How often does this happen?

I managed to find today a 1917 Terni M91 rifle with matching bolt and receiver. By far the filthiest rifle I have ever come across. By dirty I mean filled with dirt and long dead bugs. No kidding. Not import marked. Had to have been a true 'bring back'. Spent the entire day taking it down and cleaning it. There's no telling the last time it was disassembled, as it took PB Blaster to loosen screws.
Long story short, it cleaned up really well. And lo and behold, once the dirt and surface rust was gone, I noticed the bolt matched the rifle. Have owned many Carcanos, this is the first matcher I've run across.
Odd thing about this one is that it has the small star on the tang where the bolt rides, which I understand is a refurb mark. This rifle does not seem refurbed in any way.
So in a long winded roundabout way, was just wondering how 'rare' a matching M1891 fucile was. Anyone else out there have one?

I've never seen a Carcano that had a number on the bolt so I don't know. Maybe they only did the very early ones. All of mine are from the Mussolini era. Good to know though as I'm looking for an M91.

This rifle has a marking on it that I'm trying find out about. Over the 'Terni' is a circle (oval?) with two lines on opposite ends, as if someone drew a line through the circle, then erased the inside of the circle and left the ends of it protruding on each side. Whew.
Any idea as to the significance of this?

Only early production rifles and carbines from the first few years had numbered bolts, I don't recall the date they stopped numbering bolts but if I recall correctly they stopped well before WW1 began in 1914. Maybe yours is just lucky enough to have picked up an early bolt that happened to match?

If that's the case, it's an extraordinary coincidence, as the bolt has the Terni logo on it as well.

I hate to state the obvious but photos would be REAL nice.

I know. I'm going to have to get my friend to get some on here for me. I am currently computerless. Hopefully will have some on here in the next couple of days.......