MOSCHETTO BALILLA
FUCILE ALLIEVI TIRATORI
MOSCHETTO REGOLAMENTARE BALILLA
(Mod. 1891)
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
After the consolidation of power, the fascist regime began to reorganize the Italian state towards a totalitarian model, in which the lives of Italian citizens were inextricably linked and intersected with that of the Italian State.​
One of the most important points for this totalitarian vision was youth associations: the fascist leaders had witnessed for decades the educational efficiency proposed by Don Bosco first and by Baden Powell's Boy Scouts later; therefore they set out to create an educational and youth aggregative entity that could help in the indoctrination and political training of young Italians.
Mussolini entrusted the creation of this body to Renato Ricci, who did his utmost to lay the foundations for the Opera Nazionale Balilla for assistance and education physics and morality of youth, or more simply ONB (DL n.2247 of April 3rd 1926).
The ONB was clearly inspired by the successful Boy Scouts movement started at the beginning of the century by Sir Robert Baden Powell.
The children in the ONB were divided into three age groups: Figli della Lupa (6-8 years ), Balilla (8-14) and Avanguardisti (14-18).
The educational values were obviously aimed at manipulating young people into a paramilitary environment. Through an emphasis on sports, discipline, and political indoctrination, these values sought to shape young minds into unquestioning servants of the state and the party.
To guarantee a regular influx of young members to the ONB, the fascist state took care to eliminate any competition: in 1928 it began promulgating a series of laws that limited youth associations in Italy, in particular those with an educational aspect, such as Boy Scouts.
The Corpo Nazionale Giovani Esploratori Italiani, founded in 1913 by Carlo Colombo, The main, patriotic and secular Boy Scout association, understanding the social and political evolution of the country, made the decision to dissolve independently.
The Associazione Scout Cattolici Italiani, founded in 1916 by Mario di Carpegna, of a popular and Catholic nature, was instead forcibly dissolved by the fascist state, first limiting its activities only to towns with more than twenty thousand inhabitants, then closing it completely.
Only the Azione Cattolica youth group was left free to operate, but only in a catechetical key and under strict surveillance by the regime.
Many groups and sections of all the scout associations entered a period of clandestine activity: the CNGEI with various groups of "Hikers", the ASCI with groups such as the "Stray Eagles" of Milan. Many members of the Scouts of the 1920s were among the protagonists and animators of the anti-fascist struggle, both active and passive.
The Opera Nazionale Balilla (ONB) was part of the Italian educational panorama as an entity complementary to the school, with the aim of shaping youth according to the dictates of the fascist regime.
In addition to physical, moral and spiritual education, imparted in a traditional manner, the ONB was distinguished by its emphasis on premilitary, gymnastic, sports and technical training. The intent was to mold disciplined citizens, skilled in physical activities and ready to serve the country from a militaristic perspective.
The ONB was structured in a rigidly centralized way and since its inception it was seen by the fascists as an instrument of control and propaganda within the educational institutions. The organization was in fact responsible for teaching physical education in schools, and principals and teachers were obliged to collaborate with the ONB, opening the doors of their structures to its initiatives and inviting all students to join them.
DEVELOPMENT
One of the main points of the Opera Nazionale Balilla was the pre-military training of young Italians. This training involved discipline, parades, military marches, shooting exercises, and physical training in the use of weapons. Therefore, they immediately began to equip the young people with wooden replicas of weapons and used guns already present on the commercial market for target shooting, such as compressed air rifles, Flobert rifles, and .22 caliber rifles, like the Rifle Cadet Shooters, which we will discuss later.
However, having to equip the entire country youth in the most efficient way possible, gun companies, in search of large contracts, soon got in touch with the Government offering a real "Ordnance rifle" to the ONB.
One of the main points of the Opera Nazionale Balilla was the pre-military training of young Italians. This training involved discipline, parades, military marches, shooting exercises, and physical training in the use of weapons. Therefore, they immediately began to equip the young people with wooden replicas of weapons and used guns already present on the commercial market for target shooting, such as compressed air rifles, Flobert rifles, and .22 caliber rifles, like the Rifle Cadet Shooters, which we will discuss later.
However, having to equip the entire country youth in the most efficient way possible, gun companies, in search of large contracts, soon got in touch with the Government offering a real "Ordnance rifle" to the ONB.
What is certain is that in July 1931 the Fabbrica Nazionale d'Armi, formerly Pietro Lorenzotti, patented and started production of the Moschetto Regolamentare Balilla (mod. 1891), with an exclusivity guaranteed by the National Presidency of the O.N.B. and by promises of large national supplies.
​It was a weapon designed for "theoretical teaching and practical training." Identical in every part to the Royal Army's Moschetto mod.91, reduced by 1/4. The Moschetto Balilla was not used and was not designed for shooting, but was equipped with a "magazine with special cartridges to which absolutely harmless detonating capsules can be inserted, and this was done by express will of His Excellency the Hon. Ricci."
The Moschetto Regolamentare Balilla was essentially a Moschetto mod.91 reduced to 1/4 scale, with details recreated as similar as possible to the original. The barrel shank, like the original, was marked with the manufacturer and serial number of the weapon, while the receiver was marked with the emblem of the Opera Nazionale Balilla.
Most (if not all) Balilla carbines will have a rifled barrel, despite not being designed at all to fire any kind of bullet out of them. Word around is that this was most likely due to factories recycling discarded barrels from the main production lines, thinning and shortening them in order to be fitted on these smaller carbines.
Often on the buttstock there is a brass (or iron) plate with a name, indicating the name of a soldier who died on the battlefields of WW1. Usually was either someone closed to the Carbine owner or a generic soldier from the same town/district. This of course was done in order to commemorate the soldier's sacrifice and to have the kid in charge of the carbine to "carry on" his spirit.
PRODUCTION AND USE
​The Fabbrica Nazionale d'Armi immediately began mass production of this small-scale Carbine: several thousands of these weapons quickly began to circulate, often supplied through contributions from local ONBs.
The price was relatively low, but not insignificant: a Balilla carbine cost (not counting shipping and ancillary costs) 110 lire, equal to around 150 modern euros.
Knowing that the price of bread per kg was on average 1.60 lire, one can understand that the purchase of this accessory was not exactly an indifferent expense for a lower-middle-class family.
The Crisis of '29 continued to grip families' savings and state budgets, therefore FNA complained, in some letters dated 1934, that "Unfortunately the general conditions of the country did not allow the large sale that was expected, and the intentions of the 'Opera Nazionale Balilla which had flattered this very factory to make appropriate investment for the equipment and production of these guns, remained unanswered".
Around 1936, FNA probably had to reevaluate its production priorities, or simply the exclusivity of the patent expired, because other companies started producing the Moschetto Regolamentare Balilla.
​In particular, the recognized producers are Napoleone & Vittorio Castelli of Brescia and Fratelli Grazian of Verona. Both produced a Moschetto Regolamentare Balilla of identical dimensions and functions to that of the FNA, with small differences, mainly aesthetic.
In particular, the Fratelli Grazian's Moschetto Balilla had the sight directly forged in a single piece with a ring base, in order to simplify its assembly on the barrel, while the FNA and N&VC models had the rear sight mounted separately on milled protrusions of the barrel, like the original Moschetto mod.91. The weapons produced by the Grazian Brothers also show the year of production on the barrel shank.
Napoleone & Vittorio Castelli, heir to Toschi & Castelli / MIDA, in the 1920s and 1930s produced Fucili per Allievi Tiratori, "Lightened" Bodeo revolvers and re-arsenalized several thousand TS muskets, intended for the "commercial" market.
In the mid-1930s they joined the production of Moschetti Regolamentari Balilla.
1936-37, NeVC Brescia - ONB
Pics courtesy of M. Holmes
1936-37, Fratelli Grazian - ONB
Pics courtesy of M. Holmes
Starting from October 27, 1937, Regulatory Balilla Muskets no longer displayed the ONB emblem on the receiver. Instead, they bore the insignia of the GIL, the Italian Youth of the Littorio, which would completely absorb the role, skills, and supplies of the ONB.
1939, Fratelli Grazian - GIL
Pics courtesy of M. Holmes
On the collectors' market you can then find dozens of other models of "Balilla" muskets of different sizes, manufacturing quality and similar, but they are mostly a mix of toys, small-scale models for Figli della Lupa and wooden models for exercises.
FUCILE ALLIEVI TIRATORI
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Italian Ministry of War gave a strong boost to National Shooting Clubs (Tiro a Segno Nazionale, TSN) scattered throughout Italy: new shooting ranges were built, competitions and training courses were subsidized, all to encourage the practice of shooting, among all segments of the population.
In particular, the "Student Shooters Departments" (Reparti Allievi Tiratori) were established, essentially as pre-military and shooting training courses intended for young people aged 12 to 16.
To standardize the equipment of the TSN in terms of training and competitions, the Ministry of War announced a tender in 1914 to find a standard Flobert-type carbine in .22/6mm calibre, usable by young people for short range shooting, even in enclosed spaces. In short, a decent carbine for beginners in target shooting.
This tender was won by Toschi & Castelli, an arms company of Brescia, which presented a .22 carbine developed by Napoleone Castelli, son of Giuseppe Antonio Castelli, founder of the aforementioned company. This rifle, officially called "Fucile Allievi Tiratori", was aesthetically identical to a mod.91 rifle, scaled down for its caliber and to be easily held by the children to whom it was destined to.
The outbreak of the First World War in May 1915 did not stop the program, which continued, albeit with limited numbers. Production was carried out by Toschi & Castelli, which became MIDA in October 1915.
At the end of the conflict, MIDA, after various financial issues linked to illegal war profits, was foreclosed and forced into bankruptcy by fines. The former founder, Giuseppe Antonio Castelli, then founded the Giuseppe Castelli arms factory, which, among other things, continued production of the Fucile Allievi Tiratori.
​Napoleone Castelli, together with his brother Vittorio, changed the company name to Fabbrica d'Armi Napoleone & Vittorio Castelli of Brescia upon the death of his father Giuseppe in 1923, continuing the production of the Allievi Tiratori rifle. The rifle was then publicized not only for the TSN sections, but also for other youth associations, such as the Corpo Nazionale Giovani Esploratori Italiani.
In 1926, once the patent expired, the Fucile per Allievi Tiratori production was carried on by Anelotti and Gualla, another company from Brescia, that continued its production up until 1929-1931.
