Carcano 6.5x52mm - Little-to-no Experience with these

[M5-Shogun]

Bought this at a pawn shop while I was out shopping. It is marked 6.5mm and I've ordered some en bloc clips and am currently scouting for the ammo for it.

I've shot one of these before, it was also chopped up/sporterized and I like these kinds of guns (I'd get a 6.5 Arisaka/T30(38) but I don't wanna deal with the ammo shortages for that cal since I don't reload anymore) so I figured I'd save it.

My main questions are:

1. I've heard many brands of ammo run like crap due to improperly sized bullets? Does anyone know the best ammo brands you can buy? Is Prvi any good?
2. Any sources right now for the ammo that you guys know of? Seems about as scarce as everything else, just was curious.
3. Anything I should know about this gun before firing it?

I'm 99% sure the barrel has been cut down, dunno the model due to illegible markings but the sight is not a sliding tangent, it's a v-notch sight and has screws on the sides (I presume for windage or securing to the gun)

I paid peanuts for it. Any advice?

 

[Bcwitt]

Carcano uses an odd ball bullet diameter, not shared with other 6.5s. I think it .268 instead of the common .264. Priv is likely the only source.

 

[M5-Shogun]

Gotcha. Thank you. Do you have experience with the Prvi ammo to tell me how it does?

 

[Bcwitt]

I've used priv in several calibers, had very good results.

 

[BigAlShooter]

I also recently bought a 6.5 Carcano. Only shot it less than 10 times and it needed some mods to get it running good. Had to bend the follower to get it to chamber the rounds easily. Seems this is common problem, the spring loses compression. Bending it has it working pretty good for now.

Steinel ammo is what I bought - it is the only ammo that I could find. It took about a month and a half to receive. I think now it says up to 6 months backorder. But that may be your only bet, as there are so many Carcano rifles hitting the market the past year.

Yep, you need .268 which Przi sells bullets for reloading, which I have bought, waiting on some dies so I can reload.

I heard the Przi ammo had a .264 bullet, but that may be incorrect or that was what they used to use, as they now sell, which I have, a .268 bullet.

FYI, the Steinel ammo uses Przi brass.

Report back if you get to shoot it. I hope to report back once I get familiar with this rifle. Search about the sights, as it is not what you're used to and my sights are sighted in for 300 yard zero. I really like the 6.5 round and hope to make this one a shooter.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Should you choose to reload for milsurps (and you should!), your best friends for oddball ammo components will be Graf and Sons, Huntingtons and Buffalo Arms.

https://www.buffaloarms.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=carcano&category=All
https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/search?keywords=carcano
http://www.huntingtons.com/store/search.php?mode=search&page=1

Lee dies are your cheapest entry level choice -- you can find them just about anywhere (Midway, Cabelas, etc.)

Cast bullets are a good option for odd diameters when you can't find Privis. I usually buy pre-cast commercial bullets, but with the Carcano diameters it can be simpler to buy a mold and cast your own.

 

[dh1633pm]

I traded for one in 6.5 and another in 7.35 last year with Gunny. I haven't shot either yet. So far I have 6.5 dies and brass. Haven't been looking too hard for bullets. One day I will. No components for 7.35 yet.

 

[desidog]

I’m a sucker for the Moschetto versions.

I’d check the barrels’ crown carefully since it was chopped; and slug the bore to get the actual bore diameter. Carcanos were made in various factories (5?), with varying tolerances. The examples made in wartime are much rougher than those made during peace.

They have gain-twist rifling, so chopping that barrel probably didn’t help overall performance.

It’s also pretty common for people to try and jack in a single round with the rim in front of the extractor... thus damaging the extractor.

 

[Terry G]

Gotcha. Thank you. Do you have experience with the Prvi ammo to tell me how it does?

Privi didn't do very well in my old carbine. Nothing I would call a group at 100 yards. What I do know is long ago I had some Italian Military WWII ammunition and it was very accurate with that. If you want to shoot it, which you obviously do, Privi's about the only stuff I can find. If you find any other I would appreciate hearing about it.

 

[M5-Shogun]

Should you choose to reload for milsurps (and you should!), your best friends for oddball ammo components will be Graf and Sons, Huntingtons and Buffalo Arms.

https://www.buffaloarms.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=carcano&category=All
https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/search?keywords=carcano
http://www.huntingtons.com/store/search.php?mode=search&page=1

Lee dies are your cheapest entry level choice -- you can find them just about anywhere (Midway, Cabelas, etc.)

Cast bullets are a good option for odd diameters when you can't find Privis. I usually buy pre-cast commercial bullets, but with the Carcano diameters it can be simpler to buy a mold and cast your own.

I sincerely appreciate the suggestion, but my reloading days are done. I got tired of it, it became a massive chore, girlfriend despises it (because it gets everywhere) and my other hobbies include me shipping out a lot of stuff, and I got tired of FedEx and UPS especially checking my boxes for "explosive residue" and damaging items in the process. I sold all my equipment. Immense respect for those who can do it, but I'm tired of the drawbacks. And before you ask - yes, I kept things clean, but smokeless powder freaking gets on everything. There's other reasons I can't do it anymore as well, but I have friends who can reload for me if I get the hankering. Thank you anyways.

I’m a sucker for the Moschetto versions.

I’d check the barrels’ crown carefully since it was chopped; and slug the bore to get the actual bore diameter. Carcanos were made in various factories (5?), with varying tolerances. The examples made in wartime are much rougher than those made during peace.

They have gain-twist rifling, so chopping that barrel probably didn’t help overall performance.

It’s also pretty common for people to try and jack in a single round with the rim in front of the extractor... thus damaging the extractor.

The crown is fine, and I checked the extractor. It's in good condition (I cleaned the entire bolt). I'm gonna see how she shoots hopefully if Steinel has ammo anytime soon. As long as I can hold a 2 in group at 70-100 yards, I'm happy with it. My mosin right now is 3 in at 100 yards with cheap romanian ammo (I'm gonna accurize it) and that's my lower limit for bolt-actions.

 

[wiscoaster]

Carcanos shoot great if you use the right sight picture, and this will be the third thread this gets posted in.

The battle sight using the carbine sights is the fixed rear notch when the distance sight notch is rotated forward into the forearm stock groove.

Good luck with finding ammo.

 

[GooseGestapo]

BTW;
The old timers called that sight picture “drawing a fine bead”
I heard it often but never understood what they meant.
I don’t think most of them did either...

With a bead front sight and U notch rear, it involves placing the bead in the bottom of the U notch.

I . I

 

[Tortuga]

Gotcha. Thank you. Do you have experience with the Prvi ammo to tell me how it does?

I've used priv in several calibers, had very good results.

I've also used Prvi Partizan ammunition in a bolt action rifle I have. I have always found it to be very reliable and accurate. The only real complaints I've heard about Prvi is that some people will purchase 7.62 x 39 ammunition and try to fire it out of AKMs / SKSs / semi-automatic weapons. This particular ammunition is specifically designed to be fired out of bolt action weapons. When fired out of gas piston operated weapons they sometimes do not reload properly (not the ccase with your Carcano).

Carcanos shoot great if you use the right sight picture, and this will be the third thread this gets posted in.

The battle sight using the carbine sights is the fixed rear notch when the distance sight notch is rotated forward into the forearm stock groove.

Good luck with finding ammo.

So this is a stupid question but why would they make a weapon that you sight that way? I know it's older but that's kind of a weird sight picture. I feel like it would be hard to consistently punch it with tight shot groups accuracy if you hold it that way.

 

[wiscoaster]

So this is a stupid question but why would they make a weapon that you sight that way? ....

I don't know. Maybe you have to ask Mussolini. (j/k) I don't recall ever coming across an explanation of why. Just how. Though, I think maybe an argument might be made that it forces more concentration on being precise.

 

[Coop45]

I bought a carbine when I was a kid. I think it was $10 with a couple of boxes of ammo. Evidently the ammo had been wet and maybe 25% actually fired and when pulled a bullet the powder looked like short pieces of pasta. I traded it for something. Oswald must have had better ammo.

 

[Bcwitt]

The advantage would be an unobstructed veiw of the target area. A lot of Mauser rifles are sighted the same way.

 

[M5-Shogun]

Threadomancy a bit, but it's because I finally got some ammo and shot it. The brass headstamp says "Dominion 6.5mm" and I got it in a ziploc baggie from a store. It fired fine, but there were a few issues:

1. The rim looks chewed up, like the extractor is really biting into it. How do I adjust that?
2. Some of the bullet ends got caught on the feedramp. Any adjustments I can make?
3. My steel en bloc clips are getting stuck inside the rifle, and they don't automatically eject. I have to really massage them out.

 

[wiscoaster]

1. The rim looks chewed up, like the extractor is really biting into it. How do I adjust that?
2. Some of the bullet ends got caught on the feedramp. Any adjustments I can make?
3. My steel en bloc clips are getting stuck inside the rifle, and they don't automatically eject. I have to really massage them out.

#1 - if you're extracting fine probably best to just leave it. The Carcano extractors are an absolute bitch to replace. You might want to see if a little polishing with super-fine grit sandpaper helps to make sure the extractor claw is smooth.
#2 - Not familiar with this issue. Some cleaning & polishing maybe?
#3 - pretty typical with the steel en bloc clips. Check to see if there's enough clearance inside the stock. You might get some improvement by some minor sanding of the stock interior where the clip contacts. Also make sure they're clean and smooth. If nothing works, remember that inserting the next clip pushes the empty one out the bottom.

 

[M5-Shogun]

#1 - if you're extracting fine probably best to just leave it. The Carcano extractors are an absolute bitch to replace. You might want to see if a little polishing with super-fine grit sandpaper helps to make sure the extractor claw is smooth.
#2 - Not familiar with this issue. Some cleaning & polishing maybe?
#3 - pretty typical with the steel en bloc clips. Check to see if there's enough clearance inside the stock. You might get some improvement by some minor sanding of the stock interior where the clip contacts. Also make sure they're clean and smooth. If nothing works, remember that inserting the next clip pushes the empty one out the bottom.

I'm not asking to replace the extractor. How do I adjust it? Somehow or another I feel just bending it with a screwdriver isn't very smart. Gunsmith?

For no. 2, some just get caught on the feedramp. I think the ammo may be partially to blame though.

and ah, I'll take the entire gun apart, sand, polish and apply a thin layer of lube.

 

[Tortuga]

[QUOTE="...and ah, I'll take the entire gun apart, sand, polish and apply a thin layer of lube."[/QUOTE]

This is the firearms equivalent of "Turning it off and back on again."

 

[wiscoaster]

I'm not asking to replace the extractor. How do I adjust it?

No, it can't be adjusted. Take a magnifying glass and examine the claw edge. I'm thinking it might be chewed up a little. If you can smooth that out with a little sanding or filing that might solve your problem. Don't alter the curve, or the angle of the backside, though.

.... I'll take the entire gun apart, sand, polish and apply a thin layer of lube.

It's good to take it apart and clean it, and easy as well, but I'm saying that it's the wooden walls of the interior of the stock that may be causing friction and binding against your clips and wood needs sanding and but not lubing. Lubrication oil is not good for wood.

 

[M5-Shogun]

No, it can't be adjusted. Take a magnifying glass and examine the claw edge. I'm thinking it might be chewed up a little. If you can smooth that out with a little sanding or filing that might solve your problem. Don't alter the curve, or the angle of the backside, though.

So if it's bent, it can't be bent back? Pain.

It's good to take it apart and clean it, and easy as well, but I'm saying that it's the wooden walls of the interior of the stock that may be causing friction and binding against your clips and wood needs sanding and but not lubing. Lubrication oil is not good for wood.

Never had any issues with ballistol, froglube and good old Otis Dry Lube, but I appreciate the advice.

 

[wiscoaster]

So if it's bent, it can't be bent back? Pain.

You've got a BENT extractor!?!? Wow. Must have been the result of somebody trying to remove it and failed. I can't see how it could get bent in normal use.

 

[wiscoaster]

Ahhhh...another thing I just remembered...you're not supposed to close the bolt on a manually-chambered round in this rifle because it's designed for the follower to push the cartridge up under the extractor claw as the bolt moves forward, not for the extractor to pop over the edge of the cartridge rim. I understand the extractor can be damaged, but I didn't know what the damage consisted of. So MAYBE that was what bent the extractor. Just guessing, though.

I do know they're a bitch to replace, because I tried once on my "parts gun" and couldn't get it out. They're supposed to slide out by prying straight forward, but mine was frozen and I didn't want to risk damaging it. But maybe that's the only option you have to solve your problem.

 

[M5-Shogun]

I don't know if the extractor is bent or not.

I haven't loaded rounds singly into the gun because I know that you're not supposed to since it's a controlled feed system. However I bought the gun from a pawn shop, so who knows what the previous owner did.

To describe the damage to the rims so you can understand why I'm concerned, the rims look to be getting either slightly bent or part of them chewed when they get picked up. I know that removing the extractor is not really a good option because you have to peen it to adjust and I don't know any gunsmiths in the area who know how to work on these. I just want to make it a little bit smoother so I'm just trying to figure out if it's possible to bend the extractor out a little bit so that it's a little easier on the rims.