6.5 x 52 Mannlicher-Carcano
Encyclopedia
6.5×52mm Carcano or 6.5×52mm Mannlicher-Carcano is an Italian military 6.8 mm (.268 cal, actually 0.2675 inches) rimless bottle-necked rifle cartridge, developed from 1889 to 1891 and used in the Carcano 1891 rifle
and many of its successors. A common synonym in US gun literature is "6.5mm Italian". In US parlance, "Carcano" is frequently added to better distinguish it from the rimmed hunting cartridge 6.5×52mmR (US version: .25-35 Winchester
). Ballistically, its performance is very similar to that of the 6.5×54mm Mannlicher-Schönauer
.
, Secretary of the Commission and strong supporter of the advantages of smallbore cartridges, the 6.5×52 cartridge was adopted in March 1890, prior to the adoption of the rifle that used it (the Model 1891 Carcano
rifle).
After the adoption of the cartridge, the arsenals technicians worried about the characteristics of the original ballistite
load, since that propellant was considered too erosive (flame temperature of 3000-3500 °C) and not stable under severe climatic conditions. Several other loads were tested, including the British cordite
but without good results, until the Reale Polverificio del Liri (Royal Explosives Factory of Liri
) developed a new propellant called "Solenite", composed of trinitrocellulose
(40%), dinitrocellulose
(21%), nitroglycerine (36%), mineral oil (3%), and shaped in large tube-like grains. The new propellant, that reduced the flame temperature to 2600 °C and proved to be very stable, was adopted in 1896 and never changed until the end of the military production of the cartridge.
The 6.5×52mm Carcano was designed as a full-blown infantry cartridge. In accordance with the tactics of the time, the adjustable rear sight of the rifle allowing for volley fire up to 2,000 metres. The 6.5×52mm Carcano was the first to be officially adopted of a class of similar smallbore military rifle cartridges which included the 6.5×50 Arisaka (Japan), 6.5×53R Mannlicher (Romania / Netherlands), 6.5×54 Mannlicher-Schönauer the (Netherlands), 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser (also Norwegian Krag-Jørgensen
), 6.5×58 Portuguese.
A comparison with larger bore smokeless powder cartridges of the 7.62mm and 8mm calibre class (which class started in 1886 with the French 8×50R Lebel, continuing with the German 7.92×57, the Austrian 8×50R, the British .303, the Russian 7.62×54R, the Belgian and Argentine 7.65×53, the .30-40 Krag, and the much later .30-03 and .30-06) may make the 6.5mm rounds appear "underpowered" on paper though, and lacking in stopping power. On the other hand, the small bore cartridges seem to have a long list of advantages, as flatness of trajectory, outstanding penetration at distance, less weight, less recoil, smaller dimensions, and less material required in production.
Its short-lived intended successor cartridge, the 7.35×51mm Carcano, is sometimes identified as the first intermediate round, before the German 7.92×33 and the Soviet 7.62×39.
The original 6.5×52mm barrel design, developed by the Brescia Arsenal at the same time as the cartridge before development of the M91 Carcano Rifle itself, used a gain twist barrel with deep rifling to reduce wear, extend barrel life and give consistent accuracy. Gain twist has a slow initial twist in the barrel progressively getting faster until the final twist rate is attained near the muzzle, resulting in less torque being imparted to the bullet during the highest stress phase of the interior ballistic cycle, and thus less barrel wear in the throat of the barrel. (Gain twist was phased out in the last production of the Carcano rifle in favour of conventional rifling.)
of the round (the extreme bullet length compared to its diameter).
Hand loaders should note that the currently available factory ammunition may lack accuracy due to use of a 6.7 mm (.264 in) bullet instead of the 6.8 (.268 in) as originally loaded.
, former Marine Lee Harvey Oswald
.
Carcano
Carcano is the frequently used name for a series of Italian bolt-action military rifles and carbines. Introduced in 1891, this rifle was chambered for the rimless 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano Cartuccia Modello 1895 cartridge. It was developed by the chief technician Salvatore Carcano at the Turin...
and many of its successors. A common synonym in US gun literature is "6.5mm Italian". In US parlance, "Carcano" is frequently added to better distinguish it from the rimmed hunting cartridge 6.5×52mmR (US version: .25-35 Winchester
.25-35 Winchester
The .25-35 Winchester, or WCF was introduced in 1895 by Winchester for the Winchester Model 1894 lever action rifle...
). Ballistically, its performance is very similar to that of the 6.5×54mm Mannlicher-Schönauer
6.5x54mm Mannlicher-Schönauer
The 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schönauer also known as 6.5x54 Mannlicher-Schönauer Greek is a 6.5 mm rifle cartridge used in the Mannlicher-Schönauer rifle...
.
Design
Under the direction of the "Commissione delle Armi Portatili" (Commission for Portable Weapons), instituted in 1888 to develop a smokeless-powder rifle for the Italian Army, the "Reale Laboratorio Pirotecnico di Bologna" (Royal Pyrotechnical Laboratory of Bologna) developed and tried several different cartridge designs, with a bullet diameter from 8 mm to 6 mm. Finally, due also to the influence of Major Antonio Benedetti, of the Brescia ArsenalBrescia Arsenal
The Brescia Arsenal was a small arms factory located in Brescia, Italy, and active from the early 19th century to the end of World War II.At first it was built as a convent for Servite monks in the 15th century, and maintained a religious destination until the end of the 18th century.Following...
, Secretary of the Commission and strong supporter of the advantages of smallbore cartridges, the 6.5×52 cartridge was adopted in March 1890, prior to the adoption of the rifle that used it (the Model 1891 Carcano
Carcano
Carcano is the frequently used name for a series of Italian bolt-action military rifles and carbines. Introduced in 1891, this rifle was chambered for the rimless 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano Cartuccia Modello 1895 cartridge. It was developed by the chief technician Salvatore Carcano at the Turin...
rifle).
After the adoption of the cartridge, the arsenals technicians worried about the characteristics of the original ballistite
Ballistite
Ballistite is a smokeless propellant made from two high explosives, nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine. It was developed and patented by Alfred Nobel in the late 19th century.-The development of smokeless powders:...
load, since that propellant was considered too erosive (flame temperature of 3000-3500 °C) and not stable under severe climatic conditions. Several other loads were tested, including the British cordite
Cordite
Cordite is a family of smokeless propellants developed and produced in the United Kingdom from 1889 to replace gunpowder as a military propellant. Like gunpowder, cordite is classified as a low explosive because of its slow burning rates and consequently low brisance...
but without good results, until the Reale Polverificio del Liri (Royal Explosives Factory of Liri
Liri
The Liri is one of the principal rivers of central Italy, flowing into the Tyrrhenian Sea a little below Minturno under the name Garigliano....
) developed a new propellant called "Solenite", composed of trinitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
(40%), dinitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose
Nitrocellulose is a highly flammable compound formed by nitrating cellulose through exposure to nitric acid or another powerful nitrating agent. When used as a propellant or low-order explosive, it is also known as guncotton...
(21%), nitroglycerine (36%), mineral oil (3%), and shaped in large tube-like grains. The new propellant, that reduced the flame temperature to 2600 °C and proved to be very stable, was adopted in 1896 and never changed until the end of the military production of the cartridge.
The 6.5×52mm Carcano was designed as a full-blown infantry cartridge. In accordance with the tactics of the time, the adjustable rear sight of the rifle allowing for volley fire up to 2,000 metres. The 6.5×52mm Carcano was the first to be officially adopted of a class of similar smallbore military rifle cartridges which included the 6.5×50 Arisaka (Japan), 6.5×53R Mannlicher (Romania / Netherlands), 6.5×54 Mannlicher-Schönauer the (Netherlands), 6.5×55 Swedish Mauser (also Norwegian Krag-Jørgensen
Krag-Jørgensen
The Krag-Jørgensen is a repeating bolt action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen in the late 19th century. It was adopted as a standard arm by Denmark, the United States of America and Norway...
), 6.5×58 Portuguese.
A comparison with larger bore smokeless powder cartridges of the 7.62mm and 8mm calibre class (which class started in 1886 with the French 8×50R Lebel, continuing with the German 7.92×57, the Austrian 8×50R, the British .303, the Russian 7.62×54R, the Belgian and Argentine 7.65×53, the .30-40 Krag, and the much later .30-03 and .30-06) may make the 6.5mm rounds appear "underpowered" on paper though, and lacking in stopping power. On the other hand, the small bore cartridges seem to have a long list of advantages, as flatness of trajectory, outstanding penetration at distance, less weight, less recoil, smaller dimensions, and less material required in production.
Its short-lived intended successor cartridge, the 7.35×51mm Carcano, is sometimes identified as the first intermediate round, before the German 7.92×33 and the Soviet 7.62×39.
The original 6.5×52mm barrel design, developed by the Brescia Arsenal at the same time as the cartridge before development of the M91 Carcano Rifle itself, used a gain twist barrel with deep rifling to reduce wear, extend barrel life and give consistent accuracy. Gain twist has a slow initial twist in the barrel progressively getting faster until the final twist rate is attained near the muzzle, resulting in less torque being imparted to the bullet during the highest stress phase of the interior ballistic cycle, and thus less barrel wear in the throat of the barrel. (Gain twist was phased out in the last production of the Carcano rifle in favour of conventional rifling.)
Performance
The 6.5×52 Carcano is an effective deer cartridge up to 200 m (220 yards), with properly-bulleted ammunition. Its main drawback in military use was that the standard Italian service round had a round-nosed bullet and was highly stable (did not usually tumble unless it hit bone), giving many narrow-channel straight-through wounds. This characteristic is due to the high sectional densitySectional density
Sectional density is the ratio of an object's mass to its cross-sectional area. It conveys how well an object's mass is distributed to overcome resistance. For illustration, a needle can penetrate a target medium with less force than a coin of the same mass...
of the round (the extreme bullet length compared to its diameter).
Hand loaders should note that the currently available factory ammunition may lack accuracy due to use of a 6.7 mm (.264 in) bullet instead of the 6.8 (.268 in) as originally loaded.
Notable uses
The cartridge has achieved some notoriety, as a World War II Italian Carcano rifle was identified by the Warren Commission as the weapon used by the assassin of President John F. KennedyJohn F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, former Marine Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald
Lee Harvey Oswald was, according to four government investigations,These were investigations by: the Federal Bureau of Investigation , the Warren Commission , the House Select Committee on Assassinations , and the Dallas Police Department. the sniper who assassinated John F...
.