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6.5 x 52mm CARCANO

ENBLOCENBLOC Member Posts: 327 ✭✭
Anyone handload for this old war horse? Using .268" dia. 160 grain round nose bullets from Hornady. What is an accurate recipe? What do you do for brass? One site talked of making boxer brass from berdan using a flat bottom drill #4 (.209") so that it can bottom in the primer pocket; then hand ream to .210" & bore a central flash hole with a #50 (.070") which coverts the Berdan brass to Boxer type. It warns that you are thinning the depth of the web. Advise? I have handtools to remove a military primer crimp and primer pocket uniformer. Thanks!

Comments

  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    IIRC they used a gain twist barrel in those, so if the barrel has been shortened don't expect the "heavies" to stabilize (when they shorten the barrel they cut off the fastest portion of the twist)
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    With that bullet, I use Grafs cases (www.grafs.com - very reasonable in price) and either Winchester 760 or H414. Very similar powders, 37 grains of either WITH A MAG PRIMER should do ya.... enclosed is a scan of Hornady's original data card when they were working up loads for that bullet. Both print about 2" in my 1941 model Carcano. Do note though, you will need a set of either Hornady or Lee dies of new manufacture, as they are the only ones (to my knowledge) making the expander and seater to properly handle the .268" bullet.

    Finally a word of note- I have heard that in some guns, the loads still develop pressure signs so start low and work up. In my particular guns, these work fine. I'd even say looking at the cases that I could go over their recommended load and they were being overly conservative (the original 6.5X52 got moving quite a bit faster than 2200fps) especially with such slow powders. But that's my OPINION and wouldn't recommend- officially- that you heed it.
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  • grandmangrandman Member Posts: 183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Are these Carcano 6.5 x 52 rifles very accurate? A friend has a carbine model, probley 16 or 18 inch barrel and he said that it is not very accurate. With the long bullet it would seem that it would be some what accurate and able to stablize the bullet well.
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by grandman
    Are these Carcano 6.5 x 52 rifles very accurate? A friend has a carbine model, probley 16 or 18 inch barrel and he said that it is not very accurate. With the long bullet it would seem that it would be some what accurate and able to stablize the bullet well.
    That depends.

    Assuming that they aren't shot out with pitted bores, dinged crowns, etc., the Carcano can be very accurate; the cartridge, while using an oddball bullet, is every bit as good as the other 6.5s of the era such as the 6.5X54 Mannlicher-Schoenauer and Swedish 6.5X55- which is to say low recoil, flat trajectory, good accuracy.

    Now, the sights on a Carcano are awful. Good combat sights maybe, but awful for target work. The triggers are a bit creepy, though usually not too heavy. The safety is the worst of any rifle I can think of, requiring two hands and about 30 pounds of force to engage.

    But that aside, yes, they can often shoot well.

    The reason a lot of people don't think they can is twofold.

    First, a lot of the carbines were made of cut down long rifles. These long rifles used gain twist rifling. Cutting off the end of the gun ruined the gain twist and left the gun with a very messed up rifling, that won't stabilize much of anything. A real stupid oversight for the Italians to make.

    Second, for years only .264" bullets were available. The standard Italian service round measures in at .2665" (at least those in my collection do). Why Hornady went with .268 is beyond me. Given the long throat of these guns, in general people have not had issue with them but I would have gone with .267" or .266" to more closely match spec (of course this is irrelevant, slug your barrel to see what YOU have). In any case... this lead to poor accuracy- like shooting a .304" bullet down a .308 bore would.

    So... assuming you can deal with a short sight radius, the carbines can be fairly accurate, though admittedly, I've alwasy done better with the long rifles.
  • grandmangrandman Member Posts: 183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks, I guess that he has to slug the barrel to see what he has,( or better yet I`ll slug it for him, he is not mechanically inclined).
    He wants to sell me the gun because it is hard to find ammo for it, he does not reload. I will slug the barrel and see what I come up with. The .2665 is an odd bullet ha??? Can it be found easly? [8D]
    ENBLOC sorry to steal your post.
  • rsnyder55rsnyder55 Member Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I believe it was a 6.5x52 Carcano that assassinated President Kennedy and according to the 'experts' of the day, that particular rifle/cartrdige wasn't capable of the type of accuracy that was required to make those shots.
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rsnyder55
    I believe it was a 6.5x52 Carcano that assassinated President Kennedy and according to the 'experts' of the day, that particular rifle/cartrdige wasn't capable of the type of accuracy that was required to make those shots.

    Kennedy was not far away. Even the Carcano could hit a man-sized target at the ranges we're talking about. Oswald had interarms ammo- reloads using original military proper diameter bullets.

    The gun was capable of the accuracy required. The question is, the speed. 3 shots in 7 seconds with one of the more awkward bolts? Doubtful.
  • Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,365 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Richard Davis set up the shot at a Second Chance event, with a tower the right height and a dummy car pulled down a track at the right distance, angle, and speed. The shots were made in time and on target by a left handed Marine. Oswald was left handed and had been in the Marines.
  • grandmangrandman Member Posts: 183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Strange events that happened that day. A gun found in the right place with questionable accuracy, and then Oswall gets shot soon afterwards. HUMMMM...?????[?]
    Anyway, back to the carcano. I will have to take this rifle out for a test ride and see for myself just what it can and can not do. I will get back with results as soon as I get back from the ride. It might not be soon,I am very busy these days trying to get cought up before deer(gun)season.
  • mondmond Member Posts: 6,458
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rsnyder55
    I believe it was a 6.5x52 Carcano that assassinated President Kennedy and according to the 'experts' of the day, that particular rifle/cartrdige wasn't capable of the type of accuracy that was required to make those shots.



    so he wasnt shot by a driver.


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