10.4 X 42mm rim fire Swiss Vetterli model 1869/71 bolt action service rifle.
£695
A 10.4 X 42mm rim fire Swiss Vetterli model 1869/71 bolt action service rifle. Action with Henry type lifter and tube magazine is marked to the left side with a Swiss Cross over MW for manufacture by Eidgenössische Montier-Werstätte of Bern next to the serial number. Bolt with distinctive bulbous striker cover which houses the short main spring. Barrel with chequered forend retained by three bands and a rear wedge has a tangent rear sight graduated to 1000m with blade front sight, the breech struck with Swiss inspection and proof marks and manufacturers mark MW. Walnut stock with regulation pattern steel furniture including a spurred trigger guard has steel clearing rod to the underside of the forend. The first repeating bolt action rifles in the world to be adopted by a national army the Vetterli was designed by Fredric Vetterli who worked for the famous Swiss arms company SIG. While it fired a very low powered cartridge by the military standards of the day it was years ahead of its time and gave the Swiss army a huge advantage in fire power over other nations who were at the time just beginning to adopt single shot rifles such as the British Martini Henry, which was adopted 2 years after the Swiss armed their troops with the early models of the Vetterli. The Swiss continued to use the rim fire round until the rifle was replaced in front line service by the Schmidt Rubin in 1889. In good condition with good bore and mechanics, nice stock and metal work with much fading blue / brown finish, old repaired split to the toe of the butt in line with the lower butt plate screw. A good example of a significant military rifle by one of the scarcest of the Swiss manufacturers.
