Carcano Ammunition - History & Headstamps

6.5 x 52 Carcano

7,35 x 51

• The 6.5mm cartridge with its heavy, ballistically disadvantaged roundnose bullet has a rather curved trajectory. Considering that the battle sights of all M91 guns started at 300 metres, they would shoot too high at the closer distances where most fire was conducted. A flatter-shooting, faster bullet with a streamlined shape was needed.
  
• This would also allow to do away with the perceived-obsolete adjustable rearsight (empirical research had found out about everywhere that the soldiery did not bother to adjust their sights and would only hit their individual targets at close distances any how, (larger caliber) machine guns being prefered for anything beyond 200 metres. Great Britain and Japan answered with the introduction of a peep battlesight, while Italy chose a fixed rear sight notch which would be sighted in to 200 metres.
  
• The introduction of the new cartridge must be seen in the context (and can only this really been understood) of the modernization of the Italian army in the 1930s. The change covered a thorough re-structuring of divisions (2 vs. 3 regiments) and well as the beginning (and large-scale planned) mechanization. In a mechanized, mobile army (as the visionary thinkers of the Italian forces envisioned it, alas without the necessary funds and means), the individual soldier's sidearm would have to be short and handy (and not too heavy). A high-powered long-range cartridge, as e.g. the German 8x57IS or the American .30-06 and the Russian 7.62x54R were, was not needed in an individual sidearm ... it just offered overkill, heavy recoil, and burned too much powder. You will certainly recognize the precursors of modern military thinking here, the "intermediate" assault rifle cartridge. In fact, the Italians did indeed experiment with a shortened version of the 7.35x51 cartridge, but development of this cartridge, and the gun to use it, was not persued. For long-range use and squad support, the newly-developed heavy machine gun cartridge, the 8x59 Breda (a very powerful cartridge, superior to most others except the Swedish 8x63) offered the necessary range and penetration abilities.
• Indeed, if seen not abstractly in "ballistics tables paper comparison", but as tailored to its specific use, the 7.35x51 is still a very fine catridge; its instable bullet offers very good terminal ballistic performanceon soft (read: human) targets (like the Britisk Mk. VII after which it was patterned), its recoil is moderate and it is quite accurate.

7,35x51 Carcano Ammo Box from 1939
This is the front panel of a cardboard box of surplus S.M.I. 7.35x51 Carcano purchased at a gun show by Gaetano Liberatore in October 1995. Roughly translated the box says: Number 18 Bullet (Ball) Cartridges caliber 7,35 for Short Rifle or Carbine Pure Nitrocellulose Gunpowder Campo Tizzoro (E.B) S.M.I. 1939 Collurated on 3 February 1939 - Year 17

It doesn't get that much older than this, as the M38, the rifle for which this round was intended, was adopted only the year before. But then again, it get that much younger as this ammunition would be shelved by 1940 upon Italy's entrance into World War II and subsequent re-adoption of the 6,5x52 Carcano caliber.
The rounds come in 3 clips (6 rounds per clip) for a total of 18 rounds. The 1938 produced ammunition differs from the 1939 version it that the bullet has a silvery colour (not copper/tombac, like the 1939) and a slightly different ogive form. The 1939 production seems much larger and more commonly encountered, as would expected due to this being the only "full" year of production for this round. I have not yet seen any 1940 ammo, but it was recently reported to me.
Original charger clips for the 7,35 x 51 should all be from black-blued steel, although the 6,5 x 52 brass clips work equally well. Dimensions are identical. The postwar repackaged ammunition sold in Germany as surplus in the 1970s has a yellow brownish-orange coloured box with no other text than a "Cal. 7.35" sticker. Due to German ammunitions law, the individual cartridges were colour stamped with the caliber and the importer's name "HEGE" along the case side.

Non-Italian Military Loads

Winchester Repeating Arms, of the US, manufactured 6.5x52 Carcano under a CIA during the early 50's. The intended use is not clear, but varies from being supplemental production for the Italian Military, use during the Greek civil-war, anti-communist efforts in Albania, etc. These rounds found their way into the surplus market in the early 1960's. The rounds supposedly used by Lee Harvey Oswald to assassinate President John F. Kennedy were from this production.

Civilian loads

6.5mm Carcano cartridge

The cartridge cases made in Italy have several unusual features. They use a unique primer dia of .204" ( aprox. 5mm), and there is a shoulder inside the neck of the case under the bullet to support it. The earliest cartridges, before about 1895, were headstamped in the conventional manner, but on later cartridges a deep groove is pressed into the head of the cartridge case around the primer and the headstamp appears as raised figures inside this groove. Some sources state that this was done for decorative effect, but stamping the headstamp in this way would also workharden the case and strengthen it in this critical area.

Performance of the standard ball load is a 162 grain (10.5 gram) full metal jacket, round nose bullet at aprox. 2300 fps (700 mps) muzzle velocity from the barrel of a short rifle, a carbine will give a slightly lower and a long rifle a slightly higher figure. Maximum trajectory height for a 300 yard zero would be aprox. 10".

Loads

Ball "Cartucce a pallottola" or "Cartuccia a palla ordinaria"

Round nose, full metal jacket bullet with lead core, jacket materials include copper-nickle, gliding metal, copper-nickle plated steel and gilding metal plated steel.

Match

Round nose, full metal jacket bullet with lead core, copper-nickle jacket with green painted tip. Manufactured with extra care for best accuracy.

Tracer

Round nose, full metal jacket bullet with lead front core, rear end of bullet filled with compressed tracer compound, no reported color code, aparently the load was identified by the box label only. A suspected tracer round could be identified by pulling the bullet and examining its base. This loading is rare, I have never seen one but it is reliably reported.

Armor-Piercing/"Pallottola Perforante"

Spitzer (pointed) full metal jacket bullet, copper-nickle jacket with hardened, pointed steel core, rear section of steel core is reduced diameter and surrounded by a lead sleave. Bullet weighs 124 grains (8.03 grams) and is 1.246" (31.65 mm) long. No reported color code, aparently the load was identified by the box label only. Used to penetrate lightly armored targets. This loading is rare, I have never seen one but it is reliably reported.

Armor-piercing incendiary

Spitzer (pointed) full metal jacket bullet, copper-nickle jacket with hardened, pointed steel core, an incendiary composision is loaded into the base of the bullet that is ignited when the round is fired. The bullet is slightly longer that the above AP round. No reported color code, aparently the load was identified by the box label only. Used to penetrate lightly armored targets and provide incendiary effect. This loading is rare, I have never seen one but it is reliably reported.

Observation

Roundnose bullet, copper-nickle jacket with hollow point, inside the bullet are a firing pin, detonator and explosive charge. Not intended to destroy targets by explosive effect (How much explosive can a rifle bullet carry?), the purpose of an observation bullet is to show the point of impact of the bullet at a great distance. Aparently only made during WWI. This loading is rare, I have never seen one but it is reliably reported.

Multiple Ball/"Cartuccia a mitraglia"

There are two types, both use the standard cartridge case and contain a very long (about 2"/50.8mm), however it is seated deep and the overall length of the cartridge is the same as a ball round) bullet that is made of a jacket with closed bottom and open top with 3 (or sometimes 4) slits cut lengthwise through its sides, inside are 6 clyndrical lead slugs stacked on top of each other. It uses a reduced powder charge. In the older style the top slug is actually a small full metal jacket bullet. In the later type, the top slug is lead and the lead tip is exposed at the top of the bullet. The later type seams to have come out about 1937. This was a round for short range work (it would be an excellent choice for a sentry on night duty), its effective range was likely less that 50 yards, and its effect is like a small buckshot charge. These cartridges are not rare, so they must have been issued in fairly large numbers.

Reduced range/"Cartuccia ridotta"

Gallery

There are two types, the earlier model dates from 1913 and consists of a steel tube with an enlarged base that forms the head and rim of the round and over this is placed a brass piece that forms the body of the round. The steel tube extends past where the end of the neck on a regular round would be and the bullet is a small lead one with a reduced rear section to fit into the end of the tube. In place of a primer, a small propelling charge is placed into the rear end of the steel tube. The propelling charge and bullet were easy to replace to reload the cartridge. The latter type is identified as a model 1939, it uses a normal cartridge case with a brass tube inserted into the mouth that is secured with a very heavy crimp (I do not know if the tube goes all the way to the bottom of the case or just to the bottom of the neck as I have never sectioned mine), a bullet of the same type as the earlier round is inserted into the end of the brass tube. This later type is not reloadable, and I have seen them dated as late as 1953. These cartridges were intended for very short range target shooting at 20 meters. Performance is about equal to a .22 rimfire.

Grenade Blank

There are two types, both use the regular cartridge case, in the earlier one the open neck is sealed with a white cardboard wad, in the later type the neck is crimped closed in a "rose" crimp style. The lated type is identified for use with the "M1943" grenade launcher. There is also a cartridge for a line-throwing gun that is identical with the first type but uses a red wad.

Blank/"Cartuccia da salve"

Machinegun Blank

There are two types, the earlier model uses a cartridge case that has been extended and crimped closed to form a mock bullet to help feed it through the action of the machinegun. It seems that this round was introduced during the time when the paper bullet blank was used as that cartridge was too fragile to pass through the violent feeding of the machinegun. This load would need a muzzle constrictor or blank firing device to allow the machinegun to function with them. The later type is known as the "Magistri" or M1937 blank. This cartridge uses a normal cartridge case but has a bullet of unusual construction. The jacket is formed by rolling brass foil into a tube with corrogations on it's sides, the core is powdered lead coated with graphite to prevent it from sticking together and the jacket is crimped closed to form the end of the bullet. This bullet allowed sufficent gas pressure to build up to function the machinegun, but when it passed out the of the barrel, muzzle blast ripped it to shreads and scattered it safely in front of the machine gun.

Dummy/"Cartuccia da esercitazione"

Brass case with longitudinal grooves pressed into it, a mock bullet made of blackened brass is fitted and a wooden dowl runs from the base of the "bullet" to the bottom of the case to prevent it from being pushed into the case. Some were made with the grooves pressed into the bullet as well. Others were made with plain cases and grooved "bullets". There is also what appears to be a wartime expedient version. In this cartridge the wooden dowl is stained black and runs from the primer pocket and extends out the mouth of the case and is rounded off to the shape of a bullet. Dummy cartridges are used by armorers to test weapons and to train recruits in the opperation of their rifles.

Inspectors dummy

Lathe turned from solid steel. Used to function test weapons.

Manufacturers codes noted

Code	Manufacturer	Location	Type	Date
B	Pirotechnia di Bologna	Bologna, Italy	Government arsenal
BPD	Bombrini, Parodi & Delfino	Rome, Italy	Italian government contractor
C	Pirotechnia di Capua	Capua, Italy	Government arsenal
MIDWAY	Midway arms	Columbia, Missouri, USA	Sporting ammo	Early 1980's
NORMA	Norma Projectilfabrik	Amotfors, Sweden	Sporting ammo	1950's to date
SMI	Societa Metallurgica Italiana	Campo Tizzoro, Italy	Italian government contractor
T	Pirotechnia di Torino	Torino, Italy	Government arsenal May not have produced 6.5mm Carcano ammo.
WCC	Western Cartridge Company	East Alton, Illinois, USA	US government contractor	Early 1949
*	Hirtenberger Patronen-, Zundhütchen- und Metallwarenfabrik AG	Hirtenberg, Austria

Inspectors initals noted

Code	Inspector's Name	Location	Date
A.A.	Aldo, Adamo	Capua
A.C.	Unknown	Bologna	1890's
A.S.	Unknown	Capua
B.P.	Unknown	noted on both Capua and Bologna	1920's
C.A.	Cavalli, Alfredo	noted on both Capua and Bologna production
C.C.	Unknown	Bologna
E.S.	Unknown	Capua C.	1912
F.O.	Unknown	Torino	1890's
F.P.	Unknown	Bologna	1923-1928
G.D.	Unknown	Capua	1890's
L.N.	Leggiadore, Nicola	Capua	1916-1934
L.P.	Unknown	Torino
L.V.	Unknown	Capua
P.O.	Unknown	Torino
P.V.	Pascarello, Vincenzo	Capua	1943
R.M.	Rubino, Mario	Bologna	1942
S.A.	Unknown	Bologna	1885-1899
S.G.	Unknown	Capua
S.L.	Unknown	Bologna	1890
T.M.	Unknown	Bologna	1938
T.R.	Unknown	Capua
V.S.	Unknown	Capua	1892
Z.G.	Zangari, Gaetano	Capua	1936-1938

Old soldier's tales

The relative rarity of some loads...

Gallery, short range and frangible

The JFK Commerative Cartridge

Clips

6.5 and 7.35mm Carcano ammo will also be found on chargers for the Breda model 30 and 38 machineguns. These chargers hold 20 rounds, are made of brass or blued steel and have a handle formed on the end. In these guns the magazine is permanently mounted on the side of the gun and is swung forward when empty, the charger is thrust foward, cartridges first, into the magazine and pulled out, leaving the cartridges in the magazine.

Mortar propelling cartridge