Cousin rifle
| Cousin rifle | |
|---|---|
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| general information | |
| Country of operation: | Switzerland |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | Friederich Vetterli / Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft Neuhausen (SIG) Waffenfabrik Bern, Switzerland. |
| Manufacturer country: | Switzerland |
| Production time: | 1868 to approx. 1889 |
| Weapon Category: | gun |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | Model 1869, 1300 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 4.85 kg |
| Barrel length : | Infantry rifle 1869, 842 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | Model 1869 10.5 mm rimfire ignition |
| Possible magazine fillings : | Infantry rifle 1869, 11 + 1 cartridges |
| Ammunition supply : | Tubular magazine |
| Fire types: | Single shot |
| Number of trains : | 4th |
| Twist : | Length 600 mm right |
| Visor : | Rear sight / front sight |
| Closure : | Cylinder lock |
| Charging principle: | Bolt action rifle |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Vetterli repeating rifles in caliber 10.5 mm were the ordinance weapons of the Swiss Army between 1870 and 1890; they were issued to secondary troops until the end of the First World War. The successor to the Vetterlige rifle was the Schmidt Rubin long rifle model 1889 in caliber 7.5 mm. A variant, the Vetterli Vitali rifle, was also used in the Italian army.
history
In the American Civil War , the superiority of the bolt action rifle over the single shot was clearly demonstrated. As a result, the Swiss Federal Council instructed the Army Armament Commission to consider the introduction of such a rifle. The results were recorded in writing in a detailed message from the Federal Council of January 9, 1863 to the Federal Assembly. The results of the shooting tests gave reason to look more closely at the selection of the caliber.
After attempts with the Henry and Winchester rifles , it was initially decided to purchase such weapons in the Swiss orderly caliber 10.5 mm or to manufacture them in-house. However, after several attempts, the Commission agreed to a by Johann Friederich Vetterli developed 1867 system in which the lying under the barrel tubular magazine and the cartridge feed of Winchester with a cylinder lock according Dreyse were combined. In contrast to the rifle introduced in 1869, the prototype from 1867 had a hammer instead of the ignition mechanism integrated in the bolt cylinder.
The Swiss inventor Johann Friederich Vetterli (1822–1882), Canton Thurgau, learned the trade of gunsmith in Schaffhausen, perfected himself in Paris , St. Etienne and London and on June 24, 1864 became the second technical director of the Swiss Industrial Society , Neuhausen (SIG).
The first cousin rifle issued to the army was the 1869 model in rimfire 10.5 mm caliber. It was the first repeating rifle used by a European army. This infantry rifle, which has been modified several times over the years, was followed by variants such as the single-shot cadet rifle, the carbine, the butt with trigger trigger and the short rifle for the border guard.
technology
The Vetterli Ordonnance Rifle uses the same 10.5 mm caliber ammunition as its single-shot predecessors, the Milbank Amsler 1851/1867 rifle and the Peabody Model 1867 rifle introduced from the USA . It has a cylinder lock with an integrated ignition mechanism. A sleeve rotatably attached to the rear end of the closure carries the chamber stem and the locking elements. These engage in recesses milled into the rear of the lock housing for locking . At the back of the sleeve there are two scenes that tension the ignition mechanism when the lock is unlocked. To ignite the rimfire cartridge, the impulse of the firing pin is transmitted to the edge of the case on both sides via a fork in the front of the breech.
The tubular magazine made of brass is protected in the fore-end. It is loaded through an opening on the right in the breech block, similar to the Kings Improvement in the Winchester lever action rifles. In the early models, the loading opening can be closed by a pivoting lid. The L-shaped feed lever transfers the shutter movement to the feeder. This leads the next cartridge upwards into the loading position and at the same time ejects the fired case upwards.
After unlocking, a strong, rapid push-pull movement must be carried out to ensure that the feeder functions properly and to prevent it from blocking the lock.
Cousin rifles were also manufactured as hunting weapons or converted to such. In the canton of Graubünden in particular, converted cousin rifles were used for hunting for a long time, as smaller hunting calibers were prohibited in this canton. A central fire cartridge with a brass case was therefore developed for these single-shot weapons, which, when loaded with black powder, corresponded to the rimfire cartridge in terms of power and dimensions, it was also called the Bündner cartridge . Many of these hunting cartridges used semi-jacketed bullets.
Versions
- Vetterli repeating rifle, federal orderly 1869/70
- Few weapons of the 1869 model were made and modified as early as 1870. The nominal caliber was 10.5 mm (10.35 mm to 10.65 mm). While this model was still in production, the production of an improved variant, the Model 1871, began. It was the same as its predecessor, except for details, but had a reinforced barrel with a caliber of 10.4 mm within tighter tolerances (10.35 mm to 10.55 mm) and a modified sight. The early weapons can be recognized by the lockable loading opening, the 2 treadmills and the ribbing in the back of the fore-end. They are equipped for attaching a spout bayonet . Total length 1300 mm, barrel 842 mm, weight 4850 g. Magazine capacity 11 rounds plus 1 round in the feeder.
- Cadet rifle model 1870
- The single shot given to the cadets fired a somewhat weaker cartridge. Total length 1130 mm, barrel 681 mm, weight 3240 g.
- Police repeating rifle circa 1870
- A number of short rifles, total length 1144 mm, barrel 737 mm, were produced for the equipment of various canton police corps.
- Vetterli repeating rifle, federal orderly 1869/71
- Like the Federal Ordinance 1869/70, but with a bayonet model 1871
- Model 1869/71 Converted carabiner
- Empty weight 3.9 kg, capacity 6 + 1 cartridge, no bayonet
- Vetterli cavalry carbine, model 1871 (type 2)
- Weight empty 3.2 kg, capacity 6 + 1 cartridge, no bayonet
- Vetterli Repetierstutzer Ord 1871
- The shorter Stutzer was a variant of the infantry rifle for snipers with a set trigger. Total length 1260 mm, barrel 783 mm, weight 4540 g. Magazine capacity 10 plus 1 shot.
- Vetterli Cavalry Repeating Carabiner Ord 1871
- The Vetterlikarabiners were produced in different versions in 1874–1878. Since no bayonet was used, the fore-end could be pulled to the end. Total length 930 mm, barrel 470 mm, weight 3330 g. Magazine capacity 6 plus 1 shot.
- Vetterli Repeating Rifle and Butcher Ord 1878 and 1881
- In order to increase production, the weapon was simplified and manufactured in the newly built Swiss Federal Arms Factory in Bern. The models 1878 and 1881 had a new saber bayonet with saw, an improved sight and an additional finger hook on the trigger guard. In the case of the 1881 model, the barrel in the 10.4 mm caliber was drilled to even tighter tolerances (10.352 mm to 10.450 mm) Like the Stutzer 1871, the 1878 model (barrel length 834 mm) and the model 1881 (barrel 843 mm) had a set trigger . Magazine capacity rifle 12 plus 1 shot; Stutzer 1881 12 plus 1 shot.
- Border guard repeating rifle, model 1878 and 1895
- In contrast to the carbine, this short rifle for the border guard had a bayonet holder. Total length 945 mm, barrel 485 mm, weight 3540 g. Magazine capacity 5 plus 1 shot. A number of model 1871 carbines were modified and handed over to the border guards in 1895.
- Attempt 1883
- In 1883 attempts were made with cousin rifles for cartridges developed by Rubin in calibers around 7.5 mm. The weapons were only produced for tests, and with the introduction of the Schmidt-Rubin rifle, model 1889, it was no longer necessary to sell them to the troops.
Production numbers
- Infantry rifles all models: 228.060
- Stutzer: 21.406
- Carabiner: 3500
- Border guard rifle: 400
- Modified carabiners for the border guard: 280
ammunition
The 10.4 mm cousin lip cartridges fired by the Vetterli rifle were black powder cartridges with solid lead bullets and bottle neck-shaped cases made of tombac (94% copper, 6% zinc) with rim ignition. They were a little more loaded than the cartridges of the same caliber for the single-shot Milbank-Amsler and Peabody . Shot cartridges were occasionally handed in, and there was also a fire bullet known as GP 1867 .
- Cartridge name: Metal cartridge Cal. 10.4 m / m
- Bullet caliber: 10.8 mm
- Total length of the cartridge: 56 mm
- Length of the: sleeve: 38 mm
- Cartridge weight: 30.5 g
- Bullet weight: 20.13 g
- Powder load: 4 g (61.73 grains)
- Powder load cadet rifle: 3 g (= 46.3 grains)
- v 0 (infantry rifle): 435 m / s
- Maximum firing range (infantry rifle): 2800 m
literature
- Daniel and Max Flückiger, Das Vetterli-Repetiergewehr, in: SWM (Schweizer Waffenmagazin) 4/2017, pp. 14-17
- Hugo Schneider and Michael am Rhyn, Small Arms System Vetterli (Armament and Equipment of the Swiss Army since 1817, Volume 3), 1970
- Clement Bosson: Poor individual you Soldat Suisse. Editions Pierre-Marcel Favre, Lausanne, ISBN 2-8289-0035-5 .
- Brigadier Haug: KMG IMG 1850–1975 The History of War Material Management. Liebefeld Bern 1977.
- F. Hentsch: Communications about new handguns. In: Polytechnisches Journal . 223, 1877, pp. 274-284.
- Rudolf Schmidt: Les Armes Suisses à Répétition (Vetterli System) H. Georg, Libraire Editeur Bâle et Genève 1870.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Federal Gazette, Message of January 9, 1863, Switzerland, Volume 15, Publisher: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft, 1863, Pages 66 to 115, digitalized online
- ↑ For the experiments see also: Henry Darapsky: About the outcome of the Aarauer shooting experiments with rear-loading rifles of various models. In: Polytechnisches Journal . 183, 1867, pp. 190-191.