Italian Vetterli Model 1870/87?

[Patrick Chadwick]

Is this a correct identification of this rifle?

Yes.

Any resources available to find out more about it?

Hardly any that I know of. Some mention of it is made in "Il Novantuno" by Wolfgang Riepe, in connection with the development of the 6.5mm Carcano. In WWI large numbers were converted to 6.5 Carcano by inserting a barrel sleeve, had lousy performance in this configuration, and the converted rifle was known to the Italians as "Il Terribile" - The Awful One - (Riepe P. 162), which does not hinder American and German sellers from advertising them as the "Garibaldi Rifle", which is a load of B-S.

There was also a book "The Italian Vetterli System" by Robert Wilsey, published in 2007 by the Royal Armouries in Leeds. Seems to be sold out now. Try a search. ISBN 0948092599.

Information

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