View Single Post
Old January 27, 2014, 12:25 AM   #35
James K
Member In Memoriam
 
Join Date: March 17, 1999
Posts: 24,383
The Japanese Type I is not a Mannlicher-Carcano. It has a variation of the Carcano receiver but does not have the Mannlicher magazine.

Nor was it or the rifles sent to Finland "exported" in the normal commercial meaning. The Type I was the result of a program promoted by one Adolf Hitler to have his allies share production; the Japanese Army had what they considered a perfectly good rifle and thought Hitler was bonkers (a view shared by others) but they did purchase those Type I's which they foisted off on the Navy. Wartime captures were from Naval Landing Parties (which Americans called "Jap Marines").

The shipping of Carcanos to Finland was the product of the same fevered mind. Hitler had the Italians ship rifles to the Finns (who were allied with Germany). Toward the end of the war, Italian Carcanos seized by the Wehrmacht in Italy were rebarrelled in Germany to 7.9 and issued to the Volkssturm; clips were also made to take the 7.9, but I have never seen one, although I have a 7.9 Carcano, which I have fired.

Jim
James K is offline  
 
Page generated in 0.02836 seconds with 8 queries