6.5mm & 8mm Italian
Following the collapse of the Italian army in North Africa in 1941, large quantities of Italian weapons and ammunition were captured by the British military. Most of these were sent to India to boost her defences as a Japanese invasion was still very much a grave danger.
6.5mm Carcano
"Cartridge S.A. Ball 6.5mm (Italian)" was the Indian nomenclature for the Italian 6.5x52mm Carcano Model 1891 ball round.
The case was rimless with a Berdan primer and Italian military headstamp, typically "C.A. B.38" or "SMI 938".
The bullet was round nosed with a cupro-nickel envelope and lead core and weighed 160 grains.
The propellant was about 34 grains of a ballistite type nitro-cellulose.
Drawing from 1945 Kirkee Ammunition Manual
8mm Mannlicher
"Cartridge S.A. Ball 8mm Mannlicher (Italian)" was the Indian nomenclature for the Italian 8x50Rmm Mannlicher Model 1893 ball round.
The case was rimmed with a Berdan primer. and Italian military headstamp, typically "T.M. B.37" or "SMI 935".
The bullet was round nosed with a cupro-nickel envelope and lead core and weighed 245 grains.
The propellant was about 38 grains of tubular or chopped nitro-cellulose.
8mm Breda
"Cartridge S.A. Ball 8mm Breda (Italian)" was the Indian nomenclature for the Italian 8x59mm Breda Model 1935 ball round.
The case was rimless with a Berdan primer. and Italian military headstamp, typically "SMI 937".
The bullet was pointed with a cupro-nickel envelope and lead core and weighed 206 grains.
The propellant was about 50 grains of graphited nitro-cellulose.
Drawing from 1945 Kirkee Ammunition Manual