Who knows Carcano / Arisakas?

[Bucktailpath]

Recently my dad and I got an old rifle in trade that we're going to use as a brush gun for deer hunting back east. It's at my family's cabin in north central PA, but I got a few pics. It will be a shared backup for any of us at the cabin.







Clearly the stock is not original. Old remington stock that was cut to fit. Doesn't look too bad.

Only mark on it is G5766, 39, AS and 8 other than a few proof marks. I was told it was italian but the guy wasn't really sure what it was. Researching online it looks like a Type 1 Carcano or Arisaka. I'm looking to confirm exactly what it is, and more importantly which bullets it would shoot. From what I'm seeing there's 6.5 Carcano 6.5x52mm) and 6.5 Jap (6.5x50mm) Since these are so similar, and ammo for them is not cheap, I wanted to be sure. Hopefully someone here has an eye for these things.

[ar15barrels]

You will get better responses in the C&R subforum.

[Noonanda]

It looks like Type 1 and would shoot 6.5x50 Arisaka, which is a great little round

[Rogerbutthead]

http://candrsenal.com/rifle-carcano-type-i/

I thought they were called Type I as in "eye" for Italy.

[Flouncer]

Gunboards.com

Vast array of knowledgeable people there.

Go here, look into the italian arms section and the search also Arisaka

http://forums.gunboards.com

[Milsurp Collector]

Top: Carcano M1891
Middle: Type I
Bottom: Arisaka Type 38

[gun toting monkeyboy]

Yes, it looks like a Type I. And they shoot 6.5 Jap. The good news is that it uses regular 6.5mm bullets, and is easy to reload. Both brass and bullets are available. And with the right bullets, you can use it for anything you are likely to run into in the lower 48 states. If you plan on shooting it often, I would seriously look into reloading it. If it is just going to be a back-up gun that doesn't get used much, Hornady makes a really good 140 grain sp load that isn't all that much more expensive than other hunting ammo if you look around online. It is one of the more efficient 6.5 military rounds out there. And the Carcano action is more than strong enough to handle it. If the sights on it are at all decent, I wouldn't hesitate to use it as a woods gun back there. PA whitetails aren't all that big. And a 6.5 anything will take them down if you do your part.

-Mb

[JohnFLand]

Some useful information here:

http://members.shaw.ca/nambuworld/typeipix.htm

[gunboat]

Don't disagree on Type I --
I would check to make sure it was not converted to 6.5x257 --
Many 6.5 jap were converted as the ammo/brass was unobtainable in the 1950's - 60's
my ha-penny

[CGZ]

carcanos use a clip to load the ammunition into the magazine, where as arisakas have a build in magazine.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Gunboards.com

Vast array of knowledgeable people there.

Go here, look into the italian arms section and the search also Arisaka

http://forums.gunboards.com

Gunboards is tthe place where serious collectors and experts on C&R gather. Subforums for almost every type of milsurp.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Bobby Recigliano. User name here.

Whahappend?