| In 1891 Italy produced their first modern military rifle | | | | any depth. While not as strong as a Mauser or |
| replacing the Vetterli with a 6.5 caliber Carcano. The | | | | Arisaka they are adequate if fed properly. No military |
| rifle was developed by Lt. Col. Salvatore Carcano and | | | | authority is going to issue a piece of junk to their |
| Col. Parravicino both who worked at the Torino arms | | | | troops if they expect to win a war. The metal finish |
| factory in Turin. The original caliber propelled a 6.5 | | | | is decent though somewhat crude and the wood |
| mm 162 grain bullet at approximately 2300 feet per | | | | looks rough but serviceable. The rear sight is non |
| second. For that time it was a decent load which | | | | adjustable except by a file but the samples I shot |
| compared favorably with other 6.5's of the same | | | | are fairly straight on at 50 yards. Like all Carcanos I |
| period. Pressures were kept pretty mild around | | | | have seen the caliber marking is just in front of the |
| 38,000 PSI. or so. Anyway they kept that | | | | front sight in this case it says 7.92. I wouldn't |
| chambering until shortly before WW ll when they | | | | challenge anyone to a shooting match unless we |
| went to the 7.35 chambering. That chambering fired a | | | | were both using Carcanos as the sight is crude. They |
| 128 grain slug at 2480 feet per second which to me | | | | are handy to carry and fairly light, though the |
| was inferior. To me the 128 grain slug has less | | | | magazine sticks out the bottom and if on can be |
| sectional density so wouldn't penetrate as much as | | | | used for hunting. I have shot a lot of ammo in all 3 |
| the 6.5 would. Be as it may be the 7.35 came out but | | | | chamberings and never had a malfunction. Of course |
| WW ll cut it off and they went back to the 6.5 due | | | | I didn't try and make a magnum out of any of them |
| to supply considerations. In fact some of the 7.35's | | | | either. The bolt comes out by pulling the trigger and |
| was rebarreled to the 6.5 caliber. The 7.35 is merely | | | | pulling the bolt out as in the other Carcanos. The |
| the 6.5 necked up with no other changes to the | | | | extractor is adequate and the ejector located directly |
| case. The 6.5 is by far the most common and | | | | below the bolt seems pretty sturdy. The safety |
| famous. The rifle that shot J.F.K was a 6.5 Carcano | | | | locks the bolt and holds the firing pin and it doesn't |
| and at that time they could be bought through the | | | | seem particularly hard to use. To engage the safety |
| mail for about $20. Ah the good ol days! | | | | push it forward and up. The locking lugs seem to be |
| A fact not well known to everyone is that some | | | | a pretty decent size and the bolt handle also acts as |
| Carcanos were made in the 8 X 57 Mauser | | | | a safety lug, to a certain extent, in case the other |
| chambering for the African campaign. The logic I | | | | two fail. There is a small hole in the bolt that may |
| suppose was to simplify ammo supplies with the | | | | vent some gas in case of a case failure. I don't know |
| Germans. I am not sure exactly how many were | | | | how good it would work but a ruptured case is |
| made but they are not real common today as is the | | | | unlikely especially using proper ammo and a gun in |
| other 2 chamberings. I heard that about 50,000 of | | | | good shape. The trigger is simple and reliable being |
| those rifles were manufactured. The 8 mm is seldom | | | | typical military. After shooting and examining these |
| mentioned in references regarding the Carcano or in | | | | actions I don't see where they are so bad if proper |
| other references on WW ll weapons. When it is it's | | | | ammo is used. I did a project recently where I shot a |
| usually just a footnote. As far as I know it saw very | | | | lot of ammo in the 7.35 and never had problems of |
| little or no actual combat use in Africa or anywhere | | | | any kind. The worst feature in the Carcanos is trying |
| else. I do believe Hunter's Lodge sells them, for those | | | | to shoot it without a clip. The clip does however |
| who are interested, and occasionally they appear at | | | | work fine as I have a couple for the 7.35. |
| gun shows which is where I obtained mine. They | | | | Having said all that I would not fire any 8mm military |
| advertise in the Shotgun News which is a good | | | | ammo in it as it's almost certainly too hot for that |
| source to get military rifles and supplies. One of the | | | | action. I have some military ammo that I |
| problems which plague this as well as some other | | | | chronographed in my 23" barrel 98 at just about |
| military rifles is the difficulty in getting a clip. It takes | | | | 2900 feet per second with a 150 grain bullet. I |
| a special clip as the cartridge body is larger then | | | | imagine the pressures have to be around 50,000 PSI. |
| either of the other Carcano rounds. Finding a clip | | | | or so which is way too much for the Carcano. |
| would be like hitting the lottery. You can try | | | | Loads for this gun should be kept mild. One source is |
| gunshows or Numrich Arms might have one. Like the | | | | using the minimum loads in loading manuals for the 8 |
| other Carcano chamberings it can be fired single shot | | | | X 57 Mauser. Here are some loads I have used and |
| though it's a slow process. To fire the 8mm single | | | | can recommend. If I was going to take this rifle deer |
| shot the bolt has to be removed and a cartridge | | | | hunting I would probably use the Hornady 170 grain |
| inserted into the bolt head and replaced in the gun. | | | | flat nose and tweak the load to shoot to the point |
| Since I don't plan on picking a fight with a gang with | | | | of impact with the original sight and use it as a single |
| this rifle single shot isn't a major hassle. While possible | | | | shot unless I found a clip. |
| it's not real easy to scope a Carcano. It would have | | | | LOAD BULLET VELOCITY COMMENT |
| to be a side mounted affair because of the clip going | | | | 10 X Unique 125 grain Hornady 1459 fair |
| through the top. It might be worth while to scope a | | | | 50 X IMR 4350 150 grain Hornady 2379 mild |
| 6.5 but I would never do it to the 8 as they aren't | | | | 9 X Red Dot 165 grain cast 1241 accurate |
| nearly as common. | | | | 10 X Unique 165 grain cast 1357 also accurate |
| Everyone knows that Carcanos are not as desirable | | | | 47 X 748 170 grain Hornady 2374 favorite |
| a collector item as some other military pieces. Some | | | | The 8 mm Carcano is an interesting part of history |
| folks consider them junk and shouldn't be shot or | | | | even if it didn't play a significant roll in the African |
| kept for that matter. Of course that's nonsense. | | | | campaign. While I do shoot mine on occasion I |
| Anyone that has come to that conclusion hasn't | | | | consider it more of a historic relic to look at and |
| taken the time to shoot or examine the Carcano in | | | | show other interested folks. |