roysclockgun
Handloader
- Dec 17, 2005
- 736
- 1
Richard Hobbs wrote a book :" The Carcano; Italy's Military Rifle", that clears up a lot of the false myths regarding the weaknesses and ineffectiveness of the Carcano.
Probably the high point of the Carcanos history, was when Lee Harvey Oswald used one to take part in the assassination of Pres. John F. Kennedy in 1963. That Model 38 Carcano in 6.5x52mm, mounted with a 4x18 power scope and loaded with ammo that had been contracted in 1954 by the US Gov'mt, to be used by the CIA in clandestine ops, was more than capable of the making the short range shots against the persons in the Kennedy car, which was moving at a slow rate of speed, AWAY from Oswald's perch.
As with the Arisaka, the Carcano was derided following WWII as being cheap, weak and inaccurate, none of which is true. The Italian arms industry was already centuries old when the Carcano was adopted in 1891. At that time they began producing Carcanos for the Italian military and continued to do so unitl Italy was overrun in WWII. The Carcano was made in several different models to suit the various combat arms of Italy, to include a long rifle and cavalry carbine fitted with pivoting bayonet! A number of Carcanos were made for Japan, chambered for the 6.5 Japanese round. Others were chambered for the German 8x57mm Mauser cartridge, to serve Italian troops sent to the Eastern Front.
Why did the Carcano not catch on as a sporting rifle, following WWII? In my opinion, there are a number of reasons, not the least of which is the bad press generated by returning GIs, that stated that the Carcano was no good. Then there was and is the problem of getting suitable sporting ammo. Add to that the fact that for most of the western nations, enamoured with the Mauser type rifle, the Carcano does not have a pleasing appearance.
I wager that had the Carcano hit the shores of the US without thousands of more acceptably chambered long arms being available, it would've proven to be a very accurate and effective hunting rifle, with either the earlier 6.5x52mm bullet, or the later 7.35x53mm bullet.
The Carcano came into the hands of the US public at the wrong time and faced too stiff competition from Mausers and US Gov'mt released Springfields and Enfields. Again, as with the Arisaka war trophy rifles, the Carcano was relegated to rusting away, hanging on garage walls.
Steven
Probably the high point of the Carcanos history, was when Lee Harvey Oswald used one to take part in the assassination of Pres. John F. Kennedy in 1963. That Model 38 Carcano in 6.5x52mm, mounted with a 4x18 power scope and loaded with ammo that had been contracted in 1954 by the US Gov'mt, to be used by the CIA in clandestine ops, was more than capable of the making the short range shots against the persons in the Kennedy car, which was moving at a slow rate of speed, AWAY from Oswald's perch.
As with the Arisaka, the Carcano was derided following WWII as being cheap, weak and inaccurate, none of which is true. The Italian arms industry was already centuries old when the Carcano was adopted in 1891. At that time they began producing Carcanos for the Italian military and continued to do so unitl Italy was overrun in WWII. The Carcano was made in several different models to suit the various combat arms of Italy, to include a long rifle and cavalry carbine fitted with pivoting bayonet! A number of Carcanos were made for Japan, chambered for the 6.5 Japanese round. Others were chambered for the German 8x57mm Mauser cartridge, to serve Italian troops sent to the Eastern Front.
Why did the Carcano not catch on as a sporting rifle, following WWII? In my opinion, there are a number of reasons, not the least of which is the bad press generated by returning GIs, that stated that the Carcano was no good. Then there was and is the problem of getting suitable sporting ammo. Add to that the fact that for most of the western nations, enamoured with the Mauser type rifle, the Carcano does not have a pleasing appearance.
I wager that had the Carcano hit the shores of the US without thousands of more acceptably chambered long arms being available, it would've proven to be a very accurate and effective hunting rifle, with either the earlier 6.5x52mm bullet, or the later 7.35x53mm bullet.
The Carcano came into the hands of the US public at the wrong time and faced too stiff competition from Mausers and US Gov'mt released Springfields and Enfields. Again, as with the Arisaka war trophy rifles, the Carcano was relegated to rusting away, hanging on garage walls.
Steven
