11-09-2014, 07:42 PM
From "Shooting the 6.5x52mm, 7.35x51mm Cartridges and the Carcano Rifles" by Dave Emary:
CARCANO RIFLES:
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I will not attempt to make any detailed discussion of the many varieties of Carcano rifles. For those interested in that I will refer them to Richard Hobbs' excellent book "The Carcano, Italy's Military Rifle". I will discuss some specific characteristics of the Carcano design in general and show how out of ignorance some of these have led to much of the bad press this rifle has received.
To begin this discussion the caliber of a rifle refers to the diameter of the bore of the barrel, or the diameter across the lands of the rifling. In the case of the Carcano rifles and for that matter every other 6.50mm caliber rifle this dimension is generally accepted as .257". The CIP minimum specification diameter for the 6.5 mm Carcano barrel is .256 in / 6.50mm. The groove diameter of the barrel is where a considerable amount of ignorance arises in the Carcano rifle. Nearly every other 6.5mm caliber has a groove diameter of .263 - .264". The exceptions to this are the 6.5 X 54 MS with a .266" groove and the Carcano with a CIP minimum specification groove diameter of .2677" / 6.80mm. I do not know what the production tolerances were for the Carcano, but based on my knowledge of current rifle manufacturing practice a tolerance of at least +.001" would be used for these dimensions. I have slugged the barrels of approximately 20 different types of Carcano rifles from 3 different manufacturers and have found barrel diameters in good condition rifles typically running from .2680" to .2690". I have a 91-24 that has a groove diameter of .2710". This rifle still has strong rifling and a somewhat shiny bore, but has seen a lot of use. Until very recently this bit of information has totally escaped the shooting sports industry. No bullets of the correct size were available, with the exception of only a few small bullet makers. This problem almost entirely has resulted in the Carcano being categorically called an inaccurate, poorly manufactured rifle. In fact noting could be further from the truth. 6.5 Carcano owners now have available to them as of the summer of 2002 an excellent .2675" 160 round nose bullet specifically designed for the 6.5 Carcano. This bullet is being offered by Hornady Manufacturing. The bullet is also being offered in ammunition loaded by Hornady for Graf & Sons.
CARCANO RIFLES:
<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]-->
I will not attempt to make any detailed discussion of the many varieties of Carcano rifles. For those interested in that I will refer them to Richard Hobbs' excellent book "The Carcano, Italy's Military Rifle". I will discuss some specific characteristics of the Carcano design in general and show how out of ignorance some of these have led to much of the bad press this rifle has received.
To begin this discussion the caliber of a rifle refers to the diameter of the bore of the barrel, or the diameter across the lands of the rifling. In the case of the Carcano rifles and for that matter every other 6.50mm caliber rifle this dimension is generally accepted as .257". The CIP minimum specification diameter for the 6.5 mm Carcano barrel is .256 in / 6.50mm. The groove diameter of the barrel is where a considerable amount of ignorance arises in the Carcano rifle. Nearly every other 6.5mm caliber has a groove diameter of .263 - .264". The exceptions to this are the 6.5 X 54 MS with a .266" groove and the Carcano with a CIP minimum specification groove diameter of .2677" / 6.80mm. I do not know what the production tolerances were for the Carcano, but based on my knowledge of current rifle manufacturing practice a tolerance of at least +.001" would be used for these dimensions. I have slugged the barrels of approximately 20 different types of Carcano rifles from 3 different manufacturers and have found barrel diameters in good condition rifles typically running from .2680" to .2690". I have a 91-24 that has a groove diameter of .2710". This rifle still has strong rifling and a somewhat shiny bore, but has seen a lot of use. Until very recently this bit of information has totally escaped the shooting sports industry. No bullets of the correct size were available, with the exception of only a few small bullet makers. This problem almost entirely has resulted in the Carcano being categorically called an inaccurate, poorly manufactured rifle. In fact noting could be further from the truth. 6.5 Carcano owners now have available to them as of the summer of 2002 an excellent .2675" 160 round nose bullet specifically designed for the 6.5 Carcano. This bullet is being offered by Hornady Manufacturing. The bullet is also being offered in ammunition loaded by Hornady for Graf & Sons.
Mr. HILL. The right rear portion of his head was missing. It was lying in the rear seat of the car. His brain was exposed. There was blood and bits of brain all over the entire rear portion of the car. Mrs. Kennedy was completely covered with blood. There was so much blood you could not tell if there had been any other wound or not, except for the one large gaping wound in the right rear portion of the head.
Warren Commission testimony of Secret Service Agent Clinton J. Hill, 1964
Warren Commission testimony of Secret Service Agent Clinton J. Hill, 1964