Got to have a carcano blow a primer in my face today! Very fun. And yes the gas shield and port work! It was cool to see the gas split away from your first hand! The only bit of Gass that still hit me came from the cocking piece hole but otherwise it deflected around 90 percent.

I have a Model 1941 and I quite like it, I figure the Carcano series of weapons to be rather underrated. Great video, thanks!

"They needed something else..." Like someone to beat some common sense into Cadorna.

FYI My father, who was in the Italian Army during WWI told me that when using the bolt on the carcano you slapped it up, pulled it back with an open hand and pushed it back with the open hand and slapped it down, again with the open hand. Since he fought through the entire war and watching him shoot a carcano that I purchased for him in the 1980s his method worked quite well.

That weight is astonishing for such a long gun. Italy had one of the lightest rifles and the lightest ammo for it in the whole war. That’s a plus.

So I first watched this video a couple of weeks ago. Today I go to the gun show and what do I find? An 1891 Carcano dated 1895. The rifle is complete and in surprisingly good shape. So of course I brought it home and I can't wait to try it out, but first I'll need a stripper clip.... I'm gonna blame this on you Othais and Mae, the last thing I needed was another bolt action rifle.

Hilarious how out of all my bolt action rifles, my Carcano TS (the cheapest one I got) is my favorite rifle to shoot

who else is watching this in 2021 where 6.5 carcano ammo is rarer than an honest politician?

I have a question. Both Carcano rifles and Mosin-Nagant rifles were adequate service rifles. Neither was outstanding but both were adequate. Somehow, Mosin-Nagant rifles come to be highly regarded post-war while Carcanos were relegated to the junk tier with Arisakas. Honestly, Nagants are not better than Carcanos. Why do so called experts think they were? Another great video.

The carcano is like sand, coarse, rough and gets everywhere

Yes! someone who used the term "point blank range" correctly!

Awesome video

Keep it up

"There's a whole lot of history we're gonna cover when we get out of WW1 on this channel" At this point you've been discussing WW1 firearms for longer than even WW2 lasted

I have missed the simplicity of your channel. I re-subscribed

Not quite Back and to the left, but we are getting their.

Good

I had a Carcano 91/38 for a while. Sweet-shooting rifle, but it had terrible accuracy. I wish I had kept it, because I didn't learn until many years later about the ammunition needs and I'd be willing to bet that the Spitzer bullets I was feeding it were the problem, not the rifle.

The bad reputation comes from the mistake using the wrong bullet diameter in reloading the 6.5carcano uses 268. While reloaders were using 263s or 264 s and ending up with crappy ballistics the 4 to5 mm difference makes a world of difference! Use the proper bullets and it's a decent rifle.

It's Càrcano. accented on the FIRST A, not on the second! Lombardy also is accented on the first O.

I love the X-ray views of the actions; you're certainly right about the one spring action; engineers call this "elegance"; it's said to be an elegant solution. Very nice, indeed.

Underrated rifle and channel.

Why no hammer fired bolt actions?

.264 bullet in carcano are usually undersized. Your info on the ammo state .261 bullet that would be innacurate

I have binged this series for the past few weeks, and actually just got a carcano TS from 1916. I can now appreciate it properly having watched this video. Thank you guys!

Rip Austro-Hungarians

As a bird, i want to thank mae for adding content for my demographic. Its good to show the humans a different point of view. Weet weet

So with reference between the no. 1 trials rifle and the no.2 trials rifle, it is quite evident that the entirety of rifle no1 minus the mauser action was adopted and fitted to it was a further adaptation of rifle no2s action. The recoil bolt and method of securing the top handguard of rifle no1 along with all the other features is essentially identical to the earliest patterns of m1891 rifles that where produced. A common misconception of the 1891 fucile is that it has looked basically the same since its first inception which is incorrect. The idea that rifle no1 was adopted is only partially correct, as in fact most of it was. Its just that the mauser action was obviously dropped.

Someone get this man a horde of minions and a beer.

May is beautiful and awesome!!

"I'm Othias, and THIS is a bowl of spaghetti"- Othias. Probably.

Beautiful

While certainly not the best among bolt-actions, in fact I'd place them in the bottom tier, I'd still rather have a Carcano than a Lebel.

Thank's for the Report. The 1891 is a great old Rifle. Greeting's from Germany

This is SUCH a good episode. Well done!

My new favorite arms channel! Excellent job! Thank you!

I love how optimistic WWI sights are. How many people in on earth could really hit what they're shooting at reliably with iron sights at 2000 meters?

That Torino was Gran

Good job mate, you made an accurate historical research. Thank you so much from Italy.

You know, I love all your videos. I've learned a ton. However, one day my kids were watching Muppet Family Christmas while I was watching this and now I can't unhear Kermit the Frog...

Interesting note....many of these went to Finland.

I would love to see a full review and firing demonstration of a Winchester 1895 Lee Navy. For some reason the lines of the Carcano brough it back to mind.

excellent job!

@C&Rsenal I've said it before and I say it again . I really appreciate all of the work and efforts from all of you. I have received quite the education . I soak of this history like a sponge and am absolutely fascinated to see the progress and efforts of men and women. Some brilliant , some dense, but all trying . Look where we are now. Thank you . Thank you very much.

"I'm backwards for tv" - Othias

Excellent video

Have Two My Father Was In War 1

24:11 "just make sure to push it all the way in" heheheheeeeeeeh

The impression I'm getting from this is that the Carcano is 'good enough' in every respect except fit and finish, just like the Mosin was in WW2 (but less complex and easier to manufacture). It was the right rifle in the right place at the right time and in the right circumstances (at least in WW1).

Thank you for your contribution to history of Carcano modello 91

Anybody else wish the 7.35 cartridge caught on? The M38 in 7.35 is one of my most favored historical firearms.

If you stretch the logic enough, you could say this gun had some part in killing the king. The fancy new rifles may have contributed to the sheer amount of deaths in the massacre which led quite directly to Bresci's assassination of Umberto. Now, the king could have probably saved himself by not openly congratulating and giving a medal to Beccaris, but I suppose that's a whole other thing.

Ordered one today such an interesting piece of hardware, xan't wait to put my hands on it thabks for the great vidéo

Hi,.... question for May!. I have never seen anyone shoot a rifle without wrapping the trigger hand thumb over the stock. Is there a reason why you do this???? I would not feel in control of the weapon once it discharges, if I were to shoot the way you do...

8:46 Note: Do NOT search Google Images for "degloved". You have been warned.

thank you for the video it helped me put my caremona 1942xx back together same bolt action

I SO love going back and seeing these early videos. I came to C&Rsenal kind of late, and this content was just out there, waiting for me. Great presentation, video, and content, even early on. Love you folks!

Another great video! learned a lot and thank you for the time and work put into it.

How did they make gain twist barrels back then? You can't forge them, the mandrel sticks. You obviously can't broach. IF gain button rifling 1:20"-1:8"were possible, maybe CNC could do it today. But not then. I guess you could single point cut them on a rack/pinion sine bar setup with a logarithmic hypotenuse. But on a cheap & simple rifle in 1891, that method too is suspect. Yet how else? Do you know, or was it kept secret?

great job

I've heard that Carcanos that still have their original matching bolts are quite a bit smoother since the ejector groove on the bolt body is properly polished for the specific rifle's ejector. Problem is that apparently very, very few Carcanos still do have their original bolts today since the Italians made such an effort to be as thrifty as possible with rifle parts, mixing and matching whenever they could. Regardless, my 1917 Terni is a great shooter despite being made to lower wartime standards and I've never had any issues with it.

The carcano model 91 and 91/41 was the rifle my grand father and my father fought in WWI and WWII. I want to thank for the historical accuracy the rifle was described in this presentation. Too many times I have heard superficial and wrong comments on it. Congratulations.

Lee Navy please!I know it's not used during ww1, but, PLEASE!

Really interesting video

good stuff

Full of data, awesome, great work, Thanks

This is impressively thorough.

I have a 41 and did have some feed problems, but other than that I have to agree the rifle is good.

I love my carcanos. I acquired many clips and have been able to bend them back into shape after being stepped on etc.

So if i find a full length rifle but with a bent bolt and the year on the chamber area says 18 is it original setup or a different year bolt slapped on a older model

Excellent! Thank You for Posting : )

i have a 91/41 made in 43. litteraly i have 2 complaints, the screw in the buttstock protrudes slightly. and the clip sometimes gets stuck and doesnt eject. both very minor though

Cool.

I love yalls content! I watch them all multiple times. I love guns and I have learned so much more because of you guys. I really appreciate what you do.

Great video, keep it up

Carcano: Goes bang, shoots straight, easy to use, and it doesn't break or malfunction unless you do something stupid. Everything you need out of a military rifle of the period and nothing you don't (especially manufacturing complexity or cost). Not the nicest guns in the world, but you don't _need_ nice on a battlefield; you need reliable, durable, accurate (by standards of the time), and soldier-proof. Most importantly, you need the rifle to actually be there because it could be made in large numbers quickly and on the cheap. Carcano does all of that. No show, just go.

Good, got a Beretta Carbine on the way and had to watch this again. Great resource!!

I know this is heresy; but I think this is a better engineered bolt action than the Mauser. The grittiness is easily fixed by some hand work; polishing the working surfaces and using appropriate lubricants makes an amazing difference.

What about the model 91 calvary?

Just brought one of these and found this channel looking at reveiws....subscribed Love these old guns

Excellent video! I have that book and it's worth every cent

When Othais mentions "malacore jacketed ammo" I think he means melchior, pronounced "mell-key-or," (at least the name is), a silver colored copper-nickel alloy. It took me a while to suss that out.

Your research is always excellent, makes for great videos.

Did the Germans burn anything there upon [retreat]?

It really is clear the see the effort that you put into these. Another great episode.

Is it safe to say the rifles produced by Brescia are the most rare of them all? Or am I mistaken? "New to gun history so just trying to learn"

FYI Re, Rare Model 40 Carcano, with Rear Aperture Sight !- #1- Google, museo delle armi terni (Museum of Arms Terni Italy) #2- Click @ top- Articoli e Pubblicazioni (Articles & Publications) #3- Click on bottom pdf book- Il '91 (The 91) Page 125 shows a grainy photo of the M40 with adustment knob visible ! #4- Check out all of the other great C&R weapon books !

When I bought my Carcano, it was my first gun that I had ever bought and when I saw it at the gun show that I was at, I just knew that I had to buy it (I just wish I had known about how much the ammo cost). When I bought it I had no idea about the gun but then I found your channel and that and Ian over at Forgotten Weapons helped me figure out what I had and for that I am eternally greatful. Thank you and keep up the good work.

Great episode! Really enjoyed the history and development of this gun.

I like this gun a lot aesthetically.

Someone please tell Othais: Car-ca-no, not Ca-car-no.

Two comments… 1) The music you selected when the pretty lady was shooting the long ’91 could not have been more appropriated. It was “La Leggenda del Piave” or the legend of the river Piave, the place that witnessed some of the bloodiest fights of WW1between Italians and the Huns. That river is considered sacred for the true Italian. Thank you for inserting such an appropriate piece of music (needles to say, I am Italian, born, raised and educated.) 2) I have a batter method to de-cock all the Carcano rifles based on the ’91 model (I have two long carbines converted into hunting rifles and 3 “Carabinieri” models with under-folding bayonet all in 6.5mm) - As a round is chambered and the bolt is returned to the down position, the only thing needed to de-cock the gun is to lift the bolt and then push it back down as you keep the trigger depressed! Try it. For your information, with hand-loads I can get a 5-shot group of less than 3 inches at 100 meters, consistently! By the way, good job; I am enjoying your videos. I can’t wait for episode 2 of the old Carcano. Don’t forget my beloved under-fold bayonet carbine. One of the 3 I own was manufactured by Beretta in 1942. It is in immaculate conditions and appears to have been fired very little if at all. I love these little carbines! Nothing fancy, just nice, dependable workhorses! I wish I could find more of the 6-rounds empty clips. I am down to 6. Any suggestion of where to find them?

The 1891 was one of my early acquisitions in the 70s for $26 in great shape, i found a bayo w/scabard in a surplus store for $2.50 there was a box full, i shoulda got more. I was shooting ww2 ammo back then & a shell ruptered down into the extracter groove (their almost like old balloon head shells) it put 25 pcs. Of brass micro splinters in my eye & a lot more in my cheek & forhead. Ive been using moderen brass since.

awesome vid!!!

This brand name rifle was used by Lee Harvey Oswald to shot present Kennedy in November 23, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. It was purchased on magazine as a surplus for about $22.00 back then.

Good video thanks.

Makes me want to go out and get some Chef Boyardee!!!! I love your videos and the information you provide.Excellent!

I've pledge at the start of the year and i'm glad i did. I really enjoy the content.

I want a Torino one. I can then engrave "Gran" in front of Torino and a sneering face of Walt Kowalski beside it lol.

This is the first video I have watched from your channel and I am very impressed. Great Job. I like how you tell about it’s history as well as performance.