Milsurp Discussion Lounge

[DadSmith]

My boy bought a Italian M91 Carcano carbine.
I told him to check the rifling before he accepted it, or have the gunsmith do it. Gunsmith is who he had it shipped to.
He didn't listen, and brought it home all excited. I checked the barrel it was basically a smooth bore, very little rifling left, and pitted badly.
The bluing, and stock looked really good. I'm surprised the barrel was that bad.
He bought 400rds of 6.5 Carcano and they keyhole the target about 1 out of 5 shots, at 50yds the best pattern we could get was around 4.5".
I told him I could probably find some hard cast bullets for it oversized, and maybe it would help catch the little bit of rifling that it had to give it better accuracy.
Do these rifles have any surplus barrels at a decent price to possibly replace the one he has?
He's building a WWII rifle collection.

 

[hoglegs]

My boy bought a Italian M91 Carcano carbine.
I told him to check the rifling before he accepted it, or have the gunsmith do it. Gunsmith is who he had it shipped to.
He didn't listen, and brought it home all excited. I checked the barrel it was basically a smooth bore, very little rifling left, and pitted badly.
The bluing, and stock looked really good. I'm surprised the barrel was that bad.
He bought 400rds of 6.5 Carcano and they keyhole the target about 1 out of 5 shots, at 50yds the best pattern we could get was around 4.5".
I told him I could probably find some hard cast bullets for it oversized, and maybe it would help catch the little bit of rifling that it had to give it better accuracy.
Do these rifles have any surplus barrels at a decent price to possibly replace the one he has?
He's building a WWII rifle collection.

Did he try slugging the barrel yet? I was in the same predicament with a mosin, full choke 12ga at 50yds had a tighter pattern without the keyholing lol. What I found was the last 6 inches of barrel was really trashed (90yrs of steel cleaning rods?) but beyond that it was "serviceable". Sooo I chopped off that 6 inches, recrowned & made myself a carbine. If I load oversize (some 313s / 303 brit) it shoots surprisingly well down that sewer pipe bore! Maybe dig up some 267s somewhere & load em up?

 

[Vanderbilt]

Riot length is a good way to go if you don't want to spend the money on an original 1897 trench gun. I do know that making a repro can be a bit of a hassle.

.....1897's are out there, trench guns are very rare.....that's how my running buddy ended up with his 1897. Guy he got it from wanted to make it into a trench gun until he discovered how much work it was going to take.....

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Did he try slugging the barrel yet? I was in the same predicament with a mosin, full choke 12ga at 50yds had a tighter pattern without the keyholing lol. What I found was the last 6 inches of barrel was really trashed (90yrs of steel cleaning rods?) but beyond that it was "serviceable". Sooo I chopped off that 6 inches, recrowned & made myself a carbine. If I load oversize (some 313s / 303 brit) it shoots surprisingly well down that sewer pipe bore! Maybe dig up some 267s somewhere & load em up?

6.5x52 should use .268" projectiles, but commercial ammo is loaded with .264.

 

[ben142266]

Either or. I'm primarily just looking to acquire a shootable example of the platform. I'd prefer a carbine, but what I end up with will likely be more price dependent than anything.

Same here, anytime I find one its either way in good shape but way more than what I want to spend/what its worth or its a sewer pipe.

 

[ben142266]

My boy bought a Italian M91 Carcano carbine.
I told him to check the rifling before he accepted it, or have the gunsmith do it. Gunsmith is who he had it shipped to.
He didn't listen, and brought it home all excited. I checked the barrel it was basically a smooth bore, very little rifling left, and pitted badly.
The bluing, and stock looked really good. I'm surprised the barrel was that bad.
He bought 400rds of 6.5 Carcano and they keyhole the target about 1 out of 5 shots, at 50yds the best pattern we could get was around 4.5".
I told him I could probably find some hard cast bullets for it oversized, and maybe it would help catch the little bit of rifling that it had to give it better accuracy.
Do these rifles have any surplus barrels at a decent price to possibly replace the one he has?
He's building a WWII rifle collection.

Where did he buy it from? RTI frequently has Carcanos for $99 (I think right now even) but those who know RTI knows its a gamble as they were stored poorly (Ethiopia goat sheds no lie). There was a shipment of one's stored in Italian police storage that go for about $2-$300 so if he isn't in it for too much, may be better off selling it and finding one of the Italian police ones.

 

[Shifty_85]

when I sold my house I had a little play money picked up this DTM with 3 drums it's a riot 63rd of 7.62x54r 25lbs it has hardly any recoil sadly it's neutered but still a great piece of history and SMG did a great job on the open bolt to closed bolt.

 

[Shifty_85]

1941 SVT40 I De bubba'd it. It was spray painted black when I 1st got it and was engraved on the wrist of the stock. Had the wrong sling on it. Sadly they cut the rear of the stock to fit a rubber butt pad the normal steel one won't fit back on. Picked it up for 350.00 a few years ago!

Also my Yugo M57 hanging out as well.

 

[Shifty_85]

My 1st ever rifle purchase 1937 M91/30 laminate stock got it for 89 dollars at Dunham's. I've run quite a few rounds through it even range 12x24" coyote steel targets at 600 with iron sights as well

 

[Shifty_85]

Full size M91/30 on top.
M38 carbine middle *Smoothest Mosin bolt I've ever shot.

And a No4 someone tried to make into a No 5 jungle carbine I got for free from a friend. It was in a garage fire he didn't have time to mess with it. I sanded all the char off and just polyurethane the stock I thought the burned wood looked very neat so I just sealed it. Let the bolt sit in WD40 over night and it cleaned right up.

 

[Shifty_85]

Yugo M57 and a 1945 M1895 nagant revolver on the right. Both are pretty fun but ammo is not cheap for them!

 

[ben142266]

View attachment 279153 View attachment 279154 View attachment 279155 1941 SVT40 I De bubba'd it. It was spray painted black when I 1st got it and was engraved on the wrist of the stock. Had the wrong sling on it. Sadly they cut the rear of the stock to fit a rubber butt pad the normal steel one won't fit back on. Picked it up for 350.00 a few years ago!

Also my Yugo M57 hanging out as well.

Beautiful, one of my grail guns. Great job on restoring it! $350 is a steal, I'd gladly pay a thousand now if I could find one for that price.

 

[Shifty_85]

Beautiful, one of my grail guns. Great job on restoring it! $350 is a steal, I'd gladly pay a thousand now if I could find one for that price.

Yeah I know I got a very very good deal. It's a riot to plink with I've had it out to 400 yards also I've used it in 3 gun competition as well.

Here's a couple pictures of the condition it was in when I got it..it made me really sad but gave me a fun project

 

[TheJoker]

 

[ben142266]

Yeah I know I got a very very good deal. It's a riot to plink with I've had it out to 400 yards also I've used it in 3 gun competition as well.

Here's a couple pictures of the condition it was in when I got it..it made me really sad but gave me a fun project View attachment 279226 View attachment 279227 View attachment 279228

Not as terrible as I thought it was going to be, your restoration though makes it pop

 

[Shifty_85]

Not as terrible as I thought it was going to be, your restoration though makes it pop

Yeah it cleaned up pretty easily and sanded it a few times and stained a few times and a couple coats of polyurethane. Had the metal parts all done with molly resin and my buddy polished the bolt for me it was a fun process

 

[ben142266]

One of these days I'll get a carcano, where did you pick yours up? It looks great, love the 1934 too!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I've got a somewhat unusual Carcano T38 that was converted to 8mm Mauser. It will get your attention firing that through such a small lightweight gun!

 

[ben142266]

I've got a somewhat unusual Carcano T38 that was converted to 8mm Mauser. It will get your attention firing that through such a small lightweight gun!

View attachment 280224 View attachment 280225

Very nice post war conversion! I imagine people thinking it's 6.5 get quite the shock when it has 8mm kick back

 

[ben142266]

View attachment 279158 Yugo M57 and a 1945 M1895 nagant revolver on the right. Both are pretty fun but ammo is not cheap for them!

Tok ammo isn't too expensive around here, I can generally find boxes for about $20-$25. S&B started making a lot of odd calibers thankfully.