and U.S.  That's a neat find of yours, that carbine in Greece.

Lot's of Carcanos stayed in Greece after the failed Italian invasion in '40.