How to build a custom cartridge rifle??

[Safaripolice]

I Want to build a custom bolt Action Carcano and only a carcano.
I understand I can can use many other 6.5 calibers and other rounds but I have a fascination with the carcano and love reloading it in my couple surplus rifles. I've also hunted with my 91/41 and 91/38. I'm tired of carrying the older guns and i want to use a scope. I also want a modern looking bolt action in either Mauser or 700 or Winchester/browning action. I've have amazing success with my many guns and calibers including 30-06 and 25-06 but I must say my carcano has been devastating to any deer, boar and goats that I've shot. I love the look of the cartridge and love that it's an original Italian round and my families far distant relatives were related to Salvatore Carcano so I have a sentimental reason tondo this.

Does anyone know where I can get one built or on how to build one other then sporterize. I have no interests in sporterized Carcanos but instead a true custom barrel 6.5 carcano on a modern action with a modern stock.

Any help would be appreciated.

Godspeed
Sal

[T. O'Heir]

"...can use many other 6.5 calibers and other rounds..." Pretty much the same as any custom rifle. The case head, ideally, needs to be the same or very close to the same diameter so you don't need to modify the bolt face. The 6.5 x 52's case head is .450" diameter. That's smaller than most cartridges. The .308/.30-06 family cases, for instance, are .473".
You'll need to consider the action length too. 52mm is the CASE length equals 2.067". Those .308 family cases run 2.015". .30-06 is over 3". Limits the cartridges you can use. Mostly mag length, but the action length will be a 'short' action. So no .30-06 length chamberings.
However, it's sounds like you want a hunting rifle chambered in 6.5 x 52 Carcano vs using a Carcano rifle action. That'll actually be a lot easier.
The whole thing is 100% doable with enough money. (And a lot of time. At least a year for a custom built rifle. The smithies who do it are very busy guys.) Only issue will be the cost of a custom chambered barrel and finding 6.5 Carcano headspace gauges and chamber reamers.
Pacific Tool and Gauge has the headspace gauges(CIP not SAAMI. CIP is the European version of SAAMI.) at $70 per set. If your smithy buys 'em, he keeps 'em. Mind you, they're really not much use to you unless you're playing with milsurp Carcano rifles too. Reamer Rentals doesn't list 6.5 Carcano anything. Cryin' shame too. Usually $7 plus insurance for 3 days to rent 'em.
The barrel will be completely custom. A barrel in 6.5mm will be easy. Lots of 6.5mm barrel around these days. You do need to decide how much money you want to spend on it though. And what exact contour you want.
Krieger, one option only, makes a 6.5mm barrel they want $335US for. A Douglas barrel threaded to fit a Rem M700 runs $225. Chambering and the rest of the machining(machine shop time runs over $100 per hour plus set up time. Discuss it with your smithy.) will be extra. Issue will again be the smithy being able to get the chamber reamers. Pacific Tool makes 'em on a totally custom made to order basis, but cheap they ain't. $169.50 each. There's a roughing reamer and a finishing reamer. If your smithy buys 'em, he keeps 'em, too.
Once you've decided all that you'll need to decide what kind of stock you want. Wood or synthetic. That'll depend mostly on what receiver you opted to use. That part will usually mean buying a used rifle(beat up barrel but in reasonable condition otherwise. Gun show after deer season is best.) just for the action. Remington, for example, does not sell receivers. Savage does though. A .473" bolt face with trigger guard runs $555.00.
You can see why you need to decide how much money you want to spend first.

[Safaripolice]

Thank you T Ohear! Lots to digest and consider. I'm glad you explained all the little and big stuff I will want to consider. I wasn't expecting it to be cheap but I'm hoping maybe 1500-2000. I will start quoting smiths and now at least I know it is doable.
Sal

[Scorch]

A few additions to O'Heir's input.

52mm is the CASE length equals 2.067". Those .308 family cases run 2.015". .30-06 is over 3".

A short action (.308 length) will work fine. The 6.5X52mm Carcano case is just 1mm (.040") longer than the 308 case, and the bullets used are shorter than the 308's bullets, so a short action (Remington, Winchester, etc) will work fine. Also, a Mauser 98 action, or even a M48 Yugoslav action will work. I have built two 6.5X52 rifles over the years, one using a M24 Mauser action, the other using a Remington short action.

And a 30-06 case is only 2.490", the loaded round is over 3".

Reamer Rentals doesn't list 6.5 Carcano anything

4D Reamer Rentals lists 6.5mm Carcano reamer and headspace gauges.

One last thing to understand is that the 6.5 Carcano used an odd-sized 6.5mm bullet of .268" rather than the more common .264". This means that you will be limiting yourself to handloading for ammunition or checking all of the ammunition you buy to make sure you don't actually fire .268" bullets out of the smaller bore.

[std7mag]

As a side note,
My experiences with 4D has been excellent.
However they go strictly by SAAMI/CIP standards in regards to throat length.
If you want a custom throat length, then it's Pacific Tool & Gauge.

I thought Paul Mauser designed the Carcano for the Italian military.
I could be wrong though.

[Scorch]

The Maamlicher-Carcano rifle was designed by an Italian army officer (who relied very heavily on other designs of the time). The magazine system uses an en-bloc clip system similar to the Mannlicher rifles, and the action has the similar split-bridge design we see on so many rifles from that time period, particularly the Mosin Nagant 1891 (and the later 91/30 we are so familiar with). Many rifles of that period copied the split bridge, cock on close lock and action from the Mauser Gewehr 1871, so maybe that's where that came from.

[T. O'Heir]

"...6.5 Carcano used an odd-sized 6.5mm bullet..." We're spending Sal's(who needs a smithy referral. Dunno if 2 grand US will do it.) money to build a 100% custom hunting rifle. Not a sporterised Carcano milsurp. A commercial .264" barrel will do nicely. Hodgdon's site show they used .264" bullets. Lee makes dies for .264" bullets. Hornady makes at least a neck sizer die for .264". They make die sets for using .267" bullets.
And just to make things interesting, Prvi makes a 123 and 139 grain, .268" bullet. They make a .263" 6.5mm bullet too.

[Jim Watson]

I have built two 6.5X52 rifles over the years, one using a M24 Mauser action, the other using a Remington short action.

We can all read catalogs but since Scorch has done it, I would ask him for an estimate. He might still have the reamer and gauge. And know how to bush down or bore out a bolt face for an odd head diameter.

[Safaripolice]

Originally Posted by Jim Watson

We can all read catalogs but since Scorch has done it, I would ask him for an estimate. He might still have the reamer and gauge. And know how to bush down or bore out a bolt face for an odd head diameter.

Yea scorch has been great and were in the process of building one of at least designing and coming up with ideas.

Hoping by the new year I'll have my dream gun.