Identifying Markings on C2766

[Robert Prudhomme]

The 6.5mm Carcano M91/38 short rifle with the serial number C2766 was part of a large group of surplus Carcano rifles sold off by the Italian government. As part of the contract dealing with the dispersal of these rifles, all markings and stampings on these rifles were to be removed, and only two markings were to be allowed; one saying "CAL 6,5" and another saying "MADE ITALY".

There must have been some miscommunication with the gunsmith hired to do this work, a man named Riva, as there do not seem to be any surplus Carcanos in America with the serial numbers, place of manufacture and date of manufacture removed. All of these things can be plainly seen on these rifles, stamped on the base of the barrel.

Something that cannot be seen on C2766, making it quite unique, is a thing called the "Fascist date", stamped alongside of the regular date, in Roman numerals. This peculiar date stamping was ordered by Mussolini to commemorate his March on Rome in October of 1922. If the date of manufacture of a rifle was, for example, between October 1939 and October 1940, an "XVII" (18) was stamped beside 1940, and if made in 1940 but after October, a "XIX" (20) was stamped beside 1940. Here is an example:

Instead of writing the whole date of 1941, it was, sometimes, written as "941" instead. Beside the 941, we see the numeral "XIX", meaning this rifle was made between October 1940 and October 1941. The fixed rear sight gives this rifle away as being an M91/38 carbine.

While C2766 has the date 1940 stamped on its barrel, the Fascist date is absent, making this rifle possibly the only Carcano made after 1922 that does not have the Fascist date on it.

Finally, there is something that is supposed to be on C2766 (and every other surplus Carcano) that I am unable to find. While the "CAL 6,5" is plainly visible, just ahead of the rear sight, in photos of C2766, where is the stamping that says "MADE ITALY"? We know it must be there, for the simple fact the WCR told us it was there. (sarcasm off)

Middle photo is of C2766.

I seem to have a memory of seeing a photo of C2766 showing the "MADE ITALY" stamping,either above or below the "CAL 6,5" stamping, but I am now beginning to think it may have been put there by the suggestion of reading this in the WC evidence. As there seems to be no other Carcano with "MADE ITALY" stamped on it, I am beginning to think the Italians never stamped this on any Carcanos, and if "MADE ITALY" was stamped on C2766, it was done so long after C2766 left Italy, and possibly after 22/11/63.

Can someone find a photo of C2766 showing the "MADE ITALY" stamping on it? And, if you can find that photo, here is another challenge for you; find another Carcano rifle with "MADE ITALY" stamped on it.

Edited April 30, 2015 by Robert Prudhomme

[Ian Lloyd]

CE541?

[Tom Hume]

Hi Robert,

You show three photos, and beneath the third photo is written, “Middle photo is of C2766”. However, the rifle in the “middle photo” bears the marking, “942-XX”. If you have inadvertently posted the wrong photo, could you fix it please?

Thanks

[Robert Prudhomme]

Hi Ian

I have looked at the photos in CE 541 many times, and have not seen the words "MADE ITALY" stamped anywhere on the rifle. Am I missing something?

[Robert Prudhomme]

Hi Robert,

You show three photos, and beneath the third photo is written, “Middle photo is of C2766”. However, the rifle in the “middle photo” bears the marking, “942-XX”. If you have inadvertently posted the wrong photo, could you fix it please?

Thanks

Hi Tom

I see what happened. I actually posted four photos and the last three were in a group. The middle photo was of C2766, but all that made it was a little icon. Here is the photo:

[Chris Davidson]

Hi Ian

I have looked at the photos in CE 541 many times, and have not seen the words "MADE ITALY" stamped anywhere on the rifle. Am I missing something?

http://www73.zippyshare.com/v/oWbEjFw6/file.html

Robert,

Photo extracted from here, under the The Warren Commission / FBI Rifle heading : http://jfkresearch.freehomepage.com/c2766.html

Some other info from here: http://www.jfkassassinationforum.com/index.php?topic=2679.0;wap2

chris

[Vitali Zhuk]

Similar rifles:

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/10216553/

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/13472997/

http://www.gunauction.com/buy/13342213/

[Tom Hume]

I initially posted this on the wrong thread, sorry. This is the correct thread.

I have a couple of questions for Robert or Chris, etc., about the stampings on the metal parts of "C 2766". If this has been covered elsewhere, I apologize for missing it.

(1) Do some investigators suspect that any of the serial numbers have been changed, specifically the "C" or the "2"?

(2) Is there an "N" stamped somewhere that appears to have been defaced?

Thanks,

Tom

Edited July 21, 2015 by Tom Hume