Carcano Moschetto TS
Italian State Arsenals (Terni / Brescia / Gardone) · Carbine · Out Of Production · 1893
Also known as: Moschetto per Truppe Speciali, Moschetto Mod. 1891 TS, Carcano TS Carbine, M91 TS
Overview
The Carcano Moschetto TS (Moschetto per Truppe Speciali) is a bolt-action carbine variant of the Italian Modello 1891 Carcano service rifle, issued from the 1890s to specialist troops such as engineers, artillery crews, machine-gunners and bicycle units who needed a handier weapon than the full-length rifle. It retains the Carcano's Mannlicher-pattern en-bloc clip feeding a six-round integral magazine and a Mauser-style two-lug rotating bolt, but shortens the barrel to roughly 450 mm with a full-length stock and handguard. Unlike the cavalry carbine with its permanently attached folding bayonet, the TS uses a separate knife bayonet mounted on a lug under the muzzle. It saw extensive service through both World Wars in 6.5x52mm Carcano.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3090 g (109.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 920 mm (36.22") |
| Barrel Length | 450 mm (17.72") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | En Bloc Clip |
| Muzzle Velocity | 640 m/s (2100 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2130 J (1571 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1500 m (1640 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 15 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 6.5x52mm Carcano · primary — also known as 6.5 Mannlicher-Carcano, 6.5x52mm Mannlicher-Carcano, 6.5 Italian
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: En Bloc Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Rotating Bolt Lock
- Features: En Bloc Clip Loading, Tangent Rear Sight, Full Length Handguard, Side Folding Bayonet Lug, Two Lug Rotating Bolt
Base model
Service history
Operators
- Royal Italian Army (Regio Esercito) · adopted 1893 · as Moschetto Mod. 1891 per Truppe Speciali
- Italian Social Republic · adopted 1943
- Wehrmacht · adopted 1943
Conflicts
- Italo-Turkish War (1911-1912)
- World War I (1914-1918)
- Second Italo-Ethiopian War (1935-1936)
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1893-1945
Produced across the Italian state arsenals and private contractors (Terni, Brescia, Gardone, FNA, MBT); MBT alone made roughly 3,700 TS carbines, the smallest output of the private makers. TS carbines form part of the multi-million total Modello 91 production run.
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Salvatore Carcano
Discontinued: 1945
Notes
TS stands for Truppe Speciali (special troops), not for cavalry; the dedicated cavalry pattern was the separate Moschetto da Cavalleria with an integral folding bayonet. Early TS carbines used a transverse stock bayonet lug; later production adopted a conventional muzzle bayonet lug. A wartime 7.35x52mm rebarreled pattern (M91/38 TS) was also produced.
Background
The TS carbine was the workhorse of Italy's 'special troops' - the engineers, signalmen, artillerymen and machine-gun crews who needed a rifle short enough to handle around equipment and vehicles but still chambered for the same 6.5mm cartridge as the line infantry, letting a single ammunition supply feed the whole army.