Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
Re: Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
Back into limbo on the caliber stamping. My Carcano Calvary and Short rifles both have commas in the measurement instead of decimals.
No words of wisdom come to mind at this time....
Re: Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
OK, ready for this? I know it's silly to speculate, but I have to admit I had a lot of fun with this one. Thank you again Martin...and I hope you don't mind that I am playing with your rifle's history 
This is entirely hypothetical, but "IS" once scenario on how this rifle could have possibly ended up here.
The rifle saw action during WWI and was likely captured by Austrian forces. Due to the lack of captured 6.5X52mm ammunition, these rifles were re-chambered to use readily available 7.62X54 Greek ammo. Since it was war time and since each rifle was being re-chambered, it was not prevalent to stamp the barrel.
After WWI, this rifle most likely bounced around the Balkans and was involved in the various skirmishes that always seemed to be taking place.
Then in or around 1940, it was sent to Ethiopia to help defend against Italy's advances into British Somaliland. There was an influx of both the Austrian re-chambered rifles and original captured 6.5X52mm rifles. The League of Nations in their efforts to organize the Allied effort likely stamped the barrel at this time to differentiate the two chambers.
Since most of the weapons used in 1940 Ethiopia were primitive at best, these Carcano imports would have been prized as modern, accurate and effective weapons among the Ethiopian troops. This is likely why this rifle was preserved so well.
Sometime after the War, as American Missionaries, entrepreneurs and adventurers flocked to the wild land, the discarded rifle was found and kept as a souvenir. It is also likely that it made its way into the United States during the initial North East Africa immigration surge sometime between 1965 and 1968.
Sometime after the rifle was here in the US, it was restored and re-blued to be the rifle we see in Martin's photographs. One thing is for certain, like most other military surplus rifles, this one has a history. We may never know their journey, but the day dreams they provide us are priceless!
This is entirely hypothetical, but "IS" once scenario on how this rifle could have possibly ended up here.
The rifle saw action during WWI and was likely captured by Austrian forces. Due to the lack of captured 6.5X52mm ammunition, these rifles were re-chambered to use readily available 7.62X54 Greek ammo. Since it was war time and since each rifle was being re-chambered, it was not prevalent to stamp the barrel.
After WWI, this rifle most likely bounced around the Balkans and was involved in the various skirmishes that always seemed to be taking place.
Then in or around 1940, it was sent to Ethiopia to help defend against Italy's advances into British Somaliland. There was an influx of both the Austrian re-chambered rifles and original captured 6.5X52mm rifles. The League of Nations in their efforts to organize the Allied effort likely stamped the barrel at this time to differentiate the two chambers.
Since most of the weapons used in 1940 Ethiopia were primitive at best, these Carcano imports would have been prized as modern, accurate and effective weapons among the Ethiopian troops. This is likely why this rifle was preserved so well.
Sometime after the War, as American Missionaries, entrepreneurs and adventurers flocked to the wild land, the discarded rifle was found and kept as a souvenir. It is also likely that it made its way into the United States during the initial North East Africa immigration surge sometime between 1965 and 1968.
Sometime after the rifle was here in the US, it was restored and re-blued to be the rifle we see in Martin's photographs. One thing is for certain, like most other military surplus rifles, this one has a history. We may never know their journey, but the day dreams they provide us are priceless!
Cocked, locked and ready to rock...
Re: Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
Did you bump your head this morning? 
Speculation is always fun. With the erasure of any possible identifying markings, I'll call it a shooter. Made in Italy, 1894.
Speculation is always fun. With the erasure of any possible identifying markings, I'll call it a shooter. Made in Italy, 1894.
No words of wisdom come to mind at this time....
Re: Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
lol, no...but the alternative is redesigning a sprocket for a piece of roller conveyor. I find the Carcano history much more interesing
But now that you mention it, I do have a slight headache!
But now that you mention it, I do have a slight headache!
Cocked, locked and ready to rock...
Re: Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
When the Greeks rechambered to 6.5x54, they usually stamped the letter "E" on the top of the barrel or chamber. I believe that is the only mark that they used for the rechambering. I have one of these and it has been soundly beat up, although the bore is amazingly pretty good.
bern
bern
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Re: Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
Looks great to me!
As mine did not get the E stamp, it is unlikely that it was done in Greece. A possibility is that it was done in England, as many sporting groups used these M91's in the 1920's and 30's.
As mine did not get the E stamp, it is unlikely that it was done in Greece. A possibility is that it was done in England, as many sporting groups used these M91's in the 1920's and 30's.
No words of wisdom come to mind at this time....
Re: Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
The commerce which maybe carried on with the people inhabiting the line you will pursue renders a knowledge of these people important ~Thomas Jefferson~ (to- Lewis and Clark)
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Re: Antique M91 Carcano in 6.5X54ms?
very nice find 
i am so poor i can only afford mustard and biscuits three times a week ..