This is a Carcano M91 rifle used by Italy in WWI. Italy initially was part of the Central Powers, by treaty, before WWI began. When Italy entered the war late on the Allied side, a main aim was gaining the seaport of Trieste. During Italy's incessant attacks against Austria-Hungary on the Isonzo front, they lost thousands upon thousands of rifles. After the war, it was likely given as war reparations to another country.
This rifle is stamped AZF on the barrel, for the "Artilleriezeugsfabrik" or Artillery Arsenal Factory in Vienna, applied to captured and reworked arms. The dot punch to the left of the manufacturer (Terni) and the "7" stamp next to the AZF have also been found on other AZF-marked Carcano M91 rifles. The AZF stamp can be found on captured Russian Mosin-Nagant M91's; the number of Carcanos found with the stamp is much less comparatively, though so is the popularity of the Carcano.
This rifle has been refurbished and seen little use afterward. This is odd because the refurbishment is not Italian - the blued bolt is unusual, as is the lack of a large cartouche on the buttstock. The pentagon stock repair and what looks like a star on the forearm (most likely not Partisan related) are also unusual. So this rifle was probably refurbished by a country other than Italy. It was not done in the USA, as there is still cosmoline in most places on the rifle.
What is also unusual is the CAI import mark on the barrel, usually associated (alongside the blued bolt) with Albania. But the condition of this rifle is much higher than what generally comes from Albania. Perhaps it came out of the former Yugoslavia? But it bears no expected "RKZ" or "TRZ" Yugoslav refurb mark. Or it was for special use in Albania? Another unlikely option is Poland, who had a handful of Carcanos, but the specifics of these are unknown. Or it could have come from another country entirely.
Yugoslavia planned on making their 11,000 or so Carcanos into 8mm Mauser, but never got around to do so. But whether they still refurbished them or not is another question. This link has more :
http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/topic/28202/Yugo-converted-M91-I
This rifle is stamped AZF on the barrel, for the "Artilleriezeugsfabrik" or Artillery Arsenal Factory in Vienna, applied to captured and reworked arms. The dot punch to the left of the manufacturer (Terni) and the "7" stamp next to the AZF have also been found on other AZF-marked Carcano M91 rifles. The AZF stamp can be found on captured Russian Mosin-Nagant M91's; the number of Carcanos found with the stamp is much less comparatively, though so is the popularity of the Carcano.
This rifle has been refurbished and seen little use afterward. This is odd because the refurbishment is not Italian - the blued bolt is unusual, as is the lack of a large cartouche on the buttstock. The pentagon stock repair and what looks like a star on the forearm (most likely not Partisan related) are also unusual. So this rifle was probably refurbished by a country other than Italy. It was not done in the USA, as there is still cosmoline in most places on the rifle.
What is also unusual is the CAI import mark on the barrel, usually associated (alongside the blued bolt) with Albania. But the condition of this rifle is much higher than what generally comes from Albania. Perhaps it came out of the former Yugoslavia? But it bears no expected "RKZ" or "TRZ" Yugoslav refurb mark. Or it was for special use in Albania? Another unlikely option is Poland, who had a handful of Carcanos, but the specifics of these are unknown. Or it could have come from another country entirely.
Yugoslavia planned on making their 11,000 or so Carcanos into 8mm Mauser, but never got around to do so. But whether they still refurbished them or not is another question. This link has more :
http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsforums.yuku.com/topic/28202/Yugo-converted-M91-I