Vetterli carbine

[Vincent]

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These two looked like they needed a good home. I know very little about them and need to do some reading. I know a little about the Carcano cavalry carbine, but nothing about the Vetterli carbine. It’s in pretty good unmolested condition. The bolt has a center-fire firing pin and the bore is beautiful.

There were also two shorter Vetterli carbines and a very rough one about the same length that has a stripped bolt. They are all single shot center-fire I think. They looked very sad. I think I might have to bring them home.

Information

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[Eaglelord17]

Very nice. From what I understand the Italian Vetterli rifles and carbines were all centerfire from the get go. The round was a 10.35x47r. The loading system is actually pretty novel and is pretty much only found on these rifles. It used a 4rd packet that was completely inserted into the action. Once it was fully inserted you would pull it out with a cord that was attached to the packet. The rounds would stay in the magazine and the clip would come out. There is a video of someone shooting one with the packet on youtube, though I can't remember who or what the video was titled.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Not quite sure, but I think the fore-end of the Vetterli may have been "unofficially" shortened. The wood should reach almost to the bayonet lug - for support - and the clearing rod almost to the muzzle - otherwise it's too short to reach right down the barrel. I have read that the carbines were made by shortening full-length rifles and have found pics of similar looking guns on the internet but the proportions here do not seem right. And regrettably, there are unscrupulous people who shorten rifles to make rarer - and hence more expensive - carbines. I hope I'm wrong.

[Aragorn243]

The nice thing about the vetterli is that it is still in it's original caliber. I agree with Patrick that the wood doesn't seem quite long enough but I don't have anything other than comparing the distance between the end of my full length and the bayonet lug. Appears to be close to an inch. It is centerfire by the way.

[DocAV]

Vetterli TS ( made in Single Shot and Later, Vitali Magazine 4 shot conversion (M70 and M70/87). TS made in two variants: General Service and Carabinieri ( Stocking up is slightly different.)
Not made by "chopping" a Long rifle. Any such would be a "Bubba" Job.

Vetterli Cav Carbiine: only single shot in Italian Metropolitan service...never converted to Vitali system...BUT (there is always an exception) in 1888 500 Vetterli Cav carbines were fitted with Vitali Magazines for the Colonial Office (Eritrea Fund) for the Mounted Ascari troops in the Newly established colony of Eritrea ( "Red Lands") on the Red Sea, between Sudan and Abyssinia. Three (Maybe Four) Confirmed in Existence ( Two Italy, One Australia, One USA)...The Spike (Musket) type bayonet is rarer than the Carbine itself. ( Single shot or Eritrean Model).

Doc AV