Projectiles for the carcano

[Kelsey Cooter]

So was in at the local the other day, one thing led to another and I bought a carcano carbine for 200 bucks.

I know nothing about carcanos or the 6.5x52mm so I've been doing a bit of research and I see I need to find .268 projectiles, and that I haven't been able to do.

Does anyone know where I might find .268 projectiles?

If I need to just start with .264 projectiles what would be best to use?

[bladeracer]

So was in at the local the other day, one thing led to another and I bought a carcano carbine for 200 bucks.

I know nothing about carcanos or the 6.5x52mm so I've been doing a bit of research and I see I need to find .268 projectiles, and that I haven't been able to do.

Does anyone know where I might find .268 projectiles?

If I need to just start with .264 projectiles what would be best to use?

You don't need to find them yet, wait til you try it.
Mine won't shoot any .264" bullet I've tried so far, except the Hornady .264" 160gn RN, which it shoots very well. The throat is too tight to take a cartridge loaded with the .267" bullet so I can't use them. I use the .267's in the 6.5x53.5mm Dutch Mannlicher though. If you decide that you do need the .267's, Hornady only do them in occasional batches so buy bulk when they are available. I haven't seen any recently but I haven't been looking as I have several hundred already.
You can also get the Lee Cruise Missile 170gn mould as it throws very fat bullets.

[bladeracer]

I will add that my Carcano Short Rifle is one of my most enjoyable rifles to have fun with.

[Kelsey Cooter]

Thanks bladeracer that's good to know. Aren't the original rounds .268 projectiles? Why would your throat be too tight if that was what it was intended to shoot?

[bladeracer]

Thanks bladeracer that's good to know. Aren't the original rounds .268 projectiles? Why would your throat be too tight if that was what it was intended to shoot?

No idea, I think the original bullet was .267", as the Hornady bullet is (not .268").

[Kelsey Cooter]

I will add that my Carcano Short Rifle is one of my most enjoyable rifles to have fun with.

I'm pretty sure mine is the same as yours, so this is considered a short rifle, not a carbine?

[Kelsey Cooter]

Thanks bladeracer that's good to know. Aren't the original rounds .268 projectiles? Why would your throat be too tight if that was what it was intended to shoot?

No idea, I think the original bullet was .267", as the Hornady bullet is (not .268").

Oh ok cheers

[bladeracer]

I will add that my Carcano Short Rifle is one of my most enjoyable rifles to have fun with.

I'm pretty sure mine is the same as yours, so this is considered a short rifle, not a carbine?

I'm no kind of expert, but that is my understanding, a TS Short Rifle.
My bayonet is a repro from Atlanta Cutlery, although the collapse of the dollar might make them quite expensive now.

If you try the .264 160gn RN and they don't stabilise I can send you some of the .267" to try. I saw the .264" bullet somewhere recently for $88/100 I think.
I have also paper-patched jacketed 75gn .243" bullets with decent results, at least I was able to shoot it

[bladeracer]

https://web.archive.org/web/20160203100301/http://personal.stevens.edu/~gliberat/carcano/models.html

[No1Mk3]

G'day bladeracer,
You have the Fucile Corto Modello 91/38, ie: Short Rifle, 91 (6.5 cal) 38 (1938 fixed sight). Like you I have used the 160g .264 dia with good results in some of my Carcano, but most shoot better with the .267 so I keep the .264 for the 6.5 Verguero and Mannlicher. Lyman make a 6.5 140g mould, #266469, that cast .2665 using 94/6 alloy. Sadly I lost the thing when moving house years ago and haven't bothered replacing it, too many other things to cast for now. Cheers

[Kelsey Cooter]

Thanks for all the info guys. Unfortunately everywhere I find the .264 160gn on the net they are out of stock but Ill ask my local if they can find anything.

What brass do you use?

My local actually said they do have ppu factory rounds at the moment. I never asked price as I hate buying factory but I might have to start with them. Are the dies hard to find? I see the Lee dies are limited production so I'm thinking I might grab them while I know I can

[Kelsey Cooter]

Thoughts on these?

[bladeracer]

Thoughts on these?

Will depend on what size they are, I find too many commercially made cast bullets are too small.

[Kelsey Cooter]

Is the folding bayonet the correct bayonet for the short rifle?

[bladeracer]

Is the folding bayonet the correct bayonet for the short rifle?

If the bottom of your forend is grooved for it it is, they made a few different bayonets for it, including fixing the folders so they didn't fold. The folder is the most interesting in my opinion and happily lives on the rifle. It's also the only version reproduction I'm aware of.

[snag]

I've got the same rifle as you and it shoots good iron sight accuracy with Norma Golden Target 130 grainers.(.264) Once I worked the unusual sights out, that is.

[Kelsey Cooter]

Is the folding bayonet the correct bayonet for the short rifle?

If the bottom of your forend is grooved for it it is, they made a few different bayonets for it, including fixing the folders so they didn't fold. The folder is the most interesting in my opinion and happily lives on the rifle. It's also the only version reproduction I'm aware of.

Ok cool good to know, I'm pretty sure it does, because I remember looking at the grove and wondering what its purpose was. When my pta comes through and I get it home I'll post some photos

[Kelsey Cooter]

I've got the same rifle as you and it shoots good iron sight accuracy with Norma Golden Target 130 grainers.(.264) Once I worked the unusual sights out, that is.

Thanks snag! What brass did you buy?

[bladeracer]

I've got the same rifle as you and it shoots good iron sight accuracy with Norma Golden Target 130 grainers.(.264) Once I worked the unusual sights out, that is.

Nice to know. Did you try other .264" bullets?

[bladeracer]

I've got the same rifle as you and it shoots good iron sight accuracy with Norma Golden Target 130 grainers.(.264) Once I worked the unusual sights out, that is.

Thanks snag! What brass did you buy?

Most of my brass is S&B I think, I'll have to check what other brands I'm using in it.

[snag]

Brass is PPU and seems pretty good - I do measure length and full-length resize all new brass before loading but. I haven't tried any other .264 projectiles because I buy the Normas 500 at a time to feed my 6.5x55 Swede. I might try a box of the ridgy-didge .268 projectiles one day, but I'm getting in the black on combined service targets with the .264's so I'm not real worried. Personally, I think that a lot of shooters criticise the Carcano's accuracy because they don't understand the sighting system.

[bladeracer]

Brass is PPU and seems pretty good - I do measure length and full-length resize all new brass before loading but. I haven't tried any other .264 projectiles because I buy the Normas 500 at a time to feed my 6.5x55 Swede. I might try a box of the ridgy-didge .268 projectiles one day, but I'm getting in the black on combined service targets with the .264's so I'm not real worried. Personally, I think that a lot of shooters criticise the Carcano's accuracy because they don't understand the sighting system.

Bugger, I didn't really want to buy 500 if they don't work
But I guess they will work in my other 6.5's.

The sights only affect point of impact don't they, accuracy is still good. Mine shoots around 2MoA, zeroed at 70m puts it 40mm low at 100m, with the .264" 160gn RN at 1950fps.
Even 75gn .243" bullets paper-patched are not far off point of aim
https://enoughgun.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=6878#p109363

[Kelsey Cooter]

Finally got it home today

[No1Mk3]

G'day Kelsey Cooter,
Congratulations! Did it come with clips? Cheers

[Kelsey Cooter]

G'day Kelsey Cooter,
Congratulations! Did it come with clips? Cheers

I bought 1 clip for it for $30. I had a win with dies while waiting for the pta to come.
Bought rcbs dies and shell holder, and 38 norma cases for $60 posted a couple of weeks ago