Originally Posted by
bob q
The rifles were used in WWI . Look at the rifles being dug up in the latest alpine front area , at the front line . They have been found with ammo in them , empties around them , they were used . Also none have been found blow up . They used Carcano barrel blanks and other resources to make them , which would have taken AWAY from Carcano production . Use common sense , if they were not meant to be used , WHY even spend the time to convert them to front line usability ? Of course top rate units got the best weapons , but there were many secondary units at the front lines fighting . How is the metal different in my 1892 Carcano and my 1892 Vetterli made at the same plant different ? Since your car motor could blow up the next time you start it does that mean it is unsafe to use ? Other than a bad lot of ammo , how was the Gew-88 unsafe? It fired 100's of 1000's of S ammo in it's service life . Many of the 1889 rifles are still in firing condition with their original barrels .