Lessons in frustration

[dakotashooter2]

Several years back I inherited a Swiss Veterli in what appeared to be .41 Swiss. I'll admit my first mistakes that 1) I did not do a chamber cast and 2) I did not slug the barrel. I will mention that a cast bullet sized to .412 would easily push through the barrel with just slight engraving and a bullet sized .429 set in the muzzle appeared to be the correct size. I had tried to drive a .452 bullet down the muzzle at one time but it was way to large. I acquired a 41 Swiss round at a gun show (which chambered without issue) and found as much info as I could on this cartridge. I learned that this gun was not standard but a conversion (trainer ?) and at some point was converted to center fire. I acquired a set of lee dies in 41 Swiss and some 348 brass to make brass. One of the first problems I encountered was that the lee dies formed a case with a shoulder rather than the taper the sample round had. I fought for some time getting brass sized to a point that it would chamber, having to use other dies in my stock to make it fit. My thought was to get a close enough fit then fireform it. Yesterday I got a lee mold .429 310 gr cast a few boolits and was ready to cast and fireform. Started with 7 gr of unique but didn't get much forming of the brass. I worked up to 11 gr and when I pulled the case out it had fireformed but not to the shape of the .41 Swiss but what appeared to be a straight walled cartridge. Further adding to the confusion is that the case and neck appeared to be significantly larger than .429. I'll have to break down and do a chamber cast (and try to slug the bore) but am wondering what kind of a freak I have.

[Outpost75]

There is no substitute for casting the chamber. Only then will you know. My best guess is that you have an Italian Vetterli, rather than the Swiss. These take a .446 bullet if I recall. If you can cast the chamber and also post some photos of the markings on the rifle, I can email them to my buddy in Italy who shoots one.

[jonk]

As said, could be Italian. Could also be that someone rechambered it to a more available cartridge.

[texassako]

The Italian Vetterli is a bottleneck and usually has a .429 or so groove diameter, and I have shot bullets meant for the Swiss in mine. Slug the bore and you will have the first clue as to what it may be. If it has a tube magazine it is Swiss. Italians were single shot or had the Vitali box magazine. Alan's Armory had a Swiss Veterli for sale for a while converted to 12.7x44r and only functioned as a single shot.

[Outpost75]

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[dakotashooter2]

Some good information her. It sounds like it may be the italian vetterli and may very well be the 12.7x44 conversion. That is something I hadn't found in my research. It also makes some sense because my version has a box magazine (different from the picture above) but the magazine seems long for the 41. Swiss sample I have.

Thanks

[texassako]

The above photos from Outpost75 are the 6.5 conversion of the Italian Vetterli. A bigger bore and a box magazine makes me think you may have a Dutch Beaumont. It used the same Vitali magazine system as the Italian. Pics would be helpful.