Doug Bowser
member
A TREATISE ON ITALIAN BOLT ACTION MILITARY RIFLES AND THEIR VARIATIONS
The first Italian military bolt action rifle was adopted in 1870. All the Italian black powder military bolt action rifles were in 10.35x34R caliber and loaded with lead bullets that were paper patched. The action was a direct copy of the Swiss 1868/69 tubular magazine repeating rifle that was chambered in 10.4 Rimfire. The Swiss .41 Rimfire ammo was made in the USA by Remington as late as 1956.
An illustration of a Swiss 1869 Vetterli Repeating Rifle
A cross section of the Swiss 1869 Vetterli Rifle
The Italian Model 1870 variants of the Swiss Vettterli was a single shot rifle in 10.35x47r center fire:
Illustration of the action of a Vetterli 1870 single shot rifle as adopted by the Italian Army
The Italian Army decided to add a magazine to the Vetterli M 1870 rifle. The new box magazine was designed by Captain Vitali of the Italian Ordnance Corps. It was designated, Vetterli-Vitali Model 1870/87. It retained the same black powder 10.35x47R cartridge. The stripper clips for this rifle were made out of wood. It is interesting to know at the French had already adopted the 1886 Lebel tubular magazine repeater, with the 8x50R Lebel ammunition. The 8x50r Lebel was a high velocity smokeless powder cartridge with full metal jacketed bullets.
Illustration of a Vetterli-Vitali 1870/87 rifle with added magazine
In 1914 the Italian Army did not have enough 1891 Carcano rifles in stock to arm it's growing Army, for WW1. They reached back into their arms stores and started converting Model 1870/87 Vetterli-Vitali to the 6.5x52 Carcano round. This converted rifle was called the Vetterli-Vitali 1870/87/15. The relined the barrels and changed the Vitali magazine to a modified Mannlicher style. The sights were also re-graduated. The rifle may be marked TUBATA and have the marking REPAIRAZONE on the sock. The pressure generated by the 6.5x52 Carcano round was much greater than the Vetterli-Vitali 1870/87/15 was designed for, so they were relegated to units that were not supposed to be entered into combat. It was recognized by the Italian Army, the rifles were not to be fired often. Most specimens have excellent bores.
Example of a VV 1870/87/15
Barrel shank showing 1882 mfg date and manufacture at BRESCIA (pronounced Breshia)
In 1891, Italy adopted the Parravachino-Carcano rifle in 6.5x52mm. The rifle was named after two officers in the Italian Ordnance Corps. It was a turnbolt, six shot Mannlicher System magazine repeating rifle. The clip used in the rifle is inserted into the top of the action and when the last round is fired, the clip falls out a hole in the bottom of the magazine. The Infantry rifle had a 31" barrel and the rifling was gain twist. The twist in the barrel started gradually and increased to 1 in 8" about 1.5 feet from the muzzle. This was supposed to be more accurate and as the throat was worn, the accuracy did not deteriorate. The 6.5 Carcano rifle got a bad rap from American shooters because the Norma ammunition available is loaded with .264" diameter bullets and the barrels on the rifles are .267-.268" groove diameter. I contacted Norma and asked them why they were manufacturing the ammo with the wrong bullet diameter and my words fell on a deaf ear. Norma also made the rims on their 6.5x52mm ammo too thick. This causes bad feeding and jams. Incredibly, Norma has never changed the 6.5x52mm to the proper specs. Hornady and Graf have ammunition for the 6.5x52 with the proper bullet diameters. The Carcano 1891 rifles are quite accurate with the proper ammunition. There are several variations of the Italian Carcano and I will illustrate some of them.
Italian Infantry Rifle Model 1891
Barrel shank showing Terni manufacture in 1896
Italian 1938 Cavalry Carbine. This carbine is made with a non adjustable sight. The earlier Carano 1891 Cavalry Carbine has an adjustable sight as illustrated on the Truppe Speciali carbine illustrated below.
Barrel shank showing Beretta mfg.
The first Italian military bolt action rifle was adopted in 1870. All the Italian black powder military bolt action rifles were in 10.35x34R caliber and loaded with lead bullets that were paper patched. The action was a direct copy of the Swiss 1868/69 tubular magazine repeating rifle that was chambered in 10.4 Rimfire. The Swiss .41 Rimfire ammo was made in the USA by Remington as late as 1956.
An illustration of a Swiss 1869 Vetterli Repeating Rifle
A cross section of the Swiss 1869 Vetterli Rifle
The Italian Model 1870 variants of the Swiss Vettterli was a single shot rifle in 10.35x47r center fire:
Illustration of the action of a Vetterli 1870 single shot rifle as adopted by the Italian Army
The Italian Army decided to add a magazine to the Vetterli M 1870 rifle. The new box magazine was designed by Captain Vitali of the Italian Ordnance Corps. It was designated, Vetterli-Vitali Model 1870/87. It retained the same black powder 10.35x47R cartridge. The stripper clips for this rifle were made out of wood. It is interesting to know at the French had already adopted the 1886 Lebel tubular magazine repeater, with the 8x50R Lebel ammunition. The 8x50r Lebel was a high velocity smokeless powder cartridge with full metal jacketed bullets.
Illustration of a Vetterli-Vitali 1870/87 rifle with added magazine
In 1914 the Italian Army did not have enough 1891 Carcano rifles in stock to arm it's growing Army, for WW1. They reached back into their arms stores and started converting Model 1870/87 Vetterli-Vitali to the 6.5x52 Carcano round. This converted rifle was called the Vetterli-Vitali 1870/87/15. The relined the barrels and changed the Vitali magazine to a modified Mannlicher style. The sights were also re-graduated. The rifle may be marked TUBATA and have the marking REPAIRAZONE on the sock. The pressure generated by the 6.5x52 Carcano round was much greater than the Vetterli-Vitali 1870/87/15 was designed for, so they were relegated to units that were not supposed to be entered into combat. It was recognized by the Italian Army, the rifles were not to be fired often. Most specimens have excellent bores.
Example of a VV 1870/87/15
Barrel shank showing 1882 mfg date and manufacture at BRESCIA (pronounced Breshia)
In 1891, Italy adopted the Parravachino-Carcano rifle in 6.5x52mm. The rifle was named after two officers in the Italian Ordnance Corps. It was a turnbolt, six shot Mannlicher System magazine repeating rifle. The clip used in the rifle is inserted into the top of the action and when the last round is fired, the clip falls out a hole in the bottom of the magazine. The Infantry rifle had a 31" barrel and the rifling was gain twist. The twist in the barrel started gradually and increased to 1 in 8" about 1.5 feet from the muzzle. This was supposed to be more accurate and as the throat was worn, the accuracy did not deteriorate. The 6.5 Carcano rifle got a bad rap from American shooters because the Norma ammunition available is loaded with .264" diameter bullets and the barrels on the rifles are .267-.268" groove diameter. I contacted Norma and asked them why they were manufacturing the ammo with the wrong bullet diameter and my words fell on a deaf ear. Norma also made the rims on their 6.5x52mm ammo too thick. This causes bad feeding and jams. Incredibly, Norma has never changed the 6.5x52mm to the proper specs. Hornady and Graf have ammunition for the 6.5x52 with the proper bullet diameters. The Carcano 1891 rifles are quite accurate with the proper ammunition. There are several variations of the Italian Carcano and I will illustrate some of them.
Italian Infantry Rifle Model 1891
Barrel shank showing Terni manufacture in 1896
Italian 1938 Cavalry Carbine. This carbine is made with a non adjustable sight. The earlier Carano 1891 Cavalry Carbine has an adjustable sight as illustrated on the Truppe Speciali carbine illustrated below.
Barrel shank showing Beretta mfg.
