1939 rifle?

D

deerslayer

Milforum Swamp Dweller
Was returning all the guns to their proper places following my vacation, and happened to find a firearm I'd never seen before in a closet.

It's a magazine fed, bolt-action rifle, date 1939, and the only caliber markings are "CAL .7.35" just behind the rear sight post. I can't make heads or tails of most of the other markings, but I'm pretty positive it's U.S. made.

Update- made a closer inspection. It's actually Italian, manufactured by Terni, chambered in 7.35mm. Think it has any value to it?
 
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deerslayer said:
Was returning all the guns to their proper places following my vacation, and happened to find a firearm I'd never seen before in a closet.

It's a magazine fed, bolt-action rifle, date 1939, and the only caliber markings are "CAL .7.35" just behind the rear sight post. I can't make heads or tails of most of the other markings, but I'm pretty positive it's U.S. made.

Update- made a closer inspection. It's actually Italian, manufactured by Terni, chambered in 7.35mm. Think it has any value to it?
Click to expand...

From the sound of it you have yourself an Italian .35mm Carcano M38 short rifle.

carcano%20m38.jpg


In 1938, it was decided to replace 6.5x52 ammunition with more powerful 7.35x52 ammunition, based on the recent experience in North Africa. New pattern of the short Carcano rifle, adopted in 1938 as M38, was technically similar to M91 rifle, but had shorter barrel length, chambered for 7.35mm ammunition, and had fixed rear sights, set to 300 meters range. Since 1938, many of the 6.5mm M91 long rifles were shortened to the M38 length, which was much more convenient to carry and maneuver. With the outbreak of the Second World war Italy was unable to supply enough 7.35mm weapons and ammunition, so, in 1940, it was decided to return back to the 6.5x52 ammunition as a standard. Consequently, many of 7.35mm M38 rifles issued to the Black Shirt Militias or were rebarelled to the 6.5mm.

Some of the M38 rifles, issued to the African corps, also were chambered for the German 7.92x57 Mauser ammunition.
After the WW2 Italian Army replaced its Carcano rifles with American M1 Garand semiautomatic rifles, initially supplied from US and then produced in Italy under license. Many of surviving Carcano rifles were subsequently exported from Italy and sold as military surplus.
One historical note regarding Carcano rifles is that one such rifle, sold as surplus in USA, and fitted with 4X telescope sight, was apparently used by someone Lee Harvey Oswald to assassinate President of USA J. F. Kennedy on November 22nd, 1963, in Dallas, TX.



How the hell do you own a rifle that you've never seen before. If that the case, you need to give me some of them. :)

Carcanos go for okay prices. They aren't worth much because of the lack of 7.35mm or 6.5X52mm ammunition. Most folks that I know that own them are WWII reenactors. They mostly do Italian Partisan.
 
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Heh. You beat me to it, 556. As usual.

A box of Carcano ammo will cost you more than the rifle is worth. :) That's an exaggeration, but the rifles never gained a stellar reputation. I've gotten to shoot mine a time or two since I knew someone who made up some handloads for me at cost. It's fun, but there are far more fulfilling (less pricey) firearms experiences out there.

...I think it's also ample proof that Oswald was in no way responsible for JFK's death. :D
 
5.56X45: I'd gotten the positive I.D. last night, but my image hosting site is giving me problems. Thanks for all the help. I was looking into a new deer rifle. Oh well, I've still got 3 M1903s :)
 
If you want a good deer rifle, the M1903 has taken plenty of deer since it hit the civilian markets. If you want something a little newer.

Ruger
Remington
Winchester (Used)
Marlin
Savage
H&R
Thompson Center Arms

All make good deer hutning rifles. You can get yourself a semi-auto, slide/pump action, lever action, or Single Shot rifle.

I have me Hunting Rifles made by Remington, Ruger, Winchester, and Marlin. They all have taken game. All of those listed are good affordable rifles.
 
Actually, I use a Savage .270 with Barnes TSX rounds. I was just looking for something else, was all. Between rifles, shotguns, and pistols, we have at least 30 firearms in our home.

My grandfather refurbished one of the 1903s, and you can compare it to the other two and think you're looking at a totally different rifle. I may use it with regular iron peep sights- I'm hunting flooded timber.
 
Is the area heavily wooded? Ruger makes a scout version of their M77 Rifle. really nice looking rifle.

280L.jpg

222L.jpg


Comes chambered in .308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, and 7mm-08 Remington. Ruger's MSRP $800.00
 
Before I forget. Don't even think about getting theSteyr Scout Carbine. It's pure crap, all of my customers told me that they would break on them because of the high number of plastic parts. The price and quality don't match. Ruger is the way to go for a short handy hunting carbine.
 
Ummm.... I was trying to make a decision from within my own personal arsenal. We carry enough firearms to launch an invasion of some wartorn south american country... and succeed.
Besides, next rifle I buy is probably going to be a Browning Automatic Rifle (no, not the type used in WWII), MSRP 1,000, after I graduate from college.
 
Just to clarify, we're talking about this for hunting:

031218m.jpg


...not this:

bar1918a2.jpg

...right?

Pardon the silly question from someone who uses an Enfield N0.4 Mk1, Swedish Mauser or similar rather than commercial rifles for hunting. I was trying to imagine lugging a 16lb rifle around the woods or up in a deer stand. :D
 
Correct, though the other BAR would also serve well for hunting. It fires .30-06 Springfield. It just weighs sixteen freaking pounds. Milsurp rifles are good hunting guns too.
 
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I was thinking of using one of the three M1903s- fine rifles, light weight, WWII era sling (comfy, too) and a hard hitting cartridge. Last deer I shot was with a Nosler tip, and I couldn't find a blood trail. So I'm switching ammo and possibly rifles.
 
Hmmm.... I'm surprised that you had a issue with those Nosler tips. Try the good old classic Soft Tip Lead. Works wonders when it hits deer. Trust me, you'll find a trail to follow.
 
Borrow one of 5.56's .45-70 cal rifles. You won't have to worry about a blood trail. :)

But you will be able to applaud with your shoulderblades.
 
The .45-70 is a popular deer cartridge.

For lighter critters like white tail deer. A 305Gr Soft Tip Lead round works very good. But I use my .45-70s for hog mostly.
 
Don't think I have anything chambered in that. At any rate, I've got more weapons than I know what to do with...

aside from put a couple through the idiot who made my school schedule.
 
deerslayer said:
Don't think I have anything chambered in that. At any rate, I've got more weapons than I know what to do with...

aside from put a couple through the idiot who made my school schedule.
Click to expand...

Now, now..... your schedule is just fine.
 
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