| Year of introduction | System | Calibre |
| 1868 | Carcano M1868 (conversion) | 17.5 mm (NF) |
| 1870 | Vetterli M1870 | 10.35 x 47R |
| 1887 | Vetterli-Vitaly M1870/87 | 10.35 x 47R |
| 1891 | Carcano M1891 | 6.5 x 52 |
| 1916 | Vetterli M1870/87/15 | 6.5 x 52 |
| 1938 | Carcano M38 | 7.35 x 51 |
Remarks about the table above:
The purpose of the table is to give an overview of the development of the systems that were issued to the land forces. The model designations, mentioned by the system names are indicative. Different model designations, but with the same system and calibre, are not mentioned separately. Calibre modifications can be relevant for showing the technical borders of a certain system. Therefore calibre modifications are mentioned. NF stand for Needle Fire.
Carcano M1868
The Carcano Modello 1868 Needle Fire rifle was converted from the former Italian percussion rifle. Notice the safety catch at the rear of the bolt. It has the same style as the safety catch on the Carcano M1891 Central Fire Nitro rifle that was adopted 23 years later.
Scetch of the Carcano Modello 1868 needle fire rifle (above) and the Vetterli Modello 1870 central fire rifle (below). Source: "Die Handfeuerwaffen" by Rudolf Schmidt, 1875.
The Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87 rifle, calibre 10.35 x 47R.
The M1870/87 rifle on the photo bears serial number KS4297 and is build at Terni, Italy.
The Vetterli Vitali Modello 1870/87 is based on the single shot Italian Vetterli Modello 1870 rifle. The Italians adopted the same bolt action system designed by Friedrich Vetterli as the Swiss. Italy and Switzerland were the only countries that utilized the Vetterli system.
The Swiss rifle, however, was a tubular fed 13 shots repeater and would be a costly matter for the much larger Italian army. The Germans adopted in 1884 a new rifle with an 8 shot tubular magazine. In 1886 the French introduced the Lebel bolt-action rifle. This rifle had also a tubular magazine for 8 rounds and was chambered for the innovative 8 x 50R cartridge loaded with smokeless powder. The service rifle of the Italians was on this moment still a single shot rifle and in 1887 they decided to improve the firepower with a four round Vitali box magazine. This magazine was designed by Italian Artillery Captain G. Vitali. The Vitali box magazine follower is driven by a unique coil spring. The new rifle has got de model designation Modello 1870/87.
The Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87 rifle with the bold held in safe position by the safety catch.
The Vecci pattern quadrant rear sight is placed in its highest position for firing at a distance of 1800 metres.
Although not visible on the photo this particular rifle bears the marks of the "Tiro a Segno Nazionale," which means Italian National Shooting Organization. The significance of this oft-encountered mark is still not totally cleared up. It is not a mark for price-competition guns neither are these rifles only used by sharp shooters. More probably, the two stylized crossed rifles superimposing a bull's eye target indicate that these guns were selected by the factories, right after production, showing superior accuracy. This mark can also be found on Vetterli M1870 rifles and on 5% to 10% of all Carcano Rifles.
An Italian Bersaglieri, armed with a Vetterli Modello 1870
Source : http://www.soldiersofthequeen.com
Features of the Vetterly Vitali Modello 1870/87
In addition to the magazine, the next most conspicuous modification form the M1870 to M1870/87 is the addition of a bolt support rail to keep the bolt in line and to prevent from rocking and possibly jamming when fully opened. Other minor changes included deleting the dust cover and replacing it with a metal ring immediately to the rear of the loading port which served both to further lock in the bolt retaining key and as a magazine cut-off when the rifle was used in single shot mode. The M1870/87 mounts only a single bayonet lug and the safety lever has been re-designed. The large Vecci pattern quadrant sight was a modification of the M1870 from 1881 onward. The same Vecci pattern quadrant sight was also used on the M1870/87. The sight was graduated to 1,800 meters. The rifles were finished blued, with the receiver, safety lever and trigger guard being case hardened.
There is a marking "PP" appearing in an oval on the top of the knox form of the barrel breech, behind the sight. It represents "Parti Permutabili". This is the Italian phrase for interchangeable parts. Interchangeable parts were a novelty during that time and a direct result of mass production. The M1870 was the first mass produced Italian military rifle.
The Carcano Modello 91 Rifle, Calibre 6,5 x 52.
The Carcano Modello 91 Rifle on the photo bears serial number 1C5349 and is build at Terni, Italy. The chamber end of the barrel also bears 2 or 4 digits of the production year besides the serial number and the factory logo. The digits "18" on the rifle from the photo mean that it is made in 1918. This rifle chambers a cartridge that is loaded with smokeless powder and therefore is made incapable of firing conform the regulations of the Dutch law. This rifle is no longer part of my collection.
In 1886 the French introduced their Lebel bolt-action rifle. This was the first military rifle chambered for a cartridge that was loaded with smokeless powder, the 8 x 50R. Almost all other countries still used at that moment rifles chambered for black powder cartridges with a calibre between 10 to 11 millimetres. The Austrians soon chambering their Straight Pull Mannlicher M1886 rifle from 11 x 58R black powder to 8 x 50R smokeless powder. The model designation of new made Austrian-Hungarian rifles became Mannlicher M1888. The Germans didn't stay behind for a long time by introducing their Commissions Gewehr M1888, which was the first rifle chambered for a rimless cartridge, the 8 x 57I, also loaded with smokeless powder.
In 1887 Alfred Nobel obtains a patent for Ballistite in France. In 1891 Nobel leaves Paris France, and settles in San Remo, Italy, after a dispute with the France government about Ballistite. The first propellant of the 6.5 x 52 Carcano cartridges was Ballistite.
In 1896 the hot Ballistite is replaced by the far less erosive Solenite. Solinite was also a double-base, nitro-cellulose powder but with a significantly lower percentage of nitro-glycerine. Great Britain would adopt a nearly identical propellant for their .303 cartridge in 1901, called Cordite. Ballistite will remain for special loads such as blanks.
The Italians did convert their Vetterli M1870 single shot rifle in 1887 to Vetterli-Vitaly M1870/87 rifles but these rifles were still no match to the modern high velocity rifles. So the Italian Major Benedetti, decided to set up a committee that research a new rifle with a calibre possibly even smaller than 8 millimetres. The commission was named the "Scula centrale di tiro de fanteria".
The Carcano M1890 besides the more bulky M1870/87.
Notice the small gas escape hole on the receiver near the rear sight of the M1870/87.
Small bores were earlier tested by the Swiss Prof. Hebler. The commission soon faced the problems of severe and rapid throat erosion as well as lacerated bullet jackets. The commission decided to adopt a barrel with progressive rifling to solve these problems. The 4 Italian government arsenals, Bresica, Terni, Torino and Torre Annunziata, were charged with studying additional rifle models. The foreign Mauser and Mannlicher factories were given constant rifling twist barrels as to keep the secret of the progressive rifling.
The Carcano M1890 rifle with magazine based on the design of Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher.
The rifle below the Carcano M1890 is the Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87.
On 23 April 1891 the Commission decides to combine the Rifle, made by the Torino factory with the charger-loaded magazine used in the German Commissions Gewehr M1888 and paid Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher the appropriate royalties. The rifle is named after Salvatore Carcano (1827 - 1903), Technical Chief from the Torino government arsenal, responsible for the development of the rifle and reworking of the magazine. The rifle was chambered for a rimless cartridge, again following the German Commissions Gewehr M1888.
On 23 August 1892 the Ministry of War follows the decision of the committee and formally adopts the new rifle as Modello 1891.
In this photo the Carcano M91 rear sight leaf is unfolded for the use of the 300 metres battle sight.
The folded Vecci pattern quadrant rear sight of the Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87 is also placed in its lowest position.
The Carcano M91 rear sight leaf was graduated from 450 and 600 up to 2000 metres.
The Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87 rear sight leaf was graduated from 275 to 1800 metres.
The Carcano M91 rifles made up to 1914/1915 has walnut butt stocks. For the sake of mass-production more recent made Carcano rifles have beech wood butt stocks. The assembly and production of the main parts of the Rifles are done by the factory from which the logo is shown on the barrel. Small parts were also made by subcontractors. The inspection marks of the subcontractors sometimes have the same size and form as the factory inspection marks. Assembly marks are also shown up frequently.
| Manufacturer of Fucile M91 | Production years |
| Beretta | 1936 - 1941 |
| Bresica (aka F.N.A. Bresica) | 1894 - 1918 |
| Mida Brescia | 1917 - 1918 |
| Roma | 1917 - 1918 |
| R.E. Terni (aka Terni; FAT) | 1892 - 1936 |
| Torino | 1893 - 1898 |
| Torre Annunziata | 1893 - 1900 |
10.4 x 47R Vetterli-Vitaly
10.4 x 47R cartridge for the Vetterli-Vitaly rifle. The .22 Long Rifle cartridge is displayed for comparison only.
The photos below shows an original 10.4 x 47R Vetterli-Vitaly 4 shot charger clip. The clip with its four cartridges (only one cartridge is showed on the photo) was pushed down into the Vitaly fixed box magazine. The cartridges were held by the magazine lips. Then the clip was removed by pulling at the rope with knot. Besides Italy also the Netherlands adopted the Vitaly box magazine for their Beaumont M71/84 rifle.
6.5 x 52 Carcano
6.5 x 52 cartridge for the Carcano M91 rifle. The .22 Long Rifle cartridge is displayed for comparison only.
Below, photos of a carton of 3 pieces of 6.5 x 52 brass cartridge clips for the Carcano rifle. The clips are marked "LP 950" The cartridges have a headstamp with the text "SMI 936". SMI stands for Societa Metallurgica Italiana. An Italian government contractor. "936" indicates that the cartridges were made in 1936.
7.35 x 51 Carcano M38
7.35 x 51 cartridge for the Carcano M38 rifle. The .22 Long Rifle cartridge is displayed for comparison only.
The information about the Carcano Modello 1891 rifle and the "Parti Permutabili" marking is obtained form http://personal.stevens.edu/~gliberat/carcano/.
The information about the Verterli-Vitalli M1870/87 is obtained from http://www.militaryrifles.com/.
Rudolf Schmidt,"Die Handfeuerwaffen, ihre entstehung und technisch-historische entwiklung bis zur gegenwart", Schwabe Verslagsbuchhandlung, Bavel, Switzerland 1875. Source: The digital library of the "Nederlandse Vereniging ter Bestudering van Munitie en Ballistiek" (NVBMB).