Carcano

Carcano
Carcano Modello 1891 infantry rifle
Type	Bolt-action rifle
Place of origin	Kingdom of Italy
Service history
In service	1891–1981 (Italy) 1891–present (others)
Used by	See Users
Wars	Mahdist War First Italo-Ethiopian War Boxer Rebellion Italo-Turkish War World War I Vlora War Second Italo-Abyssinian War Spanish Civil War Second Sino-Japanese War Winter War World War II Italian Civil War Indonesian National Revolution Greek Civil War 1958 Lebanon crisis Bale Revolt Lebanese Civil War Kosovo War Tuareg rebellion Libyan Civil War
Production history
Designer	Salvatore Carcano
Designed	1890
Produced	1891–1945
No. built	2,063,750–3,000,000 of all variants
Variants	Long rifle, short rifle, cavalry carbine, special troops' carbine See Variants
Specifications (Fucile mod. 91)
Mass	Mod. 91: 3.8 kg (8 lb 6 oz) Moschetto: 3.16 kg (7.0 lb) Moschetto TS: 2.9 kg (6.4 lb) Mod. 91/41: 3.72 kg (8.2 lb) Mod. 91/38: 3.4 kg (7.5 lb)
Length	Mod. 91: 1,285 mm (50.6 in) Moschetto: 915 mm (36.0 in) Mod. 91/41: 1,175 mm (46.3 in) Mod. 91/38: 1,018 mm (40.1 in)
Barrel length	Mod. 91: 780 mm (30.7 in) Moschetto: 450 mm (18 in) Mod. 91/41: 692 mm (27.2 in) Mod. 91/38: 530 mm (21 in)
Cartridge	6.5×52mm Carcano 7.35×51mm Carcano (Mod.38) 6.5×54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer 7.92×57mm Mauser 6.5×50mm Arisaka (Type I)
Action	Bolt action
Muzzle velocity	700 m/s (2,300 ft/s)
Effective firing range	90–275 m (98–301 yd)
Feed system	6-round integral box magazine, loaded with 6-round en-bloc clips

Carcano is the frequently used name for a series of Italian bolt-action, internal box magazine fed, repeating military rifles and carbines. Introduced in 1891, the rifle was chambered for the rimless 6.5×52mm Carcano round (Cartuccia Modello 1895). It was developed by the chief technician Salvatore Carcano at the Turin Army Arsenal in 1890, and was originally called the Modello (model) 91 or simply M91. Successively replacing the previous Vetterli-Vitali rifles and carbines in 10.35×47mmR, it was produced from 1891 to 1945. The M91 was used in both rifle (fucile) and shorter-barreled carbine (moschetto) form by most Italian troops during World War I and by Italian and some German forces during World War II. The rifle was also used during the Winter War by Finland, and again by regular and irregular forces in Syria, Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria during various postwar conflicts in those countries.

The Type I Carcano rifle was produced by Italy for the Japanese Empire prior to World War II. After the invasion of China, all Arisaka production was required for use of the Imperial Army, so the Imperial Navy contracted with Italy for this weapon in 1937. The Type I is based on the Type 38 rifle and retains the Carcano action, but uses the Arisaka/Mauser-type 5-round internal box magazine. The Type I was used primarily by Japanese Imperial Naval Forces and was chambered for the Japanese 6.5×50mm Arisaka cartridge. Approximately 60,000 Type I rifles were produced by Italian arsenals for the Japanese military.

A Carcano M38 was used by Lee Harvey Oswald to assassinate United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas.^[1]