[soundguy]

was at a show this am.. saw a veterli ( 41 rm fire, tube feed ) with great metal, etc.. but someone cut off the forewood to sporterize it some many years ago I believe ( 41 rimfire is way obsolete.. so I imagine it was sporterized back when available.. ).

anyway.. i already havd vet's in 41 and the conversion italian cartridge, both with good wood.. etc.. but kept looking at this one. old guy has it .. we talked a while and he said he'd let it go for 70$.

I figured what the heck... and picked it up.

I realize it has no value as a collector and it's not feasable to be a shooter.. .. not even a great wall hanger.. but I figure 70$?

i get taken?

 

[Jim K]

If you can afford the space, it can always be a parts gun in case you get another one that needs repairs or know someone who does.

They are interesting rifles, something of a dead end in design but still one that contributed to the progress of the repeating rifle.

Jim

 

[LtlWilli]

It can always be used as a parts gun, so your price paid was a good one...Congrats!!
LtlWilli

 

[soundguy]

that was my thinking.. I has the makings of a parts gun. If I find another with bad action but serviceable wood.. It could be a good deal.

anyway.. I figure 70$ i could blow on ammo shooting one day.. and I do have th space to store it, so took the chance.

my other vets are pretty nice. both with bayo.. the long one was hard to find and a tad pricey. now a sawback.. but still hard to find$$

 

[deadin]

If I remember correctly, these Swiss Vetterli's are fairly easy to convert to center fire and useable cases can be formed from .348 Winchester brass.

 

[soundguy]

redrilled bolt?

 

[deadin]

The Swiss Vetterli has a double firing pin (Like the original Henry rifles).
The firing pin(s) are one piece, kind of a "U" shape. I would file the striker noses down they wouldn't strike the brass. Then drill a hole in the center of the bolt face and make a new short pin that fits between the altered original double pin. (I used a nail and case hardened it with Kasenit)
I can't remember what I used for bullets, but do remember that it shot well.

 

[soundguy]

how long does the new pin need to be? is it something like a replacement decap pin from a die set would do?

also.. what did you do, weld it to the bas of the U shaped fire pin so it moves in tandem as 1 piece, except the U pin was filed?

am i on the right track here?

 

[deadin]

No welding needed. The center pin needs a head like a nail to keep it from falling through the hole to the front. The original double pin is free floating and will keep the new pin from falling out the back. If you take the bolt apart I think it will be clearer what I'm trying to describe..
(I wouldn't do this on anything collectible as the Vetterli's are starting to get pricey. A cut one is fair game....)

 

[deadin]

Thinking about this last night I'm not completely sure that the twin FP's are a separate piece. It's been years (around 30 or 40) since I converted one, but I do remember not needing to glue/weld anything onto the existing parts........ Good Luck!!

 

[hrf]

Here's an article about converting without using the old firing pin, and making centerfire ammo (scroll down past the emails):

http://www.militaryrifles.com/Switzerland/VetConversion/VetterliShooting.html

 

[deadin]

I would say that is the "proper" way to do it. My method is more "quick & dirty"
Same thing for making the brass. I didn't want to spend big bucks getting custom forming and resizing dies, so I went the "fire-forming" method.
Take fresh .348 cases (or anneal older ones) and cut them to the app. length needed. Then sort through your various dies until you find one or more that can be used to reduce the neck until the case will chamber. The next step is to put 5 or 6 gr. of Bullseye (more or less, depending on how the fire forming turns out), carefully fill the rest of the case with corn meal or something similar. Top it off with a bit of wax or cotton to keep everything in place and place in chamber and fire it off. (It will make some noise and blow filler all over the place. I used to fire into a wooden crate).
If the Bullseye charge was sufficient you should have a chamber formed case.
Too little and it won't fill out, too much and you might get a split case. The next step is to trim to the correct length. By using it in the rifle you formed it in, it won't need resizing, just neck sizing.Slug your bore and find a suitable bullet.... Have fun....

The above is, as I said, a Q&D way of shooting the old Vet without spending a fortune in start up costs. I would suggest if you have several rifles and are going to shoot them often, the expensive way of converting might be the best way to go.........

 

[soundguy]

this cut one i MIGHT consider converting, only because it's collector value has been ruined. my other vets will stay as they are, in good + condition..e tc.

gives me something to think about.

now I'm thinking about a headed decap pin.. they are hard already.

will read the link when I'm not at work.

thanks for posting

 

[Buffalochip]

A local pawn shop has a Swiss Vetterli for about $475--it is in excellent condition--at least 90% blueing, very nice wood. I'm guessing its the long rifle since it won't fit their gun racks and has been relegated to a corner, where it has sat for months.

Unconverted, what price range is reasonable?

 

[soundguy]

i've seen them in 250-450$ depending on if they are in the rimfire or the converted? carcano cartridge ( italian ver.. etc. )

I have one of each.. both in good condition. hard to find bayo's for the suckers.. they are like swords..

 

[fishhead]

Here's an old add I found hope the attachment works.