With its clip-loading system by Mannlicher, the Model 1891 Mannlicher-Carcano derived the second half of its name from the senior officer in charge of the committee to design and approve the rifle. The Italian-designed rifle borrowed the clip loading system devised by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher, the prolific Austro-Hungarian small-arms designer. The primary rifle throughout the war was the Model 1891 Mannlicher-Carcano. When the Italian Army went to war in 1915, it did so with one of the most modern uniforms of the era and with a frontline battle rifle of proven quality and effectiveness. Infantry bayonet was produced with a brass grip and crossguard (bottom). Model 1891 Mannlicher-Carcano InfantryД«ayonet as issued with the rifle (middle) and a rare wartime вЂњersatzвЂќ version of the Model 1891 The unusual bayonet lug of the вЂњTSвЂќ Carbine (top). All this eventually came to pass, however the вЂњquick victoryвЂќ would be 31вЃ„2 long, bloody years and one unmitigated disaster away.Д«ayonets include the Model 1891 вЂњTSвЂќ Carbine bayonet with the transverse slot for mounting on The Allies hoped the opening of a Southern Front would lead to the massive redeployment of the Central PowerвЂ™s forces. Influence came from both France and Great Britain in the form of numerous promises of large tracts of Austro-Hungarian territory. Three weeks later on May 24th, 1915, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, Germany and Turkey. He squeezed the trigger вЂ¦.Д¬ompared to most of the combatant nations in the Great War, Italy was the largest of the вЂњlate comers.вЂќ Riding a wave of popular sentiment favoring the Allies, combined with the same вЂњgold rushвЂќ enthusiasm gripping the other countries of Europe in the summer of 1914, the Italian Government formally withdrew from the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary on May 4th, 1915. Cycling the bolt to chamber the first of the six cartridges in the clip, his right eye found the sights, the front post settling on the chest of one of the gray-clad, steel-helmeted figures. Shouldering his carbine, he raised up to survey No-ManвЂ™s-Land, his attention immediately drawn to a dozen Austrians picking their way through two gaps in the wire entanglement. He instinctively crouched and rolled across the pit, popping up on one knee next to Jaroslav, who was firing rapidly over the lip of the sandbags. вЂњThe gunвЂ™s finished!вЂќ Mirek reached for the Carcano carbine leaning against the battered wall of the sandbagged redoubt. Most of VaclavвЂ™s head was gone from the mouth up.ДЄnother blast behind him snapped him back to reality from the Picasso-esque scene riveting his confused mind. MirekвЂ™s brain seemed disjointed, incapable of making sense of the horrid scene before his eyes. He looked across the emplacement at Vaclav, still sitting upright as if still manning the machine gun now lying in the dirt at his feet. He fought back the urge to vomit вЂ¦ his eyes burned as the momentary tunnel vision began to gradually clear. Mannlicher-Carcano Infantry Rifle and standard issue bayonet.ДЄ brilliant flash of white light erupted in midair over their heads followed instantaneously by a thunderous clap! MirekвЂ™s head was throbbing and his ears ringing - a grenade - blood was trickling from his ears and nose. Below the Cavalry Carbine is an excellent example of the M1891 The M1891 Mannlicher-Carcano Cavalry carbine (top) is shown with its folding bayonet Reproduced From The August 2007 Issue Of GUNS Magazine

Carcano manufacturer markings