Yesterday's Weapons Forums

I am mostly a handgun guy, but after playing with older Berettas, and getting a Bodeo, I was bitten by the Carcano bug and picked up a 6.5 M38 carbine.

I have seen several things on the Internet about .264 vs .268 diameters, Hornady being either just right or oversized, Prvi Partizan being either just right or undersized... yikes!

Can any of you experienced Carcano guys help me figure out what to try, please?

Step one... don't buy Norma ammo!

Step two - slug your bore. If it's close to .268, either Hornady or Privi will do nicely.

I don't recommend using original surplus ammo due to the brittle brass. I'm not saying it will all detonate in your face, but once is too often.

You can pull down the old surplus stuff, and if the powder isn't clumped or smells odd, you can add it to primed modern brass and seat the original bullet to specs.

Step three... don't buy Norma ammo! The rim geometry is wrong, and the bullets are of the wrong diameter.

What do I shoot? Cast loads in all 3 Carcano calibers. I am too cheep to buy many jacketed boolets!

And!! I'm always glad to see a who wants to talk Italian rifles!

In honor of your first post, Tatya the part-time secretary and novel inspiration baked you a cake...
I'm hoping kaintuck and Mybusa left you a slice!

SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

Thanks for the input... sounds like it's time to slug the bore and figure out what I've got as a starting point. It may be a while before my work schedule permits. I'll very likely be back for more advice after that.

By the way, NebrHogger, how do you really feel about Norma 6.5?

Thanks again!

I think I forgot to mention Norma ammo reeks!

I've not actually seen any, but I hear Privi makes 7.35 ammo now, too. I've always found that caliber much more forgiving to load. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

Is it my imagination or is the Norma ammo also a little short when it comes to base to mid- shoulder length? I got some used cases for a friend once and they seemed too short to single load--the extractor would not engage the rim, but the bolt would close.

Could be. After I had consistent feeding trouble, I gave all mine away. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

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It's 5 o'clock and it's watermelon time.....................
because you can't drink beer & load rockets - TXPete

Yes. Regular 8x57mm Mauser ammo. Milsurp - American factory - hot handloads - the action will take it. I'd try something mild forst & look for primer protusion & other headspace indicators.

I think it would be fun to see how 8mm Breda would work, too. Kinda long & since I fancy a Garand at the moment, I better stay away from that sort of project. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

No. The geometry is all wrong. SW

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Slava Ukraini!!

WAY different than 8 X 57 . The 8X56 projectile is .329 vs .323 of the 8X57, 8X56r is rimmed, 8X57 is rimless, as well as huge dimensional differences in the case.

8 X 56r


8 X 57


Also the carcano clip looks like this



I would give you a couple to modify for the 8X57 but I have only one or two left to use in my Vetterli conversion. All of my other carcano's have been traded off

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It's 5 o'clock and it's watermelon time.....................
because you can't drink beer & load rockets - TXPete

This is one of the most common calibers in the world. Called 8mm Mauser - 7.9x57 in Europe. Still made by American ammo factories - offered by nearly every sporting goods outlet.

If you have a copy of Barnes CARTRIDGES OF THE WORLD in your gun library, there's a very good write up there.

If you don't have it, that book is a 'must have' - a wealth of knowledge about the most obscure rounds imaginable. SW

_________________
Slava Ukraini!!

_________________

It's 5 o'clock and it's watermelon time.....................
because you can't drink beer & load rockets - TXPete