FA+
Shop
1006
Views
Views
26
Favorites
Favorites
Category
All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1136 x 726
File Size 295.2 kB
Report this content
More from baroncoon
I'll get back to posting more fennecs, mice, and skunks soon but this firearm illustration is relevant to history tomorrow.
When I was learning how to shoot in the 1970's, if you were study the history books and poll the population of shooters at that time you would have came away with the conclusion that the only military bolt-action rifles worth owning or discussing in great detail were Mausers, Enfields, and Springfields, Every other type of rifle just showed how superior the other three were. Nothing more than exotic oddballs that shot weird ammo. After all the great bolt-action huntings were generally derived from big three anyways, what more proof did you need! I know better now.
This is the Italian 1891/ M38 Carcano short rifle. In reality it is carbine and it represents the last bolt-action Carcano. It was suppose to chamber a 7.35mm round, but troubles with Italian logistics during WWII meant that most were built to fire the 6.5x52mm cartridge that had been designed for the original 1891.
It uses the Mannlicher clip that allowed a number cartridges, six in this case, to be loaded as one unit through the top of the open action. Unlike a stripper-clip the Mannlicher remained in the weapon until either the last round was chambered and then the empty clip fell out the bottom of the magazine, or a release was depressed that allowed the whole clip to be removed from the top.
The Carcano was not the best bolt-action, nor was the 6.5x52mm cartridge greatest round ever used by an army. There were complaints about the stopping power of the 6.5 round, just showing that soldiers are always bitching about their equipment, but it served it Italy in two World Wars. And then one unfortunately changed the course of American History.
On November 22nd 1963 at 12:30pm John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas TX. by Lee Harvey Oswald. From the sixth floor of the Texas School Depository Oswald fired three rounds from a scoped M38 he had purchased in March of that year. In a few seconds Governor John Connally was critically injured and the 35th President of United States was dead. Just like the Arthurian legends of old Camelot was gone.
When I was learning how to shoot in the 1970's, if you were study the history books and poll the population of shooters at that time you would have came away with the conclusion that the only military bolt-action rifles worth owning or discussing in great detail were Mausers, Enfields, and Springfields, Every other type of rifle just showed how superior the other three were. Nothing more than exotic oddballs that shot weird ammo. After all the great bolt-action huntings were generally derived from big three anyways, what more proof did you need! I know better now.
This is the Italian 1891/ M38 Carcano short rifle. In reality it is carbine and it represents the last bolt-action Carcano. It was suppose to chamber a 7.35mm round, but troubles with Italian logistics during WWII meant that most were built to fire the 6.5x52mm cartridge that had been designed for the original 1891.
It uses the Mannlicher clip that allowed a number cartridges, six in this case, to be loaded as one unit through the top of the open action. Unlike a stripper-clip the Mannlicher remained in the weapon until either the last round was chambered and then the empty clip fell out the bottom of the magazine, or a release was depressed that allowed the whole clip to be removed from the top.
The Carcano was not the best bolt-action, nor was the 6.5x52mm cartridge greatest round ever used by an army. There were complaints about the stopping power of the 6.5 round, just showing that soldiers are always bitching about their equipment, but it served it Italy in two World Wars. And then one unfortunately changed the course of American History.
On November 22nd 1963 at 12:30pm John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas TX. by Lee Harvey Oswald. From the sixth floor of the Texas School Depository Oswald fired three rounds from a scoped M38 he had purchased in March of that year. In a few seconds Governor John Connally was critically injured and the 35th President of United States was dead. Just like the Arthurian legends of old Camelot was gone.
Category All / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 1136 x 726px
File Size 295.2 kB
Yeah I have a couple Swedish M38. no relation to the Carcano, that are a real joy to shoot! Since they are short barrel rifles I've considered restorng one back to armory issue and then converting one into a Scout Rifle. They both shoot as good as I can, and the 6.5x55mm Swedish is an excellent cartridge.
Its still beyond me how Oswald could kill Kennedy with a rifle like this one. Its known that Oswald wasnt a good shooter and the rifle is known to be very inaccurate too, so he must have either trained a lot, or just had fucking luck. Its not impossible and recent investigations show that Oswald is indeed the only killer.
So yeah, I wouldnt bet my life on the M38, I couldnt hit a boardsitde of a barn with it, would be better off with a K98.
So yeah, I wouldnt bet my life on the M38, I couldnt hit a boardsitde of a barn with it, would be better off with a K98.
An interesting simulation was conducted by Massad Ayoob in the 90's concerning whether Oswald could have fired those three rounds. He recreated the range, rifle, ammo and conditions that Oswald would've had to fire under and then assembled a group of shooters to see if they could do it. They all failed except one shooter who like Oswald was a southpaw. That shooter rested the rifle on recreated window sill and worked bolt with his right hand. That shooter also ignored the scope and just used the iron sights. He was able to made it work. Massad was also able to find eye witness testimony that stated that Oswald fire his rifle that way at the range in rapid fire, for a bolt gun, and that people complained about it.
Although they have Ferdinan Ritter von Mannlicher's name on it, they were really just a modified Mauser. But then, at the time, the Mauser was the rifle to compete with.
As for Kennedy - he certainly inspired a nation. But I've heard lots of negatives. Maybe I've just grown a bit cynical, but anytime I hear about how wonderful he was, I tend to wonder if that's not just aging 1950s nostalgia.
D.O.P.R
As for Kennedy - he certainly inspired a nation. But I've heard lots of negatives. Maybe I've just grown a bit cynical, but anytime I hear about how wonderful he was, I tend to wonder if that's not just aging 1950s nostalgia.
D.O.P.R
DOPR5, I believe there's also a lot of the "martyr effect" in action there, as well. Kennedy was young, handsome, and charismatic, which added to the effect, as did a beautiful wife and kids.
Today, I don't know how good he was as President, there is far too much hero worship and "rose colored glasses" in anything you read. Being in my early teens, I was too young to know that much at the time. I do remember being extremely disgusted that the only thing on television for four days was JFK and his funeral.
As to the rifle, I have handled them (while I was in gunsmithing trade school, a few decades ago) but never fired one. Not a great rifle, but neither was it a piece of junk. Just a good, serviceable military rifle.
Today, I don't know how good he was as President, there is far too much hero worship and "rose colored glasses" in anything you read. Being in my early teens, I was too young to know that much at the time. I do remember being extremely disgusted that the only thing on television for four days was JFK and his funeral.
As to the rifle, I have handled them (while I was in gunsmithing trade school, a few decades ago) but never fired one. Not a great rifle, but neither was it a piece of junk. Just a good, serviceable military rifle.
By todays standards the early 60's were an extremely naive period. I barely remember any of it, I was born in 65, but for many it still represents a watershed moment in world and US history. For many who I've talked to who remember that day, both in and outside the US, their was a feeling of rage, dumbfound confusion and sense innocence lost. For the 20th century I've heard Dallas 63 as being one of those moments that everyone who was old to remember can tell you just where they were and what they were doing when they got the news. It is a rare moment that sears itself into the collective memories of a culture. Like the bombing of Pearl Harbor, VE and VJ Day, the first Lunar Landing, the Challenger Accident ,and 9/11.
Very true. I was 13 and living in a small town in South Dakota. I was home, eating lunch, before going back for my afternoon classes. When I got back to school, the teachers were all in dumbfounded, almost completely speechless shock, and the students, for the most part, were stunned. They (including me) didn't really understand how bad it was. The older students, especially those in high school, were probably more knowledgeable.
Myself, I knew he was the President, and what that was, but I had no idea beyond that.
A very different time, and nearly impossible to explain to those who didn't live through it. Also true of the '60's in general.
Myself, I knew he was the President, and what that was, but I had no idea beyond that.
A very different time, and nearly impossible to explain to those who didn't live through it. Also true of the '60's in general.
I love it... Italy is the only major nation that fought in ww2 who i dont have a rifle from. ive got at least one from all the major nations... ACCEPT ITALY! ive got enfields, mosin nagants, a garand and an m1 carbine, a type 99, a k98 but i dont have a CARCANO!
Awesome work... *hugs Baroncoon*
Awesome work... *hugs Baroncoon*
I've owned a couple of Carcanos, the Model 38 with the folding bayonet and the 1941 long rifle. I always had trouble closing the bolt on a chambered round until I realized that the cartridge(s) had to be placed in the clip and fed into the chamber Mauser-style. The extractor would not snap over the rim of the cartridge like many other military rifles.
Comments