Carcano Moschetto questions

[Jonnytoobad]

So My beautiful girlfriend and I went to a pawn shop today in my home town and she picked up a little Moschetto Carbine...and of course fell in love with the stinking thing. She didn't buy it but wants it. I tried to get her into a Swedish Mauser carbine but something about the Carcano really intrigues her. I am thinking it could be a interesting way to introduce her into the world of milsurps. It's missing top hand guard, barrel band and folding bayonet. They want way to much for it.....sigh....$150 I would pay like $50 for it. What do you guys think I should do?

Jonnytoobad

[DCM]

My first question is how does the bore look after a couple of clean dry swabs?
As a caster the odd sized 6.5/0.268 or 7.35/0.300 boolits are no problem.
If the bore is decent they can shoot pretty well, If not I personally would not bother in another lesson in futility. some folks here have re-barreled them to 7.62X39, but unless you can do all the work yourself it will likely cost more than the rifle itself to do so.
Really not a bad rifle if the bore is decent. Triggers are pretty nice for mil-sups. Safety is horrendous to work, easier to leave the bolt open than try to use that thing, that is what some of us do anyways.
I have not checked the price on these lately, so I can't say much there.

[JHeath]

What's a hundred bucks? It'll make her happy and be a project you can do together. And shows that her opinion matters and that you will do what it takes to make things work, even if something else would be more convenient for you.

Or you could take her to a $200 dinner, write poetry, hire mariachis to serenade her, etc.

And you're balking at a Carcano?

[texassako]

Is it 6.5 or 7.35? My cavalry Moschetto 91/38s in 7.35 are a lot of fun, but that missing bayonet sure knocks down the value. One sporter has a clean, crisp bore and shoots cast real well. The other is still original and shoots jacketed well considering the sights. The sights are pretty bad on these.

[Mark Daiute]

It's Italian, Jon. Need I say more?

[Jonnytoobad]

The bore on this rifle looks pretty decent strong and sharp but a little dark. I told her that she would have to get into reloading and she seems interested in that endeavor. Looks like Ill be in the market for some 6.5
Carcano dies

[Uncle Grinch]

Don't forget that it needs the en-bloc clip!

[nekshot]

from what I am seeing 150 bucks is very reasonable. Get some clips and dies and a mold or 2 and some casings and your good to go for a little over 200 bucks. Sounds reasonable to me.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

the swede is a nicer gun by far , Italians may know wine and pasta but the swedes knew how to hunt and shoot

had a 6.5 carcano , sold it I think the buyer ended up with about 125 in it by the time I shipped it and he paid the transfer I only sold it for 75 + the 25 or 30 shipping can't remember what exactly it was any more

what they say about he clip , you can't do anything but single load it without the clip so make sure you can find several because they drop free out the bottom on the last round and you step on them

at the same time about a year ago when I was selling there was a beautifully stocked one in a local shop in 7.35 that they had no clip for , it pointed nice had been sporterized to give it half way decent sights they were asking 125 but I get the idea they would have taken a bunch less

[Jonnytoobad]

Indeed the Swedish Mauser is a wonderful rifle and cartridge but she really likes the way the Carcano feels in her hands. Heck with it nothing ventured nothing gained.

[Wayne Smith]

So, buy yourself the Mauser and her the Carcano! Seriously, they are strong rifles that have gotten a bad rap. You do need a couple of clips, and make sure you get the right bullets (diameter, this is a large 6.5.), and get her handloading.

[gew98]

Those little 91 carbines are hard to find the bayonet parts for as the locking catches do differ and more often than not won't interchange. And the dreaded in NO WAY adjustable sights.... you pretty much have to learn spaghetti windage if you want to use issue Irons. They are neat and handy little things but that could not make me keep them. I got rid of the carcanos I had years ago. The neatest one I had was a 91 truppe speciale withthe crossed rifles accuracy mark dated 1898. Though it was gorgeous in and out it sure did'tn shoot as good as it looked - and it took that goofy bayonet that had a slide to the side bayonet lug on the front band and like to have never found that bayonet for it...what were the eyeties thinking on that monstrousity !.

[Jonnytoobad]

Well I took the plunge
I found her Moschetto Per Cavaleri 1891/38 and its a decent gun. I gave it to her today for her birthday and she is absolutely out of her mind excited about it! Never seen a girl so happy for a birthday present it was like she just got a pony!

I did fire one round the day I got it using PRVI and it sure enough it key holed. On the upside it has a perfect bore that is like a mirror. It is missing the bayonet and top hand gaurd but I already found the proper bayonet for it.

I did really well traded a beat up thaca 51 for it that I paid $40 for.

Jonnytoobad

[GCBurner]

Surprised it keyholed, the Carcanos with the progressive-twist rifling actually seem to shoot pretty well, Lee Harvey Oswald was a believer. Privi ammo is readily available for the 6.5x52, and a LOT cheaper than the Norma ammo, which I think is the only other major manufacturer loading it. Hornady makes a jacketed 6.5 of the correct size, but casting boolits to fit the bore seems to be the way to go. Buy the Carcano clips wherever you can find them cheap, otherwise, you've just got a single-loader.

[Hang Fire]

Clips can be had from Numrich (Gunparts Corp.) I recently bought five steel reproduction ones from them and they work fine. IIRC, they were like a bit over 5 bucks each, the original brass ones were over $12.00 apiece.

[DCM]

Surprised it keyholed also. The 7.35 I have been picking a fight with shoots large patterns when clean, large groups when dirty but never keyholed. I would check the crown first.

[texassako]

Clips can be had from Numrich (Gunparts Corp.) I recently bought five steel reproduction ones from them and they work fine. IIRC, they were like a bit over 5 bucks each, the original brass ones were over $12.00 apiece.

I am not surprised factory ammo keyholed. There is almost no ammo with a proper sized bullet for the Carcano. Hornady is the main source for jacketed bullets since they actually researched the issue and made a .268" bullet for the Carcano.

[Jonnytoobad]

I pretty much expected it to key hole since .264 is the bullet diameter of PRVI. Apparently hornady also makes (or made) 6.5 Carcano loaded ammo under there custom line. I know where I can get a bunch of PRVI for $17 per box. I might buy it and pull the bullets then re load them with Hornady bullets. Until I can get casting and dies.

[texassako]

Speaking of a mold. I recently started shooting this one in 6.5 Carcano: http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...h8ukundlu1crc5. Time will tell how good it will shoot, but it already shoots better than the Lee Cruise Missile.

[Old Scribe]

My calvery carbine is 6.5 and a great shooter. One of my uncles brought it back from Europe after WWII, complete with bayonet but no stock. I eventually found one of the correct size. I reload using cast boolets from a NOE 267-169gr mould. What a hoot!