6.5 Carcano boolits?

[fal_762x51]

I have not dove into the 6.5x52 cartridge yet. I got a beat 91/38 I am restoring. I need future references on casting. From my brief recollection, I recall that the 6.5 Carcano is wider than the Swede. However, I vaguely remember about the length of the boolit. Any 6.5 Carcano wisdom is appreciated.

[Adam Helmer]

fal 762x51,

Sir, as a serious military arms collector at age 71, may I offer you advice about ANY Carcano "wisdom"? If you have a 17-foot Old Town canoe, as I do, I will say any Carcano is a fine boat anchor. My first military arm back in 1958 was a Terni 7.35MM M38 short rifle at $13.88. I still have her, but the price was not cheap enough. My #2 military arm was a No.4 Mk1 and I never looked back.

If you have unlimited time and coin, then work up a load for a 6.5mm Carcano. I would suggest you get a 6.5mm Swede and be happier in the long run. Also, buy a canoe. LOL!

Adam

[fal_762x51]

I have a M96 Swede already. My goal is the one who dies with the most variety of milsurps wins.

[Donor8x56r]

I shoot my M41 and M91 Carcanos rather regularly.Recipie?Fireform case,neck size with Lee 6.5 collet die-machine down the length of it by about 5/32.As is that die will squeeze about 1/2 the neck.
NOE 145Gr 6.5 mold casts .268-9.Perfect for Carcano.I use Alu gc-copper checks are too small in diameter and way too short to stay securely.Softer alloy works much better for me than WW.Range scrap from pistol range works the best so far.
11.1 Gr of 2400 is my load.I tried WST and Red Dot-they work but don't give me level of accuracy of 2400.
Both of my Carcanos have very worn out firing pins so instead of large rifle primer I use CCI Magnum Pistol Primer.Fires every time and it's in stock unlike LR primers.

Did I forget anything?Of course Carcano Enbloc is mandatory but load only 5 into it(they feed way better).Some work better than others,some don't work at all.Find a bunch and try.

[Old Scribe]

I cast a .269 163 gr FN bullet using a NOE mould for my 91-38 Carcano Carbine. The factory military load was 169 gr.
The progressive twist barrel required the long,heavy round.
Some collectors believe the Carcano is junk because they were available in the 50's and 60's for little to nothing. Having collected military arms for nearly 50 years I know there are other arms of greater value but the Carcano is a good rifle just the same and can be pretty accurate.

[cuzinbruce]

I don't want to start a controversy but I always thought the Carcano was an adequate military weapon for it's day. Not the best but more than adequate. I think their bad reputation is partly because they don't make up into nice sporters. Back in the 1950's-60's or so when everyone was sporterizing milsurps, Carcano's didn't make up into nice ones like Springfields and Mausers did. The split bridge on the rear of the receiver, the magazine below the stock, the need for an enbloc clip, etc, were all problems. Some had a folding bayonet attached. And you have to mount a scope on the side. Just not real easy to make a sporter out of one. And a lot of the surplus ones were not in real good condition. But as a military weapon, they were adequate.
Have fun shooting yours!

[JeffinNZ]

Mine shoots well with the NOE 269 145 sized .268-.269. I am also shooting a Lyman 280468 sized down to .268 with great success. Started with the illustrious Lee Cruise Missile and got it to shoot very accurately at 1750fps even with 'wobbly bottom syndrome' and oval holes. Killed wallabies just fine.

[OptimusPanda]

Sometimes it's fun to get out and shoot old rifles. Regardless of their status as "boat anchor". A couple months ago I saw a good deal on a 7.35 carcano carbine. I wish I'd bought it.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Both the rifles and their cartridges bear a close resemblance to the 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer and the rimmed 6.5x53R, which don't come in for much criticism. Cross-sections suggest just as much metal where it counts. I would suspect that some were badly made, especially late in a war the Italians had the sense to see they didn't much like. But some, particularly those made by Beretta, are about as well made and finished as military rifles get.

Something to watch out for is long rifles which have been shortened. Gain twist rifling is nice in theory, unnecessary in practice, and probably easier than conventional rifling to do badly. But if the rifle is shortened, you cut off the fast end and get a twist too slow for the bullet. Some certainly suffered this in sporterizing, but I believe it sometimes happened in Italy too.

I think the 6.5mm. is a better and more practical cartridge than the 7.35mm. The best bullet diameter is a shade larger than the common .264in. bullets, but many people do get reasonably good accuracy with these, particularly if the jacket is thin. I think The 7.35mm demands unusual diameter bullets, or sizing down .308 ones to a degree that I think risks uneven springing back of the jacket from the core. But you should be able to size down cast bullets quite adequately. If you get finning at the rear you can simply trim it away before loading.

[ukrifleman]

I have a 1918 Mod 91, 6.5 Carcano, that works well with a Lee C/M bullet when it is cut down to 150gn, which I found worked better than the original 170gn and loaded as cast at .2695 in front of 11.0gn of GM3.

This load will achieve an average 2.5" group at 100m with a m/v of around 1500fps.

I have just found a 1939 vintage Brescia 7.35 Mod 38, which I have yet to try out. I will be using 155gn and 160 Lee G/c bullets sized down to .300 and Rel 7.

ukrifleman

[leadman]

Many years ago I bought a 6.5 Carcano from a friend that was made by Beretta. Had the rear sight that could flip up. Whole gun was in excellent shape. I bought a Lee hand kit and some 6.5mm bullets, 160gr, probably Hornady. Pretty sure they were not larger than .265".
Used 3031 and it shot extremely well, even surpassing my 1891 Arg. Mauser at the time.
Had to sell it as times were tough and the house mortgage interest rate was over 16%.
I do have a rather ratty Carcano in 6.5mm that used to have a folding bayonet on but have not shot it much.

[RPRNY]

Lee Harvey Oswald showed that it can be a perfectly serviceable rifle.

I would suggest slugging the barrel and taking a chamber cast of the throat before deciding on bullet size. Military specification and the state of the chamber and barrel that you have can differ significantly. I have seen one that .264" j-bullets will effectively slide straight through...

[Jake70]

The NOE molds seem to be the best bets. Those old Carcanos can be made to shoot accurately with a bit of tinkering with the loads. Mines a 1918 M1891 TS.

[fal_762x51]

Thanks! I got most of my parts from SS and I am waiting on the 6.5x1.0 mm tap to fix the bugged receiver tang. Getting closer.

[Sur-shot]

The real problem with the little rifle is the bolt, it is held together with one slip pin, about the diameter of a #6 common nail, and about the same heat treating. That pin goes through the bolt side to side, holds the bolt together. If the pin lets go, you get a bolt sandwich without bread.

Shot a bunch of them in the early 60s but there are plenty of surplus guns that are better shooters and that are better made. The 38 and 99 Arisaka makes the spaghetti gun look like a joke and they are nasty to make a decent looking sporter out of, I have and still do own them.
Ed

[semtav]

Like others have said, my 6.5 Carcano shoots as good as can be expected considering the course sights and have shot it frequently at local military matches. The key is using the right diameter bullet and the proper OAL.

[semtav]

Had a chance to shoot mine at the military match today. Kept right up with the O3A3's that everyone else was shooting and the only rifle that hit all ten shots on any target. Mine is the long Terni rifle. cant remember the model # but it looks identicle to the one on the right in post #10.. Bullet of choice was a BRP 268469 that I acquired off a group buy on this site a few years back, capped with old Hornady 270 gas checks and sized in a .271 sizer. Driven by 15 gr 4227 and ignited by a Br-2 primer. If this thing had a scope on it, it would be a tack driver.

I also have a very short carbine version that I bought about 1982 for $15. Found some old military ammo and tried to shoot it. couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it and I'm sure that's what gave it part of its bad reputation. been going to dig it out and try my load in it cause it was in very good shape..

[semtav]

just an FYI . They are doing a group buy on one very similar to mine. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...7604-6-5-Kurtz

[TENMAN]

I need load data for 6.5 x 52 carcano with 162 grain lead gas check bullet.

[GregLaROCHE]

I have two Swedes and they shoot well, but if a reasonable deal came around, I would buy it. After all it’s supposedly the gun that shot JFK. I think the real gun is now at the Smithsonian institute.