Armaguerra mod. 39 was it in actual use
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Armaguerra mod. 39 was it in actual use
Does anyone know if the Armaguerra semiauto rifle was actually used by axis forces? There is this one photo of an italian sentry using what is supposedly an Armaguerra model 1939 but i am not too sure if that is the case as the photo is not very clear
http://www.ww2incolor.com/rating/3.5?g2_itemId=936523
http://www.ww2incolor.com/rating/3.5?g2_itemId=936523
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Re: Armaguerra mod. 39 was it in actual use
I dont think it is. the upper handguard comes too far towards the muzzle, and the end cap is too short. JMO but i'd say its a Carcano Modelo 38
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Re: Armaguerra mod. 39 was it in actual use
I was suspecting that it was a Carcano 38, but wanted to be sure. Are there any actual instances of the Armaguerra being used?
Re: Armaguerra mod. 39 was it in actual use
The rifle in the linked photo is a Model 1938 Fucili Corto, or 'Short Rifle.'
Per Rafael Riccio, the Model 1939 was intended to be assigned to three riflemen per squad, officers, NCOs and airborne units. It never reached serial production though, and as of 1 July 1942 there were only 100 in Italian Army inventory. The decision was made to suspend production, and Armaguerra-Cremona instead focused on production of the Model 1941 Carcano rifle.
However,...German units seized Italian arms and equipment in the areas they continued to hold following the Italian declaration of the Armistice with the Allies in September 1943, and dismantled and shipped factories north into relatively more protected and secure areas. It is entirely possible that Model 1939 rifles were taken and even used by German personnel at some point. A German document from December 1944 mentions just under 400,000 Italian rifles being seized and put into German inventory, but does not specify models and types. The possibility is certainly there, and knowing what the Germans used from other countries, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to hear of a Model 1939 out there that is German depot stamped.
Pat
Per Rafael Riccio, the Model 1939 was intended to be assigned to three riflemen per squad, officers, NCOs and airborne units. It never reached serial production though, and as of 1 July 1942 there were only 100 in Italian Army inventory. The decision was made to suspend production, and Armaguerra-Cremona instead focused on production of the Model 1941 Carcano rifle.
However,...German units seized Italian arms and equipment in the areas they continued to hold following the Italian declaration of the Armistice with the Allies in September 1943, and dismantled and shipped factories north into relatively more protected and secure areas. It is entirely possible that Model 1939 rifles were taken and even used by German personnel at some point. A German document from December 1944 mentions just under 400,000 Italian rifles being seized and put into German inventory, but does not specify models and types. The possibility is certainly there, and knowing what the Germans used from other countries, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to hear of a Model 1939 out there that is German depot stamped.
Pat
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Re: Armaguerra mod. 39 was it in actual use
That is good to know, it sounds like it met the same fate as the Japanese semi auto type 4! At any rate there seems to be a lot of assertions on what weapons was used by who on the internet with no good sources
Re: Armaguerra mod. 39 was it in actual use
Hi to all,Setsurinvich wrote: ↑28 Apr 2021, 08:42Does anyone know if the Armaguerra semiauto rifle was actually used by axis forces? There is this one photo of an italian sentry using what is supposedly an Armaguerra model 1939 but i am not too sure if that is the case as the photo is not very clear
http://www.ww2incolor.com/rating/3.5?g2_itemId=936523
sorry, but the photograph of the French site shows a very common Mod. '38 bolt action rifle with its bayonet !!!
Compare it with the photos in Riccio's book, and you will see that the front strap of the Revelli (of both prototypes photographed) is totally different from that of the French site's photo.
ww2incolor has many really interesting photographs of Italian weapons and armaments, but the captions are often wrong.
Regards, Shultz