MOSCHETTO MODELLO 91/38
NOTE: since many old authors tend to classify the FNA moschettos produced after 1940 as "mod. 91/38", I placed some related datas here.
​After several confrontations with other collectors and authors, we settled on defining the FNA produced moschettos with adjustable sights as "Moschetto mod.91", with late features.
DEVELOPMENT
When the Italian Army HQ saw the inevitability of Italy entering WW2 before they could complete the mod.38 production for the whole army,they reverted all ongoing mod.38 production (Fucile corto, Moschetto and Moschetto T.S.) to 6.5.
It was a really easy production conversion, since factories weren't converting old mod.91 guns anymore but producing brand new mod.38 ones. So they just started drilling the barrels for .256 and rifling them at .268, keeping the constant twist rifling they were using in 1936-38 and in the 7.35 production. They kept the fixed sights (Except FNA productions), but for the 6.5 guns they zeroed them for 300m, as the old combat sights in the adjustable rear sights.
Only way to tell apart a 6.5 mod.38 from a 7,35 one is the marking on the fixed sight, saying Cal. 6.5 or Cal. 7.35, along with the pretty noticeable "CAL. 7.35" cartouche on mod.38 guns' stocks
PRODUCTION AND USE
Moschetto production was kept by Gardone V.T., Beretta and FNA, while Terni focused on the Fucile corto production.
While Gardone V.T. and Beretta kept producing mod.91/38 moschettos in 6.5 with fixed sights, FNA started producing them in the mod.91 configuration, with the old adjustable sights.
​We still haven't find a clear instruction on why they produced adjustable sights, but IMHO, since the Moschettos were actively used by elite corps like Bersaglieri and Alpini, it makes sense to produce Marksman capable carbines for well trained troops, especially considering the flat and endless distances of the Russian steppe and of the Sahara desert. See more details on it in the Moschetto mod.91 section
The Moschetto mod. 91/38 served on all Italian fronts (Balkans, Russia, North Africa), often seen in the hands of Motorcyclist, artillery crews and patrols.
1943 Production
Some time into 1943 (allegedly around April), Italian manufacturers got the order to discontinue the barrel shank markings indicating the year of production and, if possible, even the ones indicating the manufacturer itself.
These guns were kept in productions until September 8th 1943, when the armstice with the allied was signed and the Germans swiftly occupied the country.
A distinctive feature of these weapons, in addition to the frequent lack of the aforementioned marks, is the mere presence of the serial number and the Savoy shield indicating the forced proof of the barrel.
The quickest and most effective way to trace the manufacturer is to consult the serial number tables and see which manufacturer was using that prefix.
German captured guns
As any other carcano, when germany took over Italy huge stocks of Carcanos got shipped back to the fatherland, in order to be issued if needed. The need arrived in late 1944, when Volkssturm units needed to be equipped with all kind of boomsticks available.
​The Moschetto mod. 91/38 being incredibly handy, was of course one of the favourites.
