Vetterli 41 Swiss?

Noel

Noel

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
245   0   0
Location
Bouncing around on the Farmall
Hi all!

So here's my situation:

A few months ago I was digging through my Grandparents attic, sorting stuff for the last time, looking for trinkets etc. I came across a note book of a long gone great Uncle. It dates back to the 20's and 30's. In it is logged he was buying 41 Swiss ammo.

I won't pretend to know anything about firearms from this era and could really use some help.

Was this cartridge only chambered in the Vetterli?

From what I understand, they are antique status from nessy's sticky thread, can one be hung for display on the wall?

Is the ammunition available anymore?
I have been searching the net for info but there is nothing I can find for any other rifles that this one mentioned, in 41 Swiss/rimfire.

I found a vetterli rifle for fairly cheap and am tempted to buy it.:evil:
I wouldn't be suprised if he was picking it up for my Great Grandfather who may have brought it from Norway. He was a Seargent in the Norwegian Army so who knows what they used in the 1890's.

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on the situation.:wave:

Noel
 
.41 Rf Vetterli rifle was used only by Switzerland. Large numbers were sod as surplus in the early 20th century in US and Canada. They were widely used as hunting rifles.Ammo was made by American ammo firms until c1940.
.41 RF Swiss was also chambered in Swiss Milbank Aimsler and Peabody rifles.
Norway used Remington and Jarmann rifles in the 1890s until they were replaced by Krags.
 
I wonder which model would have been most common to find in Canada between 1910-11? I know my 1908 Sears Catolog has the Vetterli listed there in 41 Swiss. I have no other info from what the family may have had. Perhaps more digging is in order.


I found one website via a search for converting to centerfire which I spose while making it useable would also make it having to be locked in the safe.
One of these would look real nice over the fireplace!
Thanks green!
 
I have seen some info on the web about changing the Vetterli to center fire and using modified 348 winchester brass. Doing this would remove its antique status though unless the gun were a single shot only. Ellwood Epps has a couple of antique status Vetterli rifles. I think the price was around $200 if memory serves me.
 
Here's one that was available in 1909:

Vetterli_Ad_from_1909.JPG
 
I have an 1878 Vetterli that I got from P&S about a month ago. Jean tells me it is the nicest one he has seen in all his years. I'm new to this but to pick it up unknowing its age, I would guess it at 10 or 15 years and well kept. I don't want to hang it on the wall, I want to shoot it. I'm not going to alter it so what to do?
Pete
 
streetsweeper said:
i have a vetterli model 1869/71 as pictured in the ad above. this rifle is in excellent condition and i paid $300.00 for it.
Click to expand...


Thanks Streetsweeper, just what I wanted to hear. Finally a rifle that doesn't blow the budget!:)

Pete04, It looks like you will pay through the nose for ammo if you can even find it. Unless you are a master at making rimfire cases. I think the ammo will soon make up for the affordable price of the rifle.

Hopefully someone will say I am full of crap. I don't want to modify one for centerfire either but what do you do if you want to use it?
 
The conversion to centrefire modifies only the bolt body, so the tactic is to find a spare bolt body. Once that's done, you need to make up brass from 348 Win - it's a 4/10 on the difficulty scale for converting brass. Lee sells dies. There is lots of info available on the web. A guy who goes by "Parashooter" is the recognized authority - follow what he says and you won't go wrong.
 
I came up with the same idea Andy, keep the origonal that way and modify a parts gun bolt. Viola! It also becomes the useable wall hanger too if put up with the rimfire bolt. We all win at zee chess game!

Is "Parashooter" a CGN member or the guy with the conversion website?

Time to learn how to cast lead I guess. Andy when are you coming to Alberta for to teach us? LOL
 
The "Parashooter" you want is the same guy who goes by Parashooter on CGN, but he is better contacted through the swissrifles forum pub18.ezboard.com/btheswissriflesdotcommessageboard That having been said, his postings are so explicit and well-illustrated that there should be no need to contact him.

A Google on "Parashooter Vetterli" will come up with most of his works. Here's a good place to start:

telecom.hartford.edu/swiss/vetterli.htm

I used the "simple" method and it works great. I use the Lee 310gr cast bullet which works well over 10 grs of Unique powder (among others). Win 348 brass needs to be trimmed to 1.600", annealed and then sized in the Lee die, and you're ready to go.

I shot mine in a past Milshoot and placed 4th out of 14 (with its rudimentary sights, and loading singly, as I had some feeding problems that day). They can be made to shoot well!
 
Noel said:
A scholar and a gentleman as always! I will likely find out when I check these links you listed but what velocity were the origonal cartridges and what was the origonal bullet weight?
Click to expand...


About a 300 gr bullet at 1350 fps. it is indeed somewhere out there in Parashooter's writings.
 
.41 Swiss ammo;
The first rifles came out in .41 rimfire with one firing pin, then to render the rifles more reliable they added a second firing pin, two hits are better than one....
Later they converted theme to centrfire and adopted a more powerful cartridge....
CIL made both cartridges many years ago, I have an old catalog from the 1930s and they are there, very cheap by today's standards....
Have a look at your bolt face and see which one you have RF or CF, if you still need another bolt drop me a note I'll trade you one for something.
John
 
- Original Swiss Vetterlis are all rimfire rifles, the centerfire rifle that replaced it was the Scmidt-Rubin Model 1889 a totally different rifle.

- Italian Vetterlis were centerfire rifle, basically the same rifle mechanically.
 
johnone said:
JP; I would be pleased to show a couple of "converted" Swiss rifles I have....
John
Click to expand...

I would be very pleased to see these too!:)

The more info on these rifle's the better, the table's open gents!;)

Is there a lighter sporter model that they came out with other than just hacking off the stock?

I got pics of the one at Elwoods. THe stock is cut in front of the first barrel band not unlike many Enfields you see. She is in tough shape too. I'd be holding off for one in better shape and happily pay more for that too in hopes it has some useable life in it.
 
JP said:
- Original Swiss Vetterlis are all rimfire rifles, the centerfire rifle that replaced it was the Scmidt-Rubin Model 1889 a totally different rifle.

- Italian Vetterlis were centerfire rifle, basically the same rifle mechanically.
Click to expand...


Hey Jean!:wave:

Were both the Italian and the Swede model the same chambering? Somewhere I came across one that uses a slightly longer case.


Do you have anymore Vetterli's coming in?

Noel
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom