Italian 6.5×52mm Carcano Ammunition Box (Pirotecnico di Bologna, Feb 1943)
Original World War II Italian ammunition box for 6.5×52mm Carcano rifle and carbine cartridges. This example is dated 2–1943 and is attributed to the Pirotecnico di Bologna (Regio Esercito pyrotechnic / ammunition facility).
Specifications
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 6.5×52mm Carcano |
| Label Text | “Cartucce a Pallottola da 6,5 per Fucili e Moschetti” (ball cartridges for rifles and carbines) |
| Producer / Arsenal | Pirotecnico di Bologna (Italian state / Regio Esercito ammunition facility) |
| Date on Label | 2–1943 (February 1943) |
| Propellant | Solenite (Italian smokeless powder) |
| Intended Weapons | Carcano rifles and carbines (Fucili e Moschetti) |
| Collector Value Drivers | Arsenal attribution, date, and intact label (display quality) |
Historical Summary
This box represents standard Italian service packaging for the long-serving 6.5×52mm Mannlicher–Carcano cartridge, issued for Carcano rifles and carbines across World War II and beyond.
The label reads “Cartucce a Pallottola da 6,5 per Fucili e Moschetti,” identifying standard ball ammunition and explicitly stating its intended use in rifles and carbines. The dated marking “2–1943” places production in the final phase of unified Regio Esercito wartime production, only months before the September 1943 armistice that split Italian supply systems and labeling practices into pre- and post-armistice patterns.
The propellant listed is Solenite, an Italian smokeless powder widely associated with 6.5 Carcano service loads.
Collector’s Notes
Italian boxed ammunition is a strong companion artifact for Carcano collections because it captures the logistics side of service use, not just the weapon itself. Boxes with clear arsenal identification, a legible date, and an intact original label are particularly desirable as display pieces.