carcano m1938 ss

[soulflysi]

Hi

Can anyone tell me if this ss stamps are original ,and what would be the price of working rifle. Thx

Erik

[Bill Grist]

I say a poor fake.....BILL

[james m]

Carcano's ,and certainly those converted to 8mm, were basically in the "last ditch" category and it's doubtful any were issued to front line troops. I agree the marking is more than likely a fake.
As a side note: These Carcano's are considered a weak design even when still chambered in their original caliber. I would NOT recommend shooting one of these even if original and especially if it has been converted.
Jim

[ILVEROMILITE]

!

100% fake marking

www.gardamilitaria.com

[herd118]

Carcano's ,and certainly those converted to 8mm, were basically in the "last ditch" category and it's doubtful any were issued to front line troops. I agree the marking is more than likely a fake.
As a side note: These Carcano's are considered a weak design even when still chambered in their original caliber. I would NOT recommend shooting one of these even if original and especially if it has been converted.
Jim

The Carcano has an undeserved bad reputation and there is nothing weak about the design or the construction material of the Carcano action that I am aware of. A matter of fact, Mythbusters (episode Seasickness - Kill or Cure" S03E19) tried to blow a Carcano up some years ago by plugging the barrel, without success. The rifles aren't very finely finished, don't lend themselves to sporterizing, and the ammunition availability is problematic - but they are perfectly safe to fire.

[james m]

The Carcano has an undeserved bad reputation and there is nothing weak about the design or the construction material of the Carcano action that I am aware of. A matter of fact, Mythbusters (episode Seasickness - Kill or Cure" S03E19) tried to blow a Carcano up some years ago by plugging the barrel, without success. The rifles aren't very finely finished, don't lend themselves to sporterizing, and the ammunition availability is problematic - but they are perfectly safe to fire.

Well it's your fingers:
If you want to shoot a rifle that perhaps has been modified to fire a much more powerful cartridge(8mm) that that for which it's designed by all means have at it.
If you want to advise someone else to do so I hope you have good liability insurance.
Springfield Sporters, one of the largest importers to my knowledge of Carcano's has a requirement that you sign a "Non Shooting Statement" before they will even sell you a Carcano.

[Airforce1]

1000000000 percent fake.

I have an 8mm carcano and shoot it all the time just makes a bigger boom.

[herd118]

Well it's your fingers:
If you want to shoot a rifle that perhaps has been modified to fire a much more powerful cartridge(8mm) that that for which it's designed by all means have at it.
If you want to advise someone else to do so I hope you have good liability insurance.
Springfield Sporters, one of the largest importers to my knowledge of Carcano's has a requirement that you sign a "Non Shooting Statement" before they will even sell you a Carcano.

That sounds more anecdotal than factual.
Please follow the link below. The testing was done last month on a Carcano action, and documented to include photos. The reloader experimenting with the Carcano re-chambered it to 30-06 to get the most powder into the cartridge to test the strength of the action. It goes on for several interesting pages.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...=mauser+blowup
His conclusion:
Here are some pictures of a M38 Carcano that I intentionally tried to blow up. I'm aware of their strength, so I rechambered it to 30-06 for two reasons: increased powder capacity and the added attraction of an undersized bore. I started with standard WIN and REM 180 gr cartridges and worked my way up to a full case of 3031 without blowing it up, though it did suffer cracks at the base of the locking lugs . I then ramped up using 4198 and at case capacity, the lugs finally let go and the safety did an Elvis and left the building but the receiver/barrel are still serviceable. The cumulative set-back is less than .004". They are one tough cookie. This is a tangent from a long-running project of blowing up '93-'96 actions fitted with 8mm barrels. I've made lots of observations and they have lead me to the conclusion that I would prefer to be behind a Carcano during a casehead failure than a '93-'96 anyday. Even accounting for the supposed better gas handling of the Mausers over the Italian.

[james m]

That sounds more anecdotal than factual.
Please follow the link below. The testing was done last month on a Carcano action, and documented to include photos. The reloader experimenting with the Carcano re-chambered it to 30-06 to get the most powder into the cartridge to test the strength of the action. It goes on for several interesting pages.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...=mauser+blowup
His conclusion:
Here are some pictures of a M38 Carcano that I intentionally tried to blow up. I'm aware of their strength, so I rechambered it to 30-06 for two reasons: increased powder capacity and the added attraction of an undersized bore. I started with standard WIN and REM 180 gr cartridges and worked my way up to a full case of 3031 without blowing it up, though it did suffer cracks at the base of the locking lugs . I then ramped up using 4198 and at case capacity, the lugs finally let go and the safety did an Elvis and left the building but the receiver/barrel are still serviceable. The cumulative set-back is less than .004". They are one tough cookie. This is a tangent from a long-running project of blowing up '93-'96 actions fitted with 8mm barrels. I've made lots of observations and they have lead me to the conclusion that I would prefer to be behind a Carcano during a casehead failure than a '93-'96 anyday. Even accounting for the supposed better gas handling of the Mausers over the Italian.

I have a background in statistical testing and a sample of ONE doesn't constitute a any kind of valid test. I've been around, collecting and using surplus firearms for over 40 years and there have been multiple reports over the years of these Carcano's failing . I've owned/traded dozens of Carcano's during that period and never fired one of them. There are plenty of other surplus military rifles around to choose from so I've never seen any good reason to take chances.
I heard this argument from those who claim Damascus barreled shotguns are safe based upon the same VERY limited evidence.
So you can either accept them as factual or play Russian Roulette with your appendages. As far as I'm concerned you can do whatever you want personally but don't recommend this activity to others.

[herd118]

Not to engage in an argument, but please let us know of any reported failure of the Carcano action that you know of. In 40 years of shooting and collecting them, I've never seen or heard of one failing.

[james m]

Not to engage in an argument, but please let us know of any reported failure of the Carcano action that you know of. In 40 years of shooting and collecting them, I've never seen or heard of one failing.

I didn't post here to start an argument I posted to state a valid safety concern. It's been known since the 1960's that this rifle has the potential to fail and that's why no one that I know of that's responsible recommends shooting Carcano's. If you want to pursue this I'd suggest you contact Springfield Sporters since they will likely have the specific information you're requesting.

http://www.ssporters.com/

I've made my point and hopefully no one will attempt to shoot one of these without understanding there's risks involved.
Another rifle to avoid is the early Springfield 1903's with the faulty receiver heat treatment. I've been told that there's been less than a dozen failures with these receivers out of the thousands made but no one recommends shooting them either.

[herd118]

The various Carcano rifles were in military service in Italy for over 60 years. One of the contract manufacturers was P. Beretta, still quite well known to this day. Surely a rifle used this long, and in two world wars, would have some sort of documentation of failure if in fact it actually occurred.
This is not a discussion of certain Springfield rifles or Damascus barreled shotguns.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthre...arcano-failing