1878 Vetterli First Shots

My first test shots of this 140-year-old Swiss service rifle with handloaded ammunition. [text continues below]

Check out my preceding video to see how I formed the cartridge cases for this long-obsolete rifle. This model was originally designed to take rimfire cartridges, so it was necessary to alter the bolt to the centerfire system. While this conversion is often performed successfully as a DIY project, I preferred to have the work done by a machinist with considerable experience in this particular task.

This rifle looks quite dull from the outside, but it is in fine shape mechanically and its bore is in excellent condition.

I only handloaded nine rounds for this test because I wasn't certain they were long enough to feed through the magazine/lifter assembly -- and they weren't. I was however quite pleased with the accuracy of these Trail Boss handloads. My 9-shot 19-yard (20 yards minus the length of the barrel!) group was basically one hole with three flyers. I'll order some longer bullets soon and try again.

The original black powder ballistics for the 10.4x38R Swiss rimfire cartridge had a hollow base heeled bullet of between 313-334 grains traveling at about 1400 fps, which is roughly comparable to a heavy .44 Magnum load from a carbine. I didn't have any means for chronographing my own 300 grain handloads but I'm guessing they barely broke the sound barrier. Recoil was trivial, aided by the great heft of this very long service rifle.

The fiddling with the funny glasses is my adjustment of the iris located right behind the prescription lens. With the iris closed down, my depth of field increases and allows me to see both sights and the target at the same time. I used to be able to do this without optical aids, but sometime in my early 40s my ability to focus on near objects began to diminish. Presbyopia is a common old guy problem.

Lots of fun with a rifle that hadn't been fired in at least 50 years!