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Vetterli Rifle
The Vetterli rifle is a system designed by Swiss rifle maker Johann-Friedrich Vetterli. The Vetterligewehr marked the beginning of the multi-shot repeating rifle in the Swiss infantry in 1869. The weapon was one of the most advanced of its day in Europe. With an eleven-round tubular magazine and the rotary bolt with cylinder by Vetterli, this repeating rifle was superior to the infantry weapons common at the time.
During the American Civil War, the superiority of repeating rifles over single-shot rifles was clearly demonstrated. This led the Swiss Federal Council to instruct the Commission for Army Armament to consider the introduction of such a rifle. The results were recorded in writing in a detailed message from the Federal Council to the Federal Assembly on January 9, 1863. The results of the shooting tests gave rise to a closer look at the choice of caliber.
After trials with the Henry and Winchester rifles, it was decided for the time being to acquire such weapons in the Swiss 10.5 mm ordnance caliber or to manufacture them themselves. After various trials, however, the commission agreed on a system developed by Johann Friederich Vetterli in 1867, combining the Winchester tubular magazine and cartridge feed under the barrel with a Dreyse cylinder breech. In contrast to the rifle introduced in 1869, the 1867 prototype had a hammer instead of the firing mechanism integrated in the breech cylinder. In 1870, Vetterli filed patent US109277 on the improvements.
Vetterli rifles served in the Swiss army from 1869 to 1890 (M1869/70, M1871, M1878, M1881 versions, both rifles, and carbines). The Italian army also adopted this rifle as the M1870 (single-shot version, in 10.35x47mm R) and later put on service a modified version known as the Vetterli-Vitali equipped with a four-round box magazine designed by Giuseppe Vitali, also found on the Beaumont-Vitali Rifle (M1870/87 in 10.35x47mm R and M1870/87/15, converted to 6.5x52mm). During World War I, a party of Vetterli-Vitali rifles were purchased by Russia. The Vetterli Rifle was gradually replaced by the Schmidt-Rubin Rifle as the standard service rifle for the Swiss Army in the 1890s.
Vetterli rifles can be identified by the unique shape of its trigger guard.
Specifications
Vetterli Modell 1869/71
Type: Rifle
Caliber: 10.4 mmR Swiss
Weight: 4.6 kg (10.1 lb)
Length: 1.3 m (51.18 in)
Barrel length: 842 mm (33.14 in)
Capacity: 11-round tubular magazine
Vetterli Model 1869/71
In improved variants, it was to remain the main weapon of the infantry until the introduction of the Schmidt-Rubin Model 1889. The Model 1869/71 is the first improved version for the Gewehrpatrone 71 (10.4mm rimfire). The model was 1300mm long, weighed 4.7 kilos, had a walnut stock, and sight up to 1200 meters. The tubular magazine under the barrel was inspired by the Winchester rifle. The cavalry got a short model with a 6-round magazine.
The Vetterli Model 1869/71 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finances of the Grand Duke (Die Finanzen des Großherzogs) | A conspirator | Supposedly M69/71 | 1924 | |
| Frontier (Aerograd) | A sectant | Rifle of unclear model | 1935 | |
| Boris Dobronravov | Aniky Shabanov | Converted shotgun | ||
| The Last Chance | German soldiers and Italian partisans | 1945 | ||
| Is Paris Burning? | Roland Armontel | An elderly French Resistance fighter | 1966 | |
| The Last Hunt (Poslednyaya okhota) | Afanasiy Trishkin | Schulz | Sporterized M69/71 | 1980 |
| Serenity | Weston Nathanson | A bank clerk | Carbine M69/71 | 2005 |
Television
| Show Title | Actor | Character | Note | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (Priklyucheniya Sherloka Holmsa i doktora Vatsona) | Nikolai Kryukov | Colonel Sebastian Moran | Sporterized rifle based on Vetterli system | 1980 |
| Vitaly Solomin | Dr. Watson | |||
| Boryslav Brondukov | Inspector Lestrade |
Anime
| Title | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Empire of Corpses | Nikolai Krasotkin | 2015 | |
| Ulysses Simpson Grant |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt: Showdown | "Vetterli 71 Karabiner" | Scope and bayonet available | Vetterli M1869/71 Carbine | 2018 |
Vetterli Model 1870
The single-shot M1870 was issued only to army cadets and was the basis for further improved versions. It fired a somewhat weaker cartridge which was inserted into the chamber from the top instead of through the side-mounted loading gate. The stock was made entirely of wood.
The Vetterli Model 1870 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margritli and the Soldiers | Hanging on a wall | 1940 | ||
| The Last Chance | Italian partisans | 1945 |
Video Games
| Title | Appears As | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isonzo | "Vetterli Mod.1870" | Introduced in the White War expansion | 2022 |
Vetterli Model 1878
To increase production, the weapon was simplified and manufactured at the newly built Eidgenössische Waffenfabrik Bern. The 1878 and 1881 models had a new saber bayonet with a saw, improved sights, and an additional finger hook on the trigger guard. Magazine capacity rifle 12 plus 1 round. The M1878 was only built for a very short time and differs from the M1878/81 and M1881 mainly by the rear sight. Many supposed M1878 are actually M1878/81; most weapons were rebuilt and many weapons built as M1881 were still stamped with M.78 on the receiver.
The Vetterli Model 1878 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Kaiser's Lackey | German soldiers | 1966 |
Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87
Modification for use by the Italian army, equipped with a Vitali 4-round box magazine. The Vetterli-Vitali is notable for being probably the first rifle to have a charger device (clip), with that could fill a magazine in the shortest possible time.
The Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Death Ray (Luch smerti) | seen on the ground | 1925 | ||
| Do Not Set Traps for Leshiy... (Ne stavte Leshemu kapkany...) | A bandit | 1981 | ||
| The Winter Hut on the Studyonaya (Zimovye na Studyonoy) | Dmitri Nalivaichuk | Liodor | Converted shotgun, probably based on M1870/70 | 1986 |
| Yuriy Dubrovin | Mikhey Zotych |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Six Siege | Unusable | 2015 | ||
| Battlefield 1 | M1870/87 and M1870/87 Carbine. Introduced in "In the Name of the Tsar" DLC (2017) | 2016 | ||
| Tannenberg | "Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87" | 2019 | ||
| Isonzo | "Vetterli-Vitali M1870/87" | 2022 |
Vetterli M1870/87/15
The Vetterli M1870/87/15 and variants can be seen in the following films, television series, video games, and anime used by the following actors:
Film
| Title | Actor | Character | Note | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operation Caviar | A German soldier | 1961 |
Video Games
| Game Title | Appears as | Mods | Notation | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isonzo | "Vetterli Mo.1870/87/15" | 2022 | ||
| "Vetterli Mo.1870/87/15 T.S." |