My "new" baby. - The Firearms Forum

zfk55 · 03-15-2011, 07:54 AM

Best trade I've made in a long time.

Its been converted to .41 Swiss centerfire.

Jim K · 03-15-2011, 11:55 AM

It has been reblued also, but a very nice job (rust blue) and looks great. Now how do you get or make ammo for it?

Jim

45Auto · 03-15-2011, 01:28 PM

Swiss Veterli service rifle. With tube mag. Originaly chambered for .41 Swiss rim fire. *1870's to early 1880's era

Jim K · 03-15-2011, 01:55 PM

The first Vetterli was adopted by Switzerland in 1869, and they went through several models (that one is a Model 1878) before being phased out in favor of the Schmidt-Rubin in 1889. The Vetterli magazine system is basically that of the Henry-Winchester, but adapted to a bolt action rather than to a lever action.

The service round was the 10.4x38R, commonly called the .41 Swiss in the U.S. It is a rimfire, but there is a center-fire version. The former is hard to find and obviously is not reloadable; the latter (at least in the U.S.) is almost unknown. Conversion involves replacing the dual pin striker with a single central pin and drilling the bolt to accommodate the new striker.

Jim

zfk55 · 03-15-2011, 02:17 PM

Jim, its absolutely not reblued. We know the collector very well, but it is a natural metal restoration of chemical metal cleaning and stock point steaming and deep cleaning. The stock was recoated with a light BLO rub.
The conversion is from a rimfire to a center fire by drilling the bolt face and using a collar/retainer for the firing pin in place of the horseshoe.

The mold is a Lee .41 swiss mold, and the dies are also from Lee in .41 Swiss.
The brass is 8mm Lebel that is trimmed and then fire formed. The cast projectile is a 330gr hardcast.

This one will also be a hBN slurry coated bore and impact coated projectiles. The bullets are a BHN of 19 and more than hard enough for impact coating.

zfk55 · 03-15-2011, 02:25 PM

The process......

The firing pin hadn't been sized for length yet. The original wasn't used. A new one was fabricated and now we're making them out of Teflon.

Jim K · 03-15-2011, 08:34 PM

I don't know what "a natural metal restoration of chemical metal cleaning" is, but the difference in color between the receiver/barrel and the bolt shroud and rear sight led me to think the receiver and barrel had been reblued. It is also odd to have that amount of stock wear with such a pristine receiver. As I say, I don't know what "a natural metal restoration of chemical metal cleaning" is, but it sure seems to work; mine don't look that good.

The Lebel case should work OK. You can still find some Boxer primed US Lebel ammo around.

Jim

Phshmx-1 · 03-15-2011, 08:49 PM

Any Ruger fans out there? Just purshaced my new Ruger P345 auto. I have many handguns, but I must say this is the best Ruger I have ever owned. Light weight and comfortable with the grip. Hardly any kick back and smooth trigger.Fired 150 rounds at 30 yards in three different sights; very accurate; center mag 142 rounds from 150. A must have I feel.

RJay · 03-15-2011, 09:40 PM

Phshmx-1, just curious? what does your post on Rugers have to do with the above rifle???

, It is one thing to high -jack a thread, but with a completely different subject??? Start a new thread on the Center fire pistol forum.

zfk55 · 03-15-2011, 09:46 PM

Jim, I'll get the exact process tomorrow.

permafrost · 03-15-2011, 10:09 PM

Don't know much about 'em, but that is a really nice looking rifle! Some weapons just look like art!

45Auto · 03-16-2011, 09:42 AM

Here are a few pics of original rim fire ammo. The last image is of a small sealed tin box of ammo sent home with each Swiss National Guardsman for use in an emergency. The Swiss have a long tradition of keeping military arms in each home ready to go.

Buffalochip · 03-16-2011, 11:31 AM

I did some research on one of these prior to not buying it and read somewhere that there is an extra firing pin that can be found by removing the butt plate--wonder if that's true--not worth buggering a screw though....

Jim K · 03-16-2011, 07:01 PM

I got this box of 20 blanks at a junk shop for $10. I wonder what they were used for - I can't even remember a movie with a Swiss Vetterli.

They won't feed through the magazine, though, as they are too short. Like the Henry/Winchester magazines, the Swiss rifle has no shell cutoff, so there is very little leeway on cartridge overall length.

Jim

captjack6 · 03-17-2011, 08:31 AM

Thanks for sharing, beautiful rifle

American Leader · 03-17-2011, 08:35 AM

Congrats Z, nice firearm!

Brisk44 · 03-17-2011, 08:42 AM

I too love old military firearms and that one is a beauty.

03-15-2011, 07:54 AM	#1
zfk55 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lost Prairie Montana Posts: 237	My "new" baby. Best trade I've made in a long time. Its been converted to .41 Swiss centerfire. __________________ Latigo A Montanan and an actual American with a real American Birth Certificate. -->

03-15-2011, 11:55 AM	#2
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: My "new" baby. It has been reblued also, but a very nice job (rust blue) and looks great. Now how do you get or make ammo for it? Jim

03-15-2011, 01:28 PM	#3
45Auto Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,116	Re: My "new" baby. Swiss Veterli service rifle. With tube mag. Originaly chambered for .41 Swiss rim fire. *1870's to early 1880's era

03-15-2011, 01:55 PM	#4
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: My "new" baby. The first Vetterli was adopted by Switzerland in 1869, and they went through several models (that one is a Model 1878) before being phased out in favor of the Schmidt-Rubin in 1889. The Vetterli magazine system is basically that of the Henry-Winchester, but adapted to a bolt action rather than to a lever action. The service round was the 10.4x38R, commonly called the .41 Swiss in the U.S. It is a rimfire, but there is a center-fire version. The former is hard to find and obviously is not reloadable; the latter (at least in the U.S.) is almost unknown. Conversion involves replacing the dual pin striker with a single central pin and drilling the bolt to accommodate the new striker. Jim

03-15-2011, 02:17 PM	#5
zfk55 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lost Prairie Montana Posts: 237	Re: My "new" baby. Jim, its absolutely not reblued. We know the collector very well, but it is a natural metal restoration of chemical metal cleaning and stock point steaming and deep cleaning. The stock was recoated with a light BLO rub. The conversion is from a rimfire to a center fire by drilling the bolt face and using a collar/retainer for the firing pin in place of the horseshoe. The mold is a Lee .41 swiss mold, and the dies are also from Lee in .41 Swiss. The brass is 8mm Lebel that is trimmed and then fire formed. The cast projectile is a 330gr hardcast. This one will also be a hBN slurry coated bore and impact coated projectiles. The bullets are a BHN of 19 and more than hard enough for impact coating. __________________ Latigo A Montanan and an actual American with a real American Birth Certificate. Last edited by zfk55; 03-15-2011 at 02:35 PM.. Reason: Had the wrong BHN factor!

03-15-2011, 02:25 PM	#6
zfk55 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lost Prairie Montana Posts: 237	Re: My "new" baby. The process...... The firing pin hadn't been sized for length yet. The original wasn't used. A new one was fabricated and now we're making them out of Teflon. __________________ Latigo A Montanan and an actual American with a real American Birth Certificate.

03-15-2011, 08:34 PM	#7
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: My "new" baby. I don't know what "a natural metal restoration of chemical metal cleaning" is, but the difference in color between the receiver/barrel and the bolt shroud and rear sight led me to think the receiver and barrel had been reblued. It is also odd to have that amount of stock wear with such a pristine receiver. As I say, I don't know what "a natural metal restoration of chemical metal cleaning" is, but it sure seems to work; mine don't look that good. The Lebel case should work OK. You can still find some Boxer primed US Lebel ammo around. Jim

03-15-2011, 08:49 PM	#8
Phshmx-1 Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 9	Re: My "new" baby. Any Ruger fans out there? Just purshaced my new Ruger P345 auto. I have many handguns, but I must say this is the best Ruger I have ever owned. Light weight and comfortable with the grip. Hardly any kick back and smooth trigger.Fired 150 rounds at 30 yards in three different sights; very accurate; center mag 142 rounds from 150. A must have I feel.

03-15-2011, 09:40 PM	#9
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,485	Re: My "new" baby. Phshmx-1, just curious? what does your post on Rugers have to do with the above rifle??? , It is one thing to high -jack a thread, but with a completely different subject??? Start a new thread on the Center fire pistol forum. __________________ RonJames

03-15-2011, 09:46 PM	#10
zfk55 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Lost Prairie Montana Posts: 237	Re: My "new" baby. Jim, I'll get the exact process tomorrow. __________________ Latigo A Montanan and an actual American with a real American Birth Certificate.

03-15-2011, 10:09 PM	#11
permafrost Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Oklahoma, USA Contributor Posts: 1,771	Re: My "new" baby. Don't know much about 'em, but that is a really nice looking rifle! Some weapons just look like art!

03-16-2011, 09:42 AM	#12
45Auto Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,116	Re: My "new" baby. Here are a few pics of original rim fire ammo. The last image is of a small sealed tin box of ammo sent home with each Swiss National Guardsman for use in an emergency. The Swiss have a long tradition of keeping military arms in each home ready to go.

03-16-2011, 11:31 AM	#13
Buffalochip Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 754	Re: My "new" baby. I did some research on one of these prior to not buying it and read somewhere that there is an extra firing pin that can be found by removing the butt plate--wonder if that's true--not worth buggering a screw though....

03-16-2011, 07:01 PM	#14
Jim K Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 6,408	Re: My "new" baby. I got this box of 20 blanks at a junk shop for $10. I wonder what they were used for - I can't even remember a movie with a Swiss Vetterli. They won't feed through the magazine, though, as they are too short. Like the Henry/Winchester magazines, the Swiss rifle has no shell cutoff, so there is very little leeway on cartridge overall length. Jim Attached Images Last edited by Jim K; 03-16-2011 at 07:14 PM..

03-17-2011, 08:31 AM	#15
captjack6 Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 11	Re: My "new" baby. Thanks for sharing, beautiful rifle

03-17-2011, 08:35 AM	#16
American Leader Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Contributor Posts: 1,630	Re: My "new" baby. Congrats Z, nice firearm!

03-17-2011, 08:42 AM	#17
Brisk44 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Contributor Posts: 1,747	Re: My "new" baby. I too love old military firearms and that one is a beauty.