JFK Assassination Forum
JFK Assassination Plus General Discussion & Debate => JFK Assassination Plus General Discussion And Debate => Topic started by: John Corbett on May 05, 2026, 04:55:06 AM
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I still see people using the misnomer Mannlicher-Carcano to refer to Oswald's Carcano rifle. Carcano is a family of bolt action rifles designed by Italian gunmaker Salvatore Carcano in the late 19th century. Mannlicher refers to the feeding system that used an en bloc clip to load into the fixed magazine.
The following paragraph explains the various names used for these Carcano rifles.
"Although this rifle is often called "Mannlicher−Carcano", especially in American parlance, it was officially the Fucile Modello 1891 (Model 1891 rifle).[5] The "Mannlicher" title came from the en bloc loading clips system, having nothing to do with the action itself, which was a modified Gewehr 88 action (which itself was a combination of the action from the Mauser Model 1871 with the Mannlicher en bloc loading);[6] in Italy the rifle was commonly reported by army and civilian sources as "Carcano−Mannlicher" since the action engineer is usually named before the magazine designer's in Italian nomenclatures (like with Vetterli-Vitali and others)."
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Yes, "Mannlicher" refers to the loading clip.
Some contend LHO's Carcano was actually a "carbine" or "short rifle."
The "Carbine" Label: Because the Model 91/38 (the model LH actually received) was significantly shorter than the standard WWI-era long rifles (cut down from 780mm to 540mm barrels), it fits the general modern definition of a carbine—a shorter, lighter version of a standard rifle.
But when in Rome do as Romans do.
Everyone calls LHO's weapon a "Mannlicher Carcano rifle."
One can fight the tide...
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I just wish that the Carcano model 91/38 short rifle was not as popular as it has become as a collector’s gun. It has become way too expensive and hard to find for us regular folks.