Carcano M38 Short Rifle Terni 7.35 Project Complete

I finally completed this Carcano project. It started as a typical cut down deer rifle. The stock was one of the last M38 replacement stocks available from Sarco. I bought it some time ago and finally got around to finishing it. The bands, bayonet lug and sling swivels came from Springfield Sporters and Numrich. I made the forward sling swivel stud and the screws for the front band. I didn’t touch any of the finish on the barrel action or trigger guard. The receiver is SA marked (Finnish). The bore looks good. I haven't even got into the ammo issues yet but will save that for another day.

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Salt Flat

It looks well worth the effort! :thup:

We may have several concurrent 7,35 ammo projects going. There's a bag of Hornady bullets that are getting in the way in the reloading room. As the place slowly gets organized, they seem to be ever closer to being in front of the line.

Also, there's a box of ammo that appears to be Finnish repackaged Italian 7,35 that is due for photographing.

great work! she looks awesome.

Looks nice. I'm still looking for one.

Up for your concideration and comment my attempt to keep pace with my northern counterpart Mr. Aragorn my first Carcano M38 XVII 1939 Carbine. SA marked with a questionable bore,faint stock markings.
Any input on the correctness and visual condition of this rifle would be appreciated. My first foray into Italian rifles and a bit of an impulse buy but the price seemed right enough to fill the complete Itialian void in my small collection.

HOH, Nice WWII look to it. l like this one. Looks unmessed with. Seems to be all correct with a visible stock cartouche. Does the stock serial no. near the butt match the rifle? Salt Flat

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Originally Posted by Salt Flat

Does the stock serial no. near the butt match the rifle? Salt Flat

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Good question. I got home a bit late from an out of town show and did notice some faint numbers on the butt but forgot to photograph. I will check them and reply. Have not had a chance to clean the bore yet but the rifling looks better when observed from the chamber towards the muzzle so perhaps it is not as bad as I thought.

Well ,some bad news & some good news. The stock numbers do not match. The good news is the bore looks much better after some cleaning. Still a bit worn at the muzzle but the balance has stronger rifleing than I would have believed. Lots of brushing and patching seems to have paid off.If the ammunition wasen't as scarse as the folding bayonet & sling I might think I finally got a bargin.
Actually feel good about filling any hole in my collection with an unmolested shootable rifle.

HOH, Still a very nice rifle. I'd take a good bore over stock numbers anyday. Salt Flat

Ammo is available at yard sales, you just have to look harder.:)

I have some waiting for the day I get the rifle.

Why not load your own? Components are easy to come by, PRVI makes brass, Hornady makes 128gr bullets in 7.35 cal and several companies make dies. Personally I went with the Lee's since load data came with them. Some folks give them a bad rap but they've always worked well for me.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

Ammo is available at yard sales, you just have to look harder.

I have some waiting for the day I get the rifle.

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I thought I had seen you post one. Oh well, now I am feeling extra special being on up on an advanced collector.

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Originally Posted by vintage hunter

Why not load your own?

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This may be the rifle that forces be back to the bench. I am glad I resisted the temtation to sell my reloading equipment when I stopped reloading many moons ago.

I have a cavalry carbine in 6.5. I'm looking for a 6.5 T38 primarily. I have the bayonet. I wouldn't turn down a 7.5 but price would have to be right. A guy I buy rifles from told me he has a 6.5 now for about $150. He was going to send me photos but hasn't yet. He couldn't remember if it was complete or not.

I've been lucky with bayonets lately, just to lazy to photograph them. Got a Belgian 1916 last Friday. Won a German Butcher bayonet last night, should be here Friday.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

I've been lucky with bayonets lately, just to lazy to photograph them. Got a Belgian 1916 last Friday. Won a German Butcher bayonet last night, should be here Friday.

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Not only do I still need a No 5 bayonet (missed a pretty nice one last week at less than the $200 + they have been selling for) another Swiss bayo,a polish bayo for my k98 and a folding Carcano Bayo.

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Not only do I still need a No 5 bayonet (missed a pretty nice one last week at less than the $200 + they have been selling for)

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I know what you mean about the No 5 bayonets. I got one for $290 but from what I`ve seen that`s pretty cheap. Other places have them at well over $300 and I even saw one close to $400. All in all I think I got lucky with my No 5 bayonet. I have many bayonets in my collection, most with a rifle paired with it, but one bayonet still doesn`t have a rifle. It`s my model 1874 gras bayonet that was a war bring back.

My quest came to an end today. Gun show near Philly today and I took the morning off sitting here at the computer to check it out. My wife and I were there a couple of months ago and I didn't find any interesting rifles I could afford but I figured I'd give it a second chance. Locals didn't give it good reviews for milsurps.

I went in, walked through the first large room without finding anything and then went into the large room and went straight to the back corner to work my way backwards. Guy in the corner has a nice 6.5 M38 that matched for $229. My official allowance today was $200 and I figured I could work out a deal for that but I had about 300+ tables to check out and just kept moving. About this time I find that the instant check lines are down and had been down all morning. Which here means no gun sales. Show started at 9, it's about 10:30 and these guys haven't sold a gun yet except for the few that weren't doing paperwork. I get halfway back through the big room and a nicer 7.5 SA marked M38 is at the guys table who I bought the Japanese Type I off of a few months ago. His price oddly enough is also $229 and I know he isn't going to come down. I asked anyway and was told no but no one could buy anything until PICS was back online. Kept going and find a third M38, all matching with nice Cartouche also 7.5 and SA marked. This one is priced $325 but the tag says "folding bayonet". Curious I asked if they have the bayonet and indeed they do. I don't need the bayonet so I ask if they will sell the rifle separate. For $225 yes. I say too high. He asks what I want to offer, I say $150 and he says yes but again, no PICS, I have to wait. For that price I'll wait. I sit down fill out the paperwork and as soon as I finish, PICS comes online and I'm first in line at the table. I couldn't stop thinking about the bayonet. I don't need it but it looked nice on the rifle. He says $100 for the bayonet, I counter $75 and he accepts because I bought the rifle. So matching 1939 Terni SA marked 7.5 with folding bayonet for $225. Bore looks excellent, finish on the receiver is thin but strong elsewhere. The front sight blade was messed with, filed thin, so I'll probably replace that but I have a sling I bought last summer. It has some faint marks I assume the Finns put on it above the serial number and a small marking of some sort I can't find in my books stamped on the stock. Looks like a backwards f and a d in a circle. Stock isn't perfect and has some scrapes but all in all not bad. I'll get some photos up soon on a separate thread.

Well played. I see you have not used up all your good fortune yet. I had not seen a Carcano in more than a year until I found my 7.35 a few weeks ago. Saw on identical last Saturday but passed due to the $375 price tag. A bit nicer than mine (better stock markings and cleaner) several clips and some ammo included. Let me know if you decide to market the extra bayo.