Any Swiss Vetterli shooters here?

[Yance]

Tomorrow (if I remember my cleaning stuff) I go check out the bores on two M-78 Swiss Vetterlis. One is still all original (wish it had the bayo), the other has been "sporterized".

They're just odd enough, and have a big enough hole in the barrel to interest me. Besides, a cartridge that pre-dates the .45-70 Springfield is pretty interesting in and of itself.:-D

Most shooters form their cases from .348 Win brass but some use 8MM Lebel. Is there a real difference in using one over the other, except for the .348 being about twice as expensive as the Lebel?

I did find a place that sells original style heeled boolits, plus the custom Lee mould for same.

From what I've read, other than shooting two feet high @ 100 these old battle rifles are very accurate and LOTS of fun to shoot. Think .44 Magnum in a 10 lb rifle. Should be fun all day long.

[doctorxring]

.

I have an M78 that I shoot once in a while. I made the cases from 348 Winchester
brass, but have heard the Lebel brass works fine too. I had to file the bases of my
brass cases a little for them to fit. Maybe the 8mm Lebel cases would fit better ??
I use the Lee dies.

I shoot the 280 grain Berry's 44 Mag bullet with 18 grains of Blue Dot. Very accurate.

Lot's of fun !


dxr


http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b357/doctorxring/M78-right.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b357/doctorxring/M78-left-action.jpg

[Yance]

dxr;

REALLY pretty rifle! I've seen more figure on Swiss and Finn stocks than all others.

When you talk about filing down the base are you reducing the diameter of the body just ahead of the rim?

[jonk]

I have not noticed any difference between the 2 brasses. I also usually use 41 caliber pistol bullets.

[Cactus Farmer]

Pretty rifle! I want one to go with my ugly 11.4X50 Comblian carbine:coffeecom.

[Trapshooter]

I use 348 brass and the Lee 310 44 mag bullet sized to fit the bore with FWFL. Great Sport! I've tried 5744, 4198, and Unique, all ok, none greatly better than the other.

Trapshooter

[JeffinNZ]

"Smokemjoe" is your man. He does very well in CBE matches with one.

[smokemjoe]

I like the 8 MM Lebel Brass, alot cheaper and form nice. I shoot 13 grs. unique with all the bullets. The Lee 310 gr., CBE 380gr., and my .437 JW-Made by CBE. The Models 78s and 81s most of the time have bore size around .424 to .429s, Just right for the 44 Mag. bullets, the 69-71 model seem to run larger bore size. up to .437, But still shoot under size bullets nice.Hope this help, a very fun gun, Joe

[Ricochet]

Others have said that the cartridge overall length has to be kept very closely to the original specs, if the rifle is to feed from the magazine.

I'd love to have one of these old beauties!

[Yance]

Brought them both home today. The "good" one is a M-78, the chopped one is a 69/71. Both are all matching as far as I can tell.

Both bores have strong lands and grooves, but have some scale rust. Guess I'll be shooting GC boolits for a while.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/Yance_2006/Vetterli/REC.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/Yance_2006/Vetterli/RR.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/Yance_2006/Vetterli/SIGHT.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j45/Yance_2006/Vetterli/V0LLEY.jpg

[doctorxring]

Thanks, she is a pretty girl as well as a good shooter.

Yes, I used a small file to reduce the diameter some right
in front of the rim. I had read that some rifles may need
this, so I was warned. I remember wishing I didn't have to
do it, but these cases will probably last a L-O-N-G time as
the rifle is operating at low pressure and not stressing the
cases much at all.

Congrats on your new rifles !! You will have a lot of fun
with this project.

dxr




dxr;

REALLY pretty rifle! I've seen more figure on Swiss and Finn stocks than all others.

When you talk about filing down the base are you reducing the diameter of the body just ahead of the rim?

[Charley]

Been shooting one for a couple of months now. Had it for several years, and always meant to convert it to CF, but never got around to it. The posting in Special Projects finally gave me the push I needed to do it.

I've been using .348 brass, because I had traded into some. I do have to reduce the base diameter for my rifle, simple enough in a miniature lathe. So far I've only loaded Unique, and Lee's 310 gr FN .44. MIght even whack a whitetail with it this year.

[Freightman]

I like the 8 MM Lebel Brass, alot cheaper and form nice. I shoot 13 grs. unique with all the bullets. The Lee 310 gr., CBE 380gr., and my .437 JW-Made by CBE. The Models 78s and 81s most of the time have bore size around .424 to .429s, Just right for the 44 Mag. bullets, the 69-71 model seem to run larger bore size. up to .437, But still shoot under size bullets nice.Hope this help, a very fun gun, Joe
Bought one from smokemjoe it is great and a nicer man you will not find, he sent me his article he wrote on The .41 Swiss Vetterli very informative and shows a lot of careful research and knowledge. Never shot one before and not use to the rifle went to the range with a 15/20mph cornoring wind and shot a less than 2" group at 50 yds with Unique, looking forward to shooting it without the wind (like that is common in the Texas Panhandle HA_)

[Echo]

Only thing between Amarillo & the North pole is a bobwire fence in Montana...

(Had a great-aunt & -uncle live in Tulia - wheat farmer, as if that's a surprise!)

[Cactus Farmer]

And two strands of that fence are down!:coffee:

[PAT303]

I have a swiss Federalstutzen muzzleloading rifle that is identical to that from the chamber forward. Pat

[Yance]

Well, took my two Vetts over to a friend's shop tonight so I could borrow his lathe, mill, and drill press. He called my rifles ugly...several times.[smilie=1:

Following the example here,

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=21917

and milling my firing pin holders from scrap aluminum, in three hours we were able to "pop a cap" in a cut down .45-70 case with both rifles.

The project went smoothly, (better than I expected), and so far I'm pleased.

Have dies and Lebel brass on the way from Graf's so hopefully I can form and load a few before my next day off on Friday.

Now to find a replacement forestock for the 69/71.

Thanks to all of you for all the information and tips.

[Ricochet]

Well, took my two Vetts over to a friend's shop tonight so I could borrow his lathe, mill, and drill press. He called my rifles ugly...several times.[smilie=1:
That was unkind, and suggestive of ill breeding. A man like that might insult your truck, wife or dog.

I've even heard of Philistines so uncouth as to call Mosins "turds."

They should have to stick with black plastic zip guns.

[mazo kid]

I've got a dozen or so complete '71s and '78s, and a couple of parts rifles I am trying to restore. Have converted 2 of them to CF, 2 came already converted. So far have used 348 Win brass, also had to file a bit off the head so they would chamber. I got 100 rounds of 8mm Lebel brass but haven't fire formed them yet. I have been using some 300 gr. Meister boolits but have A CBE mould that Smokem Joe designed, also a Group Buy 330 gr. Lee 6 cavity mould. Joe took 1st place at the CBA meet last summer using one of his Vetterlis, they WILL shoot!