Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

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toad
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Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by toad »

The bullet diameter is closer to .267 or .268 . .264 diameter bullets can be inaccurate do to undersize rattling down the bore.

http://personal.stevens.edu/~gliberat/c ... eload.html

If I ran across any old Italian military rounds I think I'd just use them for collectors items.
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PawPaw
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Re: Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by PawPaw »

It's pretty common to have oversized bores in old military rifles. Or undersized bores. That's why it's a good idea to slug a bore before reloading for the rifle. It's a simple process, but folks tend to be afraid of it because they're afraid to get the slug stuck in the bore.

But, if you want an old rifle to bark or roar over the back pasture, slug it before you load for it. Use moderate pressure loads and have fun with the old warhorse.
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First Shirt
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Re: Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by First Shirt »

Just as a point of reference, Lee makes custom molds, just about any size you want, for cast bullets. If anyone is interested, or anything...
But there ain't many troubles that a man caint fix, with seven hundred dollars and a thirty ought six."
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Vonz90
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Re: Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by Vonz90 »

PawPaw wrote:It's pretty common to have oversized bores in old military rifles. Or undersized bores. That's why it's a good idea to slug a bore before reloading for the rifle. It's a simple process, but folks tend to be afraid of it because they're afraid to get the slug stuck in the bore.

But, if you want an old rifle to bark or roar over the back pasture, slug it before you load for it. Use moderate pressure loads and have fun with the old warhorse.
For the Carcano, the bore is not oversized in the sense that it is bigger than it is supposed to be. It is just that what the Italians called a 6.5mm was spec'ed different from what we call 6.5mm ('cause Italian). The nominal dimension is .268 and if you load for it, that is what you need to use.

That is the origin of the "Carcanos suck for accuracy" idea. Americans, shooting American 6.5mm bullets and getting random results.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5%C3%9752mm_Carcano
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PawPaw
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Re: Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by PawPaw »

Vonz90 wrote:For the Carcano, the bore is not oversized in the sense that it is bigger than it is supposed to be. It is just that what the Italians called a 6.5mm was spec'ed different from what we call 6.5mm ('cause Italian). The nominal dimension is .268 and if you load for it, that is what you need to use.

That is the origin of the "Carcanos suck for accuracy" idea. Americans, shooting American 6.5mm bullets and getting random results.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.5%C3%9752mm_Carcano
I get it, but the Carcano is not unique to the problem of bullets across oceans. The Russian idea of a .30 cal and our idea of a .30 cal is different.

Heck even our .45 cal pistols (.452) and rifles (.458) are different. I once saw a .45 revolver that had been re-barreled with a piece of a Marlin rifle barrel. Accuracy was atrocious.

My advice remains the same. Slug the barrel.
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toad
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Re: Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by toad »

I figure the most common way of slugging a bore is to use an oversize lead muzzle loading ball. I did find a video of a guy using a lead fishing weight of about the right size. A nice trick is to cut up a wooden quarter inch dowel into 6 inch to 12 inch sections and use it to drive a lead slug all the way through the barrel from the muzzle.
You can use Cerocast or Sulfur Sublime to make chamber and barrel cast but that seems a bit fiddly unless you really need to cast the chamber to check head space.
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PawPaw
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Re: Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by PawPaw »

toad wrote:I figure the most common way of slugging a bore is to use an oversize lead muzzle loading ball. I did find a video of a guy using a lead fishing weight of about the right size. A nice trick is to cut up a wooden quarter inch dowel into 6 inch to 12 inch sections and use it to drive a lead slug all the way through the barrel from the muzzle.
You have never had so much fun as when you splinter a wooden dowel in a barrel and get everything jammed. It's quite illuminating. Frustrating, Exasperating. Bad idea. Use a brass rod.

Although I've never had any problem using a suitable cleaning rod. Lubricate the bore by running a couple of oil-soaked patches through, then push the soft lead slug into the barrel. It normally runs down the barrel in one push. If you have a constriction somewhere that's nice to know, and the slug will slow down at the constriction. Tap the rod with a small hammer to get it moving and you'll find the slug coming out the other end.

The problem with constrictions is that they swage the bullet at the narrow part. But, it's nice to know the problem.
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Dinochrome One
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Re: Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by Dinochrome One »

This is all good stuff to know. I have an 1884/91 Italian Vetterli-Vitali-Carcano rifle with a shiny bore that I have been meaning to try. It was converted to 6.5 Carcano for WW1 and never used, (who would dare fire it with a full-power load?) I figure that black powder or similar low-pressure substitute would be the ticket.
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Cybrludite
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Re: Reloading the 6.5 MM Carcano watch out.

Post by Cybrludite »

Perfectly appropriate, since we're talking about Carcanos. :twisted:
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