My new 1918 M91

[Triplany]

Just picked this up 1918 M91 . Matching serial numbers on stock and barrel. Barrel measures about 30", rifling looks fantastic in it. Could not find a serial on bolt or anywhere else under the wood. has a large cartouche on the stock dated 1924. Looking forward to shooting it!

rear sight has 26 stamped under it. Anyone tell anything I don't know? love to learn more about it.

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Information

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[oldpaul]

Your barrel has the 1918 stamp but according to Arendell and Woodrum's book 'Italy's Battle Rifle', your serial number denotes a 1917 barrel. "From: OR-A451.......To: OR-H5803 1917". I would go with the barrel's 1918 stamp as there is lots of ambiguity with these firearms. Total production for the ROMA arsenal is given at 233,000, not a lot compared to Terni with 2,820,000 but not insignificant either. The stamp on the stock denotes a Terni repair of your long rifle in 1924. From the book, "Anticipating the need, arsenals made spare barrels. These were marked with the arsenal and the year made. The serial number was made blank. When a rifle was re-barreled, the replacement barrel was stamped with the same number." So, put more succinctly and if I am reading this correctly (always suspect), your rifle was used enough to require a new barrel which was installed at the Terni Arsenal in 1924 with a Roma made barrel and the original serial number stamped on the new barrel at that time. I think the original rifle was made in 1917 and the spare barrel was made in 1918, which would explain the discrepancy between the book and your barrel stamp. Carcano's usually don't have a serial number on the bolt as tolerances were kept close and bolts are interchangeable between rifles. A very nice example of a historic Great War rifle. Thanks for sharing. Tom

[Triplany]

That is awesome! Thank you oldpaul!