An Old War Horse

[majspud]

I picked this up last week, an 1897 M1891 Carcano rifle. I had missed out on a nicer one at nearly twice the price, but as we like to say, this one screams 'been there, done that.' I sold my 1944 M38/43 TS 8mm conversion to get this - it only lasted 14 minutes on Gunboards before it sold.

This is a well-used old warhorse still in its original long rifle configuration, and chambered in 6.5mm Carcano. This rifle was made at the Torre Annuzia Arsenal in 1897 with serial number VX791. This rifle was re-arsenaled, repaired, or rebuilt several times. The stock had been replaced at some point as its original serial number had four numbers. There are eight nice period splice and peg arsenal stock repairs at the toe, top of tang, front and lower band. I've since glued the long crack on the left side. There is an arsenal ‘star’ repair mark on stock and a re-arsenal symbol on the receiver. Bolt serial number ML3546 has been lined out. The barrel shows use but cleaned up well with strong rifling and only a little roughness. Carcano sling is an original I had from the T/S, I'm looking for an original long Carcano cleaning rod. Almost certainly saw service in both World Wars.

T

Information

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[majspud]

The M91 could have served with my M70/87/15 Vetterli (1916 conversion of an 1884 Brescia).

T

[Aragorn243]

The rear tang is up awful high, might want to check to see if it is screwed down properly or if something is under it. If it's not that, they removed a lot of wood from the stock. Looks like crossed rifles in the fifth photo which is a plus. Considered to be more accurate than average. Cleaning rods are tough. Prices are in the $50 range.

[majspud]

I disassembled it and put it back together - the tang remains high. Maybe the tang splice is too low? First shot last weekend broke the extractor. I've one on the way now. On the third shot, the front of the hand guard fell off. The three shots were just above a paper plate at 11:30-1:30 at 50 yards. Will try again.

T

[Eaglelord17]

What style of extractor do you have? The early kind which went through the bolt lug, or the later one?

[Aragorn243]

You aren't loading without the chargers are you? Carcanos can't be loaded single shot, they have to have the chargers. If you are using the chargers, the guy who fired it last probably didn't have them and that's how the extractor got broke.

The shells have to slide up and into the bolt head. If you put the cartridge into the chamber, the bolt head and extractor have no way other than brute force to get over the rim of the case.

[bob q]

The crossed rifles is an inspection mark . One rifle out of a batch would be pulled out for inspection . There is no reason that would make it any more accurate that any other rifle of that batch .

[vintage hunter]

The crossed rifles is an inspection mark . One rifle out of a batch would be pulled out for inspection . There is no reason that would make it any more accurate that any other rifle of that batch .

The crossed rifles superimposed over a bullseye, otherwise known as the Tiro a Segno Nazionale (National Sharp Shooters) accuracy mark, was stamped on the barrel of Carcanos that exhibited above average accuracy and during WWII rifles so marked were set aside for use as sniper rifles by the best marksmen of an Italian unit. The TSN mark can be found on all M1891 Carcano variants, including the Cavalry carbines with folding bayonets. It's normally found on the left side of the barrel shank but I have an M41 with it on the right side.

[bob q]

That is an old internet myth . When a factory is making 1000's of rifles a day there is no way each rifle is test fired with the amount of ammo that would be needed to tell what rifle is the most accurate . They would need more shooters than they have rifle builders .

[Eaglelord17]

That is an old internet myth . When a factory is making 1000's of rifles a day there is no way each rifle is test fired with the amount of ammo that would be needed to tell what rifle is the most accurate . They would need more shooters than they have rifle builders .

Clearly you do not know what you are talking about. If it was a myth, it would not be well documented. All it meant is the rifle displayed superior accuracy in testing. It is not like they were sniper rifles, all it was, was that particular rifle showed a better result on the initial tests. Superior accuracy likely meant, the standard is 'X' at 100m, this rifle did better than that.