6.5 Carcano

S

sc outdoorsman

New member
I have been thinking about getting a military sporter lately. I ran across a 6.5 Carcano in the local trader yesterday. The price indicates that it is not a sporter but I haven't called for all the info yet. From the research I did, it is a Mannlicher style rifle with a strong action and decent performance.
Dies and brass are also out there so I am not too concerned about that. I am curious as to the parts available to sporterize the rifle and if it is easily scoped. I am a machinist by trade and a hobbiest woodworker so I should be able to handle drilling tapping holes for the scope and stock conversion. Heating ,bending and welding will not be a problem either.
I know some of these types of rifles had problem with the safety working with the scope. Will this be a problem?
Are there any common problems with this family of rifles?

Thanks for any help you can provide.:)
 
Here's a couple of photos of a typical 6.5mm Carcano, closed and open.
263024065.jpg


263024422.jpg


Some of the carbine versions have a bent bolt, but some of these are cut down long rifles and the gain twist rifling does not give good accuracy in the cut barrels.
The safety is the flat button located between the bolt body and cocking piece---not easily altered, if it won't work with your scope.
In case you are not aware of this, "Mannlicher" in this case refers to the clip loading feature---a six round spring steel clip is necessary to use the magazine.

Carcano rifles are not generally sported to anyone's advantage.
-----krinko
 
Thanks Krinko. I can see why thye aren't made into sporters. It looks like the scope we need to be offset to work with the bolt setup. I will keep on looking.
 
Note the split rear reciever bridge, for the bolt handle to pass through. THis means that only a side mounted, or a forward mounted scope is practical. Carcano's are among the least desirable milsurps to sporterize, partially due to the work involved to obtain decent results, and partly because the best that can be achieved is decent results.

Unlike a Mauser type rifle, when you get done, the best you will have is a slightly nicer Carcano. The cartridge is no great shakes, launching a 160gr bullet in the 2200fps range, at best.

While the action is reported to be strong, bore (groove) dimensions have been seen to vary widely with these old surplus rifles. One of my old reloading manuals cautions about the groove diameter, if greater than .264 could result in bas blow by of the bullet, and gas blowback through the action, a result of the case not sealing in the chamber due to low pressure. It cautions to always wear safety glasses when shooting one of these rifles.


Despite the infamous history of an individual Carcano, in general terms, they are a not though of as a quality arm. Except for their historical status as the service arm of Italy, they are otherwise considered, by a lot of us, frankly, to be crap. Sorry to be blunt, but that's my opinion, and I'm far from alone.

They do work, but they are already nearly all they can be, and that just isn't as good as nearly all other contemporary rifle designs. If you want to take one on as a project, enjoy yourself. Just know that when you get done, no matter how good a job you do, the rifle won't be worth much to anyone but you. A project like this can be a satisfying thing, or it can be an exercise in frustration, depending on your expectations, and your patience.

Good Luck, and let us know your decision, please.
 
Carcano parts

I have a 1891 Carano which I belive was made in 1913 and has the elevating leaf missing from the rear sight. It is the rear sight that goes from 600-2000 meters, it is the long base not the short base that is on some models of the Carcanos. IOf anyone has any ideas of where I can go about finding the pieces that I need to put the sight together please let me know. I have tried several of the bigger "on line" parts dealers with no luck.

Thank you
Paul
 
While the Carcano may not be the superior sporter project gun that a mauser is, they are fine rifles.
I own a Carcano cavalry carbine...the type with the folding bayonet (mine was removed long before I got it).
It is a very lightweight, short carbine. And, while it was stated above that the 6.5 Carcano cartridge is "no great shakes", the truth is that the round has a high ballestic coefficient, resulting in great penetration, and low recoil and report...it in some ways fits at the high end of the intermediate class that the rest of the world moved into after WWII.
The action of the Carcano itself is very slick and fast...the bolt is fast, and the enbloc clip feeds the rounds smoothly while allowing very fast reloading.
The safety, once you get used to it, is secure, and fast to operate.
 
It killed JFK.

NO, it did not...

Whether you believe it conspiracies or not...

The PERSON (or persons) who pulled the trigger killed him!

T
 
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Carcano...

SC Outdoorsman--I shot a Carcano once--it was somebody elses'. Was more than OK in the accuracy department, at the short range I had available. Worked just fine, too. And I was "in practice," and shooting a variety of rifles at the time.

My main objection to the model is the requirement that you have the stripper clips for the rounds, and as you chamber the last round, you lose the stripper clip out the bottom of the magazine. No problem if you remember to catch the clip, but what if it drops into the mud? The rifle WILL NOT feed rounds w/o the stripper clips, AFAIK. So that's just one more darn thing to keep track of.

There being other milsurp rifles available of about the same vintage, some of considerably greater accuracy, and none of the others requiring the use of the stripper clips, my interest in the Carcano dwindled rapidly, even given the price for which they were selling 'way back then.

At today's prices, I'd be even less interested in a Carcano. I guess if you practically gave me one, I'd take it, but only for a safe queen or for resale.
 
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