Moschetto
TS
M91 - manufactured
by one company: 6.5mm Photo
Brescia; 1898 to 1919
M91/24 - 6.5mm long
adjustable rear sight from rifle. Photo
M91/28 - manufactured
by six companies: 6.5mm Photo
Beretta;
Brescia;
Gardone Val Trompia;
Pietro Lorenzotti;
Metallurgica Bresciana;
R.E.Terni;
M91/28 Tromboncino
Launcia Bombe Photos
(new)
M38 - manufactured
by two companies: 7.35mm Photo
Brescia;
Gardone Val Trompia;
M38S - manufactured
by two companies: 7.92mm Photo
Brescia, R.E.Terni
M91/38 - manufactured
by two companies: 6.5mm Photo
Beretta;
Brescia;
Moschetto per Cavalleria
M91 - manufactured
by three companies: 6.5mm
Brescia; 1894 to 1936
Gardone Val Trompia;
1935 to 1937
R.E.Terni; 1928 to
1937
M38 - manufactured
by four companies: 7.35mm
Beretta; 1939
Brescia; 1938
Gardone Val Trompia;
1939
R.E. Terni; 1938 to
1939
M38S - manufactured
by two companies: 7.92mm Photo
Brescia; 1939 to 1941,
R.E.Terni
M91/38 - manufactured
by three companies: 6.5mm Photo
Beretta; 1940 thru
1943, fixed sight
Gardone Val Trompia;
1940 to 1945, fixed sight, after 43 this gun had no markings other than
serial number
Brescia manufactured
a carbine during this period but it remained in the 91 configuration with
adjustable sight. 1940 thru 1943
While the above are
all of the guns called Carbines, the Fucile Corto is within the 21" barrel
length to classify it as a carbine, so I am going to add it also.
Fucile Corto
M38- manufactured by
four companys: 7.35mm
Beretta;
Brescia;
Gardone Val Trompia;
R.E. Terni;
M38-manufactured by
four companys: 6.5mm
Beretta;
Brescia;
Gardone Val Trompia;
R.E. Terni;
M38-8mm conversion
done by Heinrich Krieghoff at plant 12
Receiver marked HK
Cleaning
kit for all versions
Accessories
Reference books:
The Carcano Italy's
Rifle -- by Richard Hobbs
Web Reference:
The
Carcano Home Page
Great web page for
the Carcano enthusiast
Insignia
for the RSI Black Brigade
Photos
like the one below of Italian Troops
Italian forces in N.
African Desert
The
Carcano and Israel
by
Dan Reynolds
Prior to the British
withdrawal from Palestine in 1948 Jewish agents were combing Europe for
rifles. They were buying anything they could find. A deal was
struck for 8mm Carcano carbines and they were stored on an airfield in
central Italy which had recently been used by the RAF. This was a
relay point for contraband being smuggled by air from Europe. In
May of 1948 Israel declared its Independence and and was immediately invaded
by the Arab Nations. By July a major arms deal was struck with Czechoslovakia
for rifles, machine guns, ammunition, pistols, smgs, and aircraft.
Nightly illegal flights from Bratislava in Slovakia in a Dakota (C-47)
twin engine aircraft with phony RAF markings and radio call signs were
refueling at the Italian air field before flying on to deliver the 98K
type 8mm Mausers to Israel. Arab agents were at this time seeking
to buy rifles for their forces and were duped into buying the Carcano's
from the Israeli agents as Israel no longer needed them. Some or
many of them were tampered with so that they could not be of use once it
was discovered that they would blow up. I also found out that the
Brescia guns were never fully developed thus causing many failures.
10,000 were assembled to fulfill a contract even though they would
not function correctly. Some of the 8mm were kept by the Israeli
military and are marked with the Star of David, others bare Arabic writing
but I do not know from which country as Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Syria
and Iraq were all involved.
Other
Items of Interest
The British shipped
a large number of captured Italian small arms to the Dutch in East Indies
after 7 Dec.'41 as aid because they could not spare rifles or MG's of their
own. A huge number of Italian small arms were floating around North
Africa and Middle East that Arabs and Turags took from Italians or picked
up from desert as they collapsed. These were smuggled south in Kenya
and northeast into Arabia, Trans-Jordan, Palestine and beyond in the late
forties as well as being used in Algeria, Morrocco and Tunisa by anti French
movements up into '50's.
copyright 2003-2008
RK Smith-Dan Reynolds
