M1869 Swiss Vetterli

Repetiergewehr Vetterli, Modell 1869/71
Swiss Vetterli Model 1868
Type	Service rifle
Place of origin	Switzerland
Service history
In service	1869 – c. 1890
Used by	Swiss Army, Italian Army, Russian Army (captured from shipment to Finland)
Wars	First Boer War First Italo-Ethiopian War Second Boer War World War I (Russian captured) Second Italo-Ethiopian War
Production history
Designer	Johann-Friedrich Vetterli
Manufacturer	SIG and Waffenfabrik Bern
No. built	36,700
Specifications
Weight	4600 g (10.14 lb)
Length	1300mm (51.18 in)
Barrel length	842mm (33.15 in)
Cartridge	10.4×38mm Swiss Rimfire Black-powder rimfire rimmed metallic cartridge
Caliber	10mm
Action	Bolt-action
Rate of fire	21 rounds per minute
Muzzle velocity	1425 ft/s
Feed system	11-round tubular magazine
Sights	Iron sights (Quadrantenvisier)

Repetierstutzer Vetterli, Modell 1871
Production history
No. built	10,000
Specifications
Weight	4600 g
Length	1260 mm
Barrel length	783 mm

Kavallerie-Repetierkarabiner Vetterli, Modell 1871
Production history
Manufacturer	W+F Bern, SIG
No. built	c. 4300
Specifications
Weight	3300 g
Length	930 mm
Barrel length	470 mm
Feed system	6-round tubular magazine

The Vetterli rifles were a series of Swiss army service rifles in use from 1869 to 1889, when they were replaced with Schmidt–Rubin rifles. Modified Vetterlis were also used by the Italian Army.

The Swiss Vetterli rifles combined the American Winchester Model 1866's tubular magazine with a regular bolt featuring for the first time two opposed rear locking lugs. This novel type of bolt was a major improvement over the simpler Dreyse and Chassepot bolt actions. The Vetterli was also the first repeating bolt-action rifle to feature a self-cocking action and a small caliber bore.

Due to the Swiss Federal Council's early 1866 decision to equip the army with a breechloading repeating rifle, the Vetterli rifles were, at the time of their introduction, the most advanced military rifles in Europe. The Vetterli was the replacement for the Eidgenössischer Stutzer 1851, an Amsler-Milbank metallic cartridge conversion from previous Swiss muzzle-loading rifles.

The model 1867 was the first iteration of Vetterli rifles. It was accepted into service in February 1868. The model 1867, like its successors, featured a 12-round under barrel tubular magazine and bolt action feed system. The primary distinguishing feature of the Model 1867 was the external hammer.

Before the Model 1867 was put into full production, the rifle designer, Friedrich Vetterli, updated the rifle by replacing the external hammer with an internal cocking bolt spring, rounded front barrel band and placing the cleaning rod on the left side of the rifle. It was discovered soon after that the cleaning rod in its current placement was easily damaged and was subsequently moved to the under-barrel position. The model was designated the Model 1869.

The 1869 Repetiergewehr Vetterli (English: repeating rifle, Vetterli) was the first iteration of Vetterli rifles to go into full mass production. It was designed by Johann-Friedrich Vetterli (1822–1882), a Swiss riflemaker, who worked in France and England before becoming director of the Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft's armament factory in Neuhausen Switzerland. He also adapted his rifle into a single-shot centerfire variant procured by the Italian Army. In 1871 the Model 1869 was updated by removing the loading gate and magazine cutoff switch. This change was designated the Model 1869/71