M91 Carcano Cavalry Carbine. NY legal?

[matt167]

A lot of complaints now on the Carcanos. I think they've gone through the good ones and are down to garbage ones.

I've read about frozen bolts, broken bolts, one where the bolt was stuck in the chamber, cracked stocks, chunks missing from stocks, sewer pipe barrels. It's at the point that unless it's a brand new weapon, or a milsurp where there a tons of pictures of showing condition, you'd be better off buying something in person so you can handle it before you make the decision.

Sorry for your bad luck on this......

That's what I found after I ordered it and it shipped.

The one I got I know has a decent stock, and it looks like it isn't frozen so it may end up a shooter.. I didn't check what year it was but we know they are all within the range of 100 years old, so I guess for something 100 years old, it might be rusty. But the gun shop has a 1917 Carcano M91 TS and a 1916 TS, both with good bores and they are pretty clean. Not refurb Mosin clean but presentable , both with 1947 refurbish stamped stocks and double stamped serials on the butt of the stock. He adds a a box of ammo with each gun he sells, but the Carcano ammo is otherwise off limits as he only has enough for the rifles he has in the rack. I don't know if I want 2 near identical Carcano's with a very limited ammunition supply, or a Mauser

I'd go for a Mauser next. Swedish ones are nice.

I can't remember what his Mauser is

[matt167]

I took home a 1944 Turkish 8mm Mauser along with the Carcano. He had a Swedish Mauser for a lot more money, and a 1943 Springfield M1 Garand that was making me think a little, but at $1,995 for the condition it was in ( field grade I think ) I think there are better deals. He does layaway so who knows..

The real good is that the M91 Carcano Carbine appears to function well and is not as rusty as I thought. Bore is clean and the metal is cleaning up with Ballistol and nothing else other than a clean towel. It was made in 1936 at the Gardone factory and has the pull style lever, not push button... The Mauser I think I did ok at $450. It was one of his cheaper milsurps but Gunbroker turns up $500- up for them, and this one has nice metal. The stock is un damaged with no real finish as I think that is how it should be.

carcmauser.jpg

[millman]

[matt167]

What is the best way to get the trigger group out of the Carcano? I got an itch late last night to try and disassemble it to fully clean it. Front barrel screw came out which I know can be a doozie, and the trigger group screws came out BUT I could not get the group out of the rifle to pull the stock off. I got the handguard cover off and it's not rusty at all under there. Pretty safe to say this carbine is in fairly good condition

I managed to find some PPU ammo for it that wasn't gouged secondary market pricing, and shine a bright light in the receiver. The barrel is shiny with deep rifling grooves

[matt167]

I forgot to update this.. I managed to get the trigger group out with a couple taps of a rubber mallet. I did notice when I was patching the barrel that there was actually some cosmoline and a couple rust flecks at the very end of the barrel. I got 99% of it out, but one rust fleck I just cannot get out. I don't want to damage the muzzle. I used a .22 cal cleaning brush as that is all I have. The barrel down the length is otherwise 99% perfect. It would take about 1/8" or less of counter bore if it actually needed it to maintain accuracy. Not that I'll ever have that done. Any ideas on how to get the tiny bit of rust out? Or just send a couple rounds down the range and clean it again?

[Junk Yard Dog]

I forgot to update this.. I managed to get the trigger group out with a couple taps of a rubber mallet. I did notice when I was patching the barrel that there was actually some cosmoline and a couple rust flecks at the very end of the barrel. I got 99% of it out, but one rust fleck I just cannot get out. I don't want to damage the muzzle. I used a .22 cal cleaning brush as that is all I have. The barrel down the length is otherwise 99% perfect. It would take about 1/8" or less of counter bore if it actually needed it to maintain accuracy. Not that I'll ever have that done. Any ideas on how to get the tiny bit of rust out? Or just send a couple rounds down the range and clean it again?

Go to walmart.com and order a jug of Evaporust, some auto part stores and big box stores also carry it. This is a derusting agent taht will not hard steel. Soak a part in it like you were cleaning the bore with solvent. Run the patch down the bore and stop at the spot with the rust, let the rod and patch sit there for a day, then clean the bore as normal. If there is still some rust then do it again, Don't get it on the outside of the rifle as I don't know what it might do to the blue, inside the bore you are fine, and it works gently. It's eats iron oxide, not steel so it will not cause rust, or eat your bore. Evaporust brand, this brand I know, I do not recommend other rust removers as I have not used them. Evaporust I use all the time for rusty gun parts, car parts, tools, antique phonograph parts, it even eats the old fuel shellac out of nasty gastanks.

[matt167]

Never thought of Evaporust, but yeah I actually have some, since I'm restoring a '71 CB500/ 4 in my freetime. Bought several gallons for the tank.

I wonder if I could put a cork or a tight fitting soft rubber in the end of the barrel and leave it barrel down for a day, or use some tape to close it. A cap full would probably be enough to get enough onto the rust.

[ffuries]

Never thought of Evaporust, but yeah I actually have some, since I'm restoring a '71 CB500/ 4 in my freetime. Bought several gallons for the tank.

I wonder if I could put a cork or a tight fitting soft rubber in the end of the barrel and leave it barrel down for a day, or use some tape to close it. A cap full would probably be enough to get enough onto the rust.

I did this with PB Blaster, took a piece of the tool box foam with the adhesive on it. Pressed it against the muzzle opening, stood the barrel up in a bucket, filed the barrel up. After a few hours, poured it out, poured boiling water in, let it sit, drained, inspected. Repeated at necessary.

WORD of CAUTION, if you go the boiling water route, use an OVEN MITT when handling the barrel, it gets FRIGGIN HOT AS HELL.......Ask me how I know......?

[millman]

My guess is that evaporust will eat the blue right off. I would avoid this. Buy a proper .30 cal bronze brush and scrub the bore with oil. This will remove any rust in there.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Never thought of Evaporust, but yeah I actually have some, since I'm restoring a '71 CB500/ 4 in my freetime. Bought several gallons for the tank.

I wonder if I could put a cork or a tight fitting soft rubber in the end of the barrel and leave it barrel down for a day, or use some tape to close it. A cap full would probably be enough to get enough onto the rust.

If you do that you stand a strong chance of overspill onto the outside. A little spill for a minute or two would be OK as Evaporust is slow acting, but past that and your finish would be ruined. Keep it to a damp patch inside the bore just on the trouble spot, and immediately wipe off any outside overspill with water and then oil.

[matt167]

My guess is that evaporust will eat the blue right off. I would avoid this. Buy a proper .30 cal bronze brush and scrub the bore with oil. This will remove any rust in there.

.30 cal in a 6.5? I have .30 cal brushes, but I thought .22 cal was closer to correct

[matt167]

Never thought of Evaporust, but yeah I actually have some, since I'm restoring a '71 CB500/ 4 in my freetime. Bought several gallons for the tank.

I wonder if I could put a cork or a tight fitting soft rubber in the end of the barrel and leave it barrel down for a day, or use some tape to close it. A cap full would probably be enough to get enough onto the rust.

If you do that you stand a strong chance of overspill onto the outside. A little spill for a minute or two would be OK as Evaporust is slow acting, but past that and your finish would be ruined. Keep it to a damp patch inside the bore just on the trouble spot, and immediately wipe off any outside overspill with water and then oil.

Oh ok. I can try that.

[millman]

My guess is that evaporust will eat the blue right off. I would avoid this. Buy a proper .30 cal bronze brush and scrub the bore with oil. This will remove any rust in there.

.30 cal in a 6.5? I have .30 cal brushes, but I thought .22 cal was closer to correct

I should have stopped at proper size. 6.5 brushes are available. Point being that I would avoid the evaporust. Just my

[matt167]

My guess is that evaporust will eat the blue right off. I would avoid this. Buy a proper .30 cal bronze brush and scrub the bore with oil. This will remove any rust in there.

.30 cal in a 6.5? I have .30 cal brushes, but I thought .22 cal was closer to correct

I should have stopped at proper size. 6.5 brushes are available. Point being that I would avoid the evaporust. Just my

Thanks, I'll see if I can find a 6.5 brush.. Would a .243 brush work? I see some brushes online showing .243/6.5. I know the carcano is .268

[matt167]

I found a brush set listed for .243 and 6.5 Creedmoor and it was $4 so I bought it. I was able to scrub the rust out and then send the swab down which turned the bore into basically a rifled mirror.

[ffuries]

I found a brush set listed for .243 and 6.5 Creedmoor and it was $4 so I bought it. I was able to scrub the rust out and then send the swab down which turned the bore into basically a rifled mirror.

Good deal......Awesome when you can save a sewer pipe barrel!

[matt167]

I found a brush set listed for .243 and 6.5 Creedmoor and it was $4 so I bought it. I was able to scrub the rust out and then send the swab down which turned the bore into basically a rifled mirror.

Good deal......Awesome when you can save a sewer pipe barrel!

Yup, but having that rifle turn out so good, along with the M1 Garand, and both being spendy to feed with ammo, that I bought a reloading press kit and some dies, so I'm going to set up a bench. I just got a cheap single stage Lee press for now

[mogunner]

I bought one of the 91TS carbines on a one-day sale from Palmetto for $199.99, should be here Thursday. I plan on reloading for it, if it's safe to shoot that is, and once I slug the barrel to see if it needs .264 bullets which are readily available, or the .268 ones. There's been a couple of folks who got bad ones from PSA but for the most part they look decent enough. Will see... I really only bought one in order to work up a sight adjusting tool for them but a shooter would be nice.

[matt167]

The nominal bore of a Carcano 6.5 is .268. Hornady and PPU both make .267 bullets, but sold out everywhere.. Hornady may have stopped producing theirs but I don't think there is an official word on that.

PPU loaded ammo is .264. I plan to reload with Hornady 140gr FMJ spitzer .264 bullets as I found the load data for them from Hornady and they can still be had cheap. Accuracy may suffer but should still hit something

[matt167]

I took the Carcano out on Christmas to put a few holes in my burning barrel out back... Seems to be plenty accurate with the commercial .264 PPU ammo.. I have loaded about 20 rounds of Hornady 140gr SST's in 3 different loads that are just above the minimum charge on the Hornady load chart. Have not shot any yet.

That little gun kicks like a mule though. It's manageable, but you feel it for sure