Italian 6.5×52mm Carcano Ammunition (SMI, 1936)
Original 1936 production box of 6.5×52mm Carcano ammunition manufactured by Società Metallurgica Italiana (SMI), Fornaci di Barga. Contains six cartridges loaded on a brass Mannlicher-type clip.
Specifications
| General Information | |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 6.5×52mm Carcano |
| Manufacturer | Società Metallurgica Italiana (SMI), Fornaci di Barga |
| Year of Manufacture | 1936 (“SMI 936” headstamp) |
| Propellant | Solenite (Italian smokeless powder) |
| Packaging | Original cardboard box stamped Anno XV (Fascist year = 1937 Gregorian) |
| Clip Type | 6-round brass Mannlicher-style en-bloc clip |
Historical Summary
This original box of 6.5×52mm cartridges represents the standard service ammunition of the Italian Army in the years immediately before the Second World War. Produced in 1936 by Società Metallurgica Italiana (SMI) at its Fornaci di Barga facility, the ammunition was intended for issue with Carcano Mod. 1891 rifles and compatible machine guns.
The label “Cartucce a Palla Ord. cal. 6,5” identifies ordinary ball cartridges loaded with Solenite, a smokeless propellant widely used in Italian small-arms ammunition of this era. The Fascist-era date mark “Anno XV” corresponds to 1937 on the Gregorian calendar, while the cartridge headstamps “SMI 936” give the specific production year of 1936.
Ammunition from this period was in active service during Italy’s late inter-war operations, including the Second Italo–Ethiopian War and Italian involvement in the Spanish Civil War, and continued into the early years of the Second World War. Surviving, intact boxed examples provide a tangible link to the logistical backbone of Italian forces in the 1930s.
Configuration & Features
- Standard 6.5×52mm Carcano ball load for M91 rifles and supporting weapons.
- Loaded into a brass 6-round Mannlicher-type clip for use in the Carcano’s integral magazine.
- Original carton with clearly legible SMI Barga markings and Solenite designation.
- Cartridges retain bright brass with matching “SMI 936” headstamps.
- Typical pre-war Italian military packaging style, with Fascist-era dating and factory codes.
Collector’s Notes
Complete, labeled boxes of Italian 6.5×52mm ammunition from the 1930s are increasingly scarce, especially when the original clip and cartridges remain together. The combination of a dated SMI Barga label, Solenite markings, and intact brass clip makes this a desirable example for collectors of Carcano rifles and Italian ordnance history.
As with all vintage ammunition, this set is preserved purely as a historical artifact and is not intended for firing. Keeping the box, clip, and cartridges together helps maintain its value as a representative pre-war Carcano ammunition ensemble.