Vetterli value?

[Dalebert]

Attachment 63709Attachment 63710Attachment 63711Attachment 63712A friend has this Vetterli and is interested in value.

Bore is dark with fairly decent rifling but appears washed out near muzzle. Can't really confirm at this point.

Stock number matches action. Stock appears in original finish, but I'm no expert. Hopefully pics help. Didn't notice any cracks or major flaws.

Cleaning rod is missing.

Can anyone offer an opinion on the value of this rifle assuming bore is just so so?

Is there much collector interest in these rifles. I bought a Krag from the owner. Trying to do him a favor by providing some info on his Vetterli.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Aragorn243]

Value isn't a lot. They are very common and not highly desired. A big problem with it is the missing cleaning rod. Most seem to be missing the cleaning rod and they are not common opposed to the rifles. The cleaning rod is worth $50+. Rifles will typically be priced at between $150-$200. Bore really doesn't matter a whole lot because most people are terrified of shooting them. They were approved for use by the Italian government for limited use of full power 6.5 Carcano ammo which creates pressures above what they were originally rated for which is what causes the quandary. I have one that I just spent $44 on a new firing pin because the previous owner didn't want anyone to kill themselves shooting it.

So, while I obviously don't recommend it because it's complete and looks pretty nice, this is one rifle you'd get more for parting it out. But then again, demand for anything but the cleaning rod is low. I paid $80 for mine, plus $11 for a new barrel that had a front sight which mine was missing. Cut out the sight, not the barrel. $44 for the firing pin and it will be operational again. Still missing the elusive cleaning rod, mainly because $60 for a cleaning rod seems a bit high.

[Dalebert]

Aragorn

Thanks for your detailed response.

I told the owner I would only pay $100 without knowing more. Sounds like I was in the ball park. My only interest in it was to maybe do a package deal if I needed to buy the Krag he was selling and so I can see the bayonets he has. I got the Krag though which was my main target.

[Eaglelord17]

I have heard of people shooting black powder loads through them to keep pressures down but realistically it isn't really a gun for shooting. The Italians in WWI as mentioned above only condoned shooting them if you really have no other option (i.e. you have a Austrian-Hungarian troop charging at you and this is the only rifle you have).

The history of them is pretty neat though. Originally they were the 1870/87 Vetterlis. In WWI the Italians found they didn't have enough rifles to go around for all there troops when they declared war on Austria-Hungary (common problem for all nations involved, usually resulting in a foreign order for the Triple Entente (France, U.K., Russia) and utilizing obsolete firearms in the case of the Central Powers (i.e. Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottomans)). There solution was to take these obsolete 1870/87 Vetterlis and convert them to 6.5 Carcano. They did this by changing the magazine to one that would accept standard Carcano Mannlicher clips and by soldering in a barrel lining (I am not sure if they drilled it out first or just soldered it in the barrel). These rifles where then distributed to rear line troops (arty, etc.) who weren't expected to see close combat but still needed a rifle in case it happened and it apparently did happen on at least one case. With other Carcanos freed up they were then sent up to the front lines.

Issues I have heard of with these rifles are that the action wasn't designed for the load it was taking, and that if you shoot it there is a possibility that the barrel liner will shoot out as it was only soldered in place (this I have heard from people that have shot them). Overall they have a interesting history though I think the Italians might have been better off leaving them in the original caliber as to me that seems to be less sketchy (personally when I pull the trigger of my service rifle I don't want the risk of it blowing up in my face every time).

[Aragorn243]

They were issued to the rear echelon troops and they were used in WWI extensively in combat as the lines were rather fluid at times. No real record of them failing. They were still being issued to some native troops in WWII. There is a video of a guy firing full power loads through one on U-tube although I wouldn't try it.

The argument for is that the Italians are not going to issue a rifle that is dangerous to their troops, they did proof and test them. Age and wear would have an effect and that is why they are limited and who knows how many rounds went through the one you own.