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James K · November 27, 2006, 09:26 PM

I am editing this to add more info.

I think the rifle is an Italian Mannlicher-Carcano, made at Fabbrica d'Armi di Terni (FAT) in 1942. At that date, it is probably a Model 1938 with a 20.9" barrel. The magazine extends below the stock and has a hole in the bottom.

The caliber is 6.5 mm (.257) caliber; the cartridge is known as the 6.5x52mm or 6.5 Italian Carcano. Ammunition is still made by Norma and is available from Cheaper than Dirt (www.cheaperthandirt.com). Clips are required to use the rifle as a repeater; they are harder to come by, but are usually available at gun shows. You can do a Google search on "Carcano clips" for several sources. One site calls them "Carcano stripper clips" but there is no such thing, they are en-bloc clips, the same idea as the M1 (Garand) rifle, except that the Carcano clips fall out the bottom when empty.

One other rifle would fit part of that description, the Japanese Type I, but those rifles never had a two letter serial number prefix. Still, if it has a magazine like a Mauser, with a stripper clip slot, and a 30 3/4" barrel, it is a Japanese Type I, also made in Italy, and a much rarer rifle. The caliber is 6.5 Japanese (6.5x50).

Jim

November 27, 2006, 09:26 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I am editing this to add more info. I think the rifle is an Italian Mannlicher-Carcano, made at Fabbrica d'Armi di Terni (FAT) in 1942. At that date, it is probably a Model 1938 with a 20.9" barrel. The magazine extends below the stock and has a hole in the bottom. The caliber is 6.5 mm (.257) caliber; the cartridge is known as the 6.5x52mm or 6.5 Italian Carcano. Ammunition is still made by Norma and is available from Cheaper than Dirt (www.cheaperthandirt.com). Clips are required to use the rifle as a repeater; they are harder to come by, but are usually available at gun shows. You can do a Google search on "Carcano clips" for several sources. One site calls them "Carcano stripper clips" but there is no such thing, they are en-bloc clips, the same idea as the M1 (Garand) rifle, except that the Carcano clips fall out the bottom when empty. One other rifle would fit part of that description, the Japanese Type I, but those rifles never had a two letter serial number prefix. Still, if it has a magazine like a Mauser, with a stripper clip slot, and a 30 3/4" barrel, it is a Japanese Type I, also made in Italy, and a much rarer rifle. The caliber is 6.5 Japanese (6.5x50). Jim Last edited by James K; November 28, 2006 at 08:56 AM.