odies dad Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 I have a butchered 38 carcano in the impossible to find 7.35 carcano caliber. Since no one makes cheap ammo or even reloading stuff for this, I would like to re-barrel it into something that I can shoot. I read about someone who mounted a SKS barrel, but I would rather find something that will screw in rather than installing a sleave. ER Shaw doesn't list pre chambered and pre threaded barrels for the carcano, and I've never seen a listing for carcanos from Addams and Bennett, so I assume I'm gonna have to thread it myself. What is the thread for one of these? I am planning on either 7.62x39 or 35 Rem. Any other suggestions? Someone should probably try to talk me out of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 I'd never try to talk somone out of a project, even if it does involve a Carcano. I may be wrong but I thought these had a rotary magazine? It might be tough to modify for a different case. I kinda like the 6.5 x 52 - it's the conversion I'd be considering. I think brass is available from Graf's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorgansBoss Posted October 24, 2005 Report Share Posted October 24, 2005 The first rifle I ever "worked on," although I'd hesitate to call it that today, was a 7.35 carcano. Problem #1 was that since I had a 6.5 first, I didn't know there was a 7.35 at the time! I just thought it was shot out. Sooo with what I assumed to be a worthless junker, I began experimenting. I don't like Carcanos! That 6.5 was a real shooter... when I could afford the expensive Norma ammo. The sights sucked. The rear sight fell off one time while I was hunting... naturally one of the few times I actually saw a buck back in those days. The safety is atrocious! I can still feel the skin grating off my thumb when I think of working it, even now 30 years later! The absolute worst though was those (then) nearly impossible to obtain Manlicher-style clips! As expensive as ammo was the clips were what was really valued. Lose one of those things and you wanted to cry. Lose your last one and you were stuck with a single shot... and not a very good excuse for one at that! Now that said, I have seen some info on Carcano's in recent years that has led me to doubt my previous assumption that they were weak actions. I think our old friend Clark posted a link once, but I also read in a foreign gun rag about a guys fruitless attempts to blow one up. In retrospect, while they certainly aren't the strongest of actions, I feel they are another victim of post WW-II prejudice. That 6.5 of mine had a beautiful (to a kid) sporter stock on it. I really liked that little rifle (after replacing the sight!), but eventually sold it due to the ammo and clip delima. The prices have been tempting over the years, being more capable if not more knowledgeable, I'm certian I could make some "improvements" that might even make it nice to shoot (the safety comes to mind). However, memories of those danged clips always brings me back to earth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelsdou Posted October 25, 2005 Report Share Posted October 25, 2005 Yeah, when I bought a M38 short rifle in 6.5 to put an "Oswald" in my collection I initially thought it was pretty clunky too. After developing some reloads with the Hornady 160 grain .2675" bullets I found I could consistenly hit softball size groups at 100yds! And with a pitted barrel no less. Being pretty easy to handle, I could see why folks converted them to chase whitetails. But alas, the clips are a pain. The 7.35 can be made from the 6.5x52 brass and Buffalo sells the .300 bullets. 7.35 dies show up now and then - gunshow or ebay. Over on the Carcano webpage D. Emary of Hornady has a white paper on both the 6.5 and 7.35 that's interesting reading. The drawback I see rechambering to another cartridge is the clip system. Whatever you go to you'd have to modifiy the clips and ensure the round feed accordingly. The 7.62x39 sounds fun but don't know if a shorter round would feed forward and make it to the lead in to the chamber. Maybe the follower could be reworked or the clip shimmed forward??? The carcano is also an odd case head diameter, a cousin being the 6.5x54 schoenauer, not real common either. Although Carcanos are of good steel, there's no third lug on that carcano bolt, so I wouldn't want to try pushing anything in the higher pressures. For example, some of the wartime carcanos were rechambered to 8mm but you won't catch me behind them. Be safe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clark Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 There is this: http://personal.stevens.edu/~gliberat/carcano/emary.html But the guy you really want is Andrew Pridham. He first wrote me two months ago about Carcano experiments. He is a kindred engineer who is also motivated to test gun culture myths, in this case, about Carcanos. He posted quite allot about Carcano experiments on http://www.canadiangunnutz.com. You have to join it to read it. Andrew I believe has also posted on this forum, and is known for his 8mm web site: http://www.8x63swedish.pridham.ca/ He was going hunting, I don't know if he is back yet. I think he is also working on another 8mm wildcat: http://forums.accuratereloading.com/groupe...043/m/420103682 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted October 26, 2005 Report Share Posted October 26, 2005 I have also corresponded with Andy. He gave me some good starting loads for my 8mm-Steyr AI (which I'm still trying to get to do 2800 fps with 185 CL - I can get within 150 fps of this with a stock 8 x 57)! He's a great guy, very knowledgable and detail-oriented. I'd listen to any advice that he might have (and be cautious about any advice I might have ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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