7.35x51 carcano

[DubC-Hicks]

One of my friends gave one to me. I'm pretty sure its a m38. Its marked SA so it must have been sent to Finland. It is sporterized and it actually looks good IMO. Perfect barrel, nice lands and grooves. Whats it worth? If I decide to keep it, where can I find reasonable ammo. My gunsmith down the road has boxes of reloaded milsurp ammo for $30. I kind of like it, Its practically a smaller caliber 308.

 

[Deaf Smith]

Th 7.35 I think is a true .300 cal. But while it has the same length as the 7.62 Nato, that is 7.62x51, the chamber pressures of the Carcano round are below 40,000 PSI, while the Nato round at something like 50,000 PSI.

But I've read the action is very strong.

http://www.surplusrifle.com/carcano9138/specifications.asp

http://personal.stevens.edu/~gliberat/carcano/models.html

I'd learn to reload on my own and make cases out of 6.5x52 Carcano brass.

It is not worth a real lot. You will need the 6 round clips to make it more than a single shot.

It is an effective rifle. Kind of like a .300 Savage but a bit weaker.

 

[Scorch]

I have read that there is some surplus ammo available, but don't know where. Bullets for reloading are virtually unavailable unless you find a 30-year-old box of bullets. As stated above, the groove diameter is .298", rather than the more common 30-caliber .308" groove diameter we usually see, so you can't just run out and grab a box of bullets off the shelf and reload the cases. And since most of the Model 38 rifles are retired by now anyway, there is little chance of anyone starting to make ammo for it, either.

BTW, the cartridge designation is 7.35X52mm, it uses the same case as the 6.5X52mm Carcano, just has a bigger bullet in it.

 

[lt dan]

wow i like the firing line so much. i only know of the 7.5 x 52 carcano. never to old to learn. keep us up to speed with the performance of this rifle please.

 

[mnw42]

You have a bit of a rare bird. Most of the 7.35s were converted back to 6.5x52 to streamline logistics at the start of WWII. Carcanos are really underrated and make for some good little carbines.

If you don't have the clips you can get them from e-gunparts.com

 

[DubC-Hicks]

I have 1 6rd stripper clip. It will shoot about a 2.5" group at 100 yds. I did not think it would do that good. The ammo is just some old surplus ammo that had the fmj pulled out and soft point hunting bullets put back in.

Markings are: SD on bolt handle, Cal 7,35 on fixed rear sight
terni, SA, 1939 XVII, 918, and crown on barrel/reciever
stock still has Terni cartouche on it
if I sell it, how much should I sell it for?

 

[mnw42]

I'd say $200 - $300 depending on condition. Perhaps a bit more if ammo becomes more of you sit on it for a while or find the right buyer.

Do you have any pics?