Kleins "Oswald" Carcano Replica

[sonofcoldwarkid96]

Here is the Klein's Ad from the February 1963 Issue of American Rifleman Oswald supposedly purchased the "6.5 Italian Carbine" for $19.95 with the Ordnance Optics Scope mounted on it, under the name A. Hidell on March 13, 1963.

[RCS]

Milt Klein lived in this house during the 40's (maybe even before) thru the mid 60's when he moved. The house has had some outside work but is much the same as when he lived at this address in Glencoe Illinois, about one hour north of Chicago on Lake Michigan. Photo is about five years old.
Klein felt bad about the Oswald mail order rifle and soon after got out of the retail and mail order but kept the Gun Digest awhile longerAttachment 42648

[jmoore]

One thing with the scope mount that I've found is that the attaching screws are barely up to the task of holding zero. It would be much better with the addition of a couple of dowel pins, but the wouldn't be "correct"... On mine, (the one mentioned previously which a friend built) the mount has shifted a couple of times, requiring tightening of the screws and re-zeroing. But it does fine until it doesn't.

[sonofcoldwarkid96]

At some point I would like to make another Klein's Carcano Replica, but it would have to be a C-block short rifle.

[menken]

built this sling for one of my Carcanos; what do you think?
Attachment 46345

[jmoore]

built this sling for one of my Carcanos; what do you think?
Attachment 46345

Looks OK! Have never tried to do one, but am curious if it makes any kind of practical sense.

[menken]

Are you referring to building an 'Oswald clone' rifle; building a repro sling, or would the sling be of any use?

Doesn't matter much, 'cause the answer to all three of those is 'no'. THe gun is a silly money sink (like most hobbies), same with the sling. I have a stupid amount of time and energy invested in crafting them, and as for the sling being practical; its really too short to be good for much other than picking the rifle up by. There isn't enough slack, even with the buckles backed off as far as possible, to get your arm laced through it in any meaningful way that would provide any support.

But then there isn't any evidence that LHO was in Mensa, so (I'm guessing) he found that M13 holster strap in a "used/cheap stuff" barrel somewhere and thought it might work as a sling. Not so much.

[jmoore]

If the scope mount would stay put using nothing but the screws, I'd call the optics package and rifle practical enough for hunting. Mine shoots very well indeed until the zero goes. A couple of dowel or taper pins would fix that easily enough, but it's not going to happen on my repro.

[smellie]

Interesting thread.

I bought my first Carcano the year before from Ed Page's Hardware in Hargrave, Manitoba (population today circa 50), got white-box ammo from Albion in Peterborough ($6 for 5 boxes; it also fit my VV 70/87/915), but there were no CLIPS in Canada. After the JFK thing, LIFE magazine published photos of LHO's sales slip, so I wrote to Klein's, sent along a dollar and asked for a clip.

Klein's sent me half a dozen UNMARKED blued clips. It was only some time later that I got actual Italian clips and made the discovery that they had manufacturers' markings on them!

I still have a couple of those "CIA clips" around somewhere. They worked very well.

What my Father said when he discovered a CARCANO in my closet may not be quoted here. He was okay with Lee-Enfields and Rosses and Winchesters and even Mannlichers, but a CARCANO was the LIMIT.

BTW, everyone wants to know if the 3 rounds could be fired in 6-1/2 seconds. I did it the following Spring with a Model 38 Carbine, offhand, at a cigarette pack at 75 yards, standing. Two hits and a miss, group size about as big as a Cantaloupe. It's not hard; you only have to reload twice. You start with a loaded chamber and leave the last round in the rifle, which is what Oswald did; according to the police report, his rifle had a fired round in the chamber ....IIRC.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

For students of history,ballistics and or conspiracy theroists I read a book http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_...hat_Killed_JFK a couple of years ago that makes an interesting argument that the fatal wound resulted from an accidental discharge of a Secret Service AR-15 and not Oswald's Carcano though it does not dispute Oswald was the shooter. Very interesting read.