REME MUSEUM of TECHNOLOGY

 
Weapon No 98
Carbine 10.4 mm Vetterli 1871

The carbine version of the 10.4 mm Vetterli Rifle, designed by the Swiss Engineer F Vetterli. It was adopted by Italy in 1871 but altered to shoot a centre-fire cartridge instead of the Swiss autofire type.

 
Weapon No 99
Rifle 10.4 mm Vetterli-Vitali 1881

The rifle version of Weapon No 98. This is the Italian modification to the Swiss design, which originally featured a tubular magazine. General Vitali's name was given to the box magazine version of the rifle adopted by Italy in 1881. The distinctive shape of the magazine is due to the spring used.

 
Weapon No 100
Rifle 10.4 mm Vetterli-Vitali 1882

Another version of the Italian made Vetterli, all of which were made at the Italian Arsenal in Turin. In this model the barrel has again been reduced to 22 inches. Like Weapon No 99, it also has a box magazine.

 
Weapon No 104
Rifle 6.5 mm Carcano M 91

These firearms are often (falsely) referred to under many designations: Carcano (the most correct name, historically), Mannlicher-Carcano and Parravacino-Carcano. These names apply to all Model 91 rifles and carbines. They were derived from the president of the Italian army's small arms commission (which adopted the rifle in 1892), General Gustavo Parravacino, and the head of the successful designing team of the Torino State Arsenal, Salvatore Carcano. The magazine system was licensed by Ferdinand von Mannlicher, but is really derived from the German M 1888 "Commission" rifle. The wrong designation as Parravacino-Mauser may be due to the fact that it has a one-part bolt with two frontal locking lugs, but unlike most Mauser rifles, its bolt handle is situated in front of the receiver bridge. The magazine can only be used if the special six round en bloc clips are holding the cartridges, which makes loading of single shots difficult and time-consuming. A unique feature of the M 91 Carcanos is their progressive barrel twist, which no other military weapon adopted.

 
Weapon No 105
Carbine 6.5 mm M 91 TS

A fully-stocked carbine version of Weapon No 106, accepted in 1897 for artillery and engineers, among others. The barrel length has been reduced to 17.5 inches. Uses a sword bayonet, but with a different pommel (transversal locking lug) to that on the M 91 rifle.

 
Weapon No 106
Carbine 6.5 mm M 91

This is the earlier carbine model for cavalry use, adopted in 1893 and later on also supplied to paratroopers. It differs from the above (Weapon No 105) in the following features. The stock is shorter and leaves half of the barrel free, a triangular folding bayonet is permanently attached to the muzzle and sling swivels are situated to the left hand side of stock, indicating a cavalry weapon.

 
Weapon No 107
Long Rifle 6.5 mm M 91/41

Introduced in 1941 as a substitute for the M 91/38 short rifle and designed by the same officer, Major Roberto Boragine, this long rifle is close to Weapon No 104 except for its overall length, its adjustable short rear sight, which covers a shorter range of only 1000 metres, and its additional side-mounted sling swivels. Like the M 1938, it has constant barrel twist.

 
Weapon No 108
Carbine 6.5 mm M 91/24

Originally an M 91 long rifle (Weapon No 105), this was converted to M1891 TS standards after the war. The design differs in that this model is fitted with a lower barrel band and its "long" backsight differs in shape from the rifle model (it is bifurcated and has a shorter range).

 
Weapon No 109
Rifle 6.5 mm M1938 (Mannlicher-Carcano 91/38)

This rifle became of international interest when President John F Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, was assassinated on 22 November 1963. An example of the Mannlicher-Carcano was originally presumed to have been used by the assassin since one was found nearby, but later detail investigations have thrown doubt on this. The Museum's example was produced in 1940 at the Italian arsenal at Terni. In 1938, with the introduction of the 7.35 mm cartridge, a new short rifle and two patterns of carbines chambered for this cartridge were introduced, all with fixed sights. The entrance of Italy into World War 2 in 1940, with insufficient supplies of ammunition at hand, caused second thoughts on the use of another cartridge and that same year the 6.5 mm was reintroduced, and Carcanos manufactured from that date were again chambered for the 6.5 mm cartridge.

 
Weapon No 110
Carbine Youth Model (Moschetto Ballila) 6.5 mm

Occasionally referred to as a training rifle, but having a barrel length of just 14.43 inches, this is essentially a carbine. It fires a special blank 6.5 mm cartridge. It was used by the Fascist youth organization, the ONB, is based on the M 91 cavalry carbine and can be loaded either single shot by hand or by special smallish clips.

 
Weapon No 591
Rifle 10.4 mm Vetterli-Vitali

Similar to Weapon No 99.

Some of the above descriptions have been kindly corrected and augmented by Alexander Eichener. Further information is provided on the Carcano Web Page.