- Location
- Central AB
Just thought I'd post some pics of a Vetterli Carbine I just finished. It came to me as a the typical sporterized Vetterli, still in 41swiss (10.4 x 38) rimfire. So I decided to do what I could to convert it to a Carbine look a like, using a few parts from another donor rifle. Their are a number of different original carbine versions, and I opted to re-create the version used by the "Konstruktion" (Pioneer) troops, because the rear sight on the rifle are correct for that carbine version. And because the wood I had wasn't the checkered variety, again correct for that carbine.
The wood was already shortened to much to copy the original dimensions precisely, but I could come close. The forestock was shortened so much, that I ended up attaching the nose cap by filling it with wood epoxy putty, thus making it permanently attached. Then I machined a dovetail in the nose cap, and machined out a new front sight as per the original carbine. And machined the muzzle to mimic the normal Vetterli profile. And then refinished the wood.
The bore on the gun is almost like new, incredibly good for a black powder gun, so it made sense to turn it into a shooter. So converted it to centerfire.
Just had it out shooting today, and shot 4 shots, all touching at 25yds. 50yd groups opened up to 1 1/2". All using standard lead 44 cal pistol bullets (180gr Hornady .430 cowboy). And with my aging eyes, that's as good as it gets with any open sights. Other Vetterli's I've had would not shoot these bullets accurately, and I normally used oversize bullets to get decent groups. But the bore on this gun is way tighter than others I've had, and it loves the .430's.
Anyway, some pics for the Vetterli collectors / shooters.
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The wood was already shortened to much to copy the original dimensions precisely, but I could come close. The forestock was shortened so much, that I ended up attaching the nose cap by filling it with wood epoxy putty, thus making it permanently attached. Then I machined a dovetail in the nose cap, and machined out a new front sight as per the original carbine. And machined the muzzle to mimic the normal Vetterli profile. And then refinished the wood.
The bore on the gun is almost like new, incredibly good for a black powder gun, so it made sense to turn it into a shooter. So converted it to centerfire.
Just had it out shooting today, and shot 4 shots, all touching at 25yds. 50yd groups opened up to 1 1/2". All using standard lead 44 cal pistol bullets (180gr Hornady .430 cowboy). And with my aging eyes, that's as good as it gets with any open sights. Other Vetterli's I've had would not shoot these bullets accurately, and I normally used oversize bullets to get decent groups. But the bore on this gun is way tighter than others I've had, and it loves the .430's.
Anyway, some pics for the Vetterli collectors / shooters.
