NFOA MEMBERS FORUM
Handguns, Rifles & Shotguns => Rifles => Topic started by: OnTheFly on March 11, 2010, 01:51:20 PM
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My mother is passing on a few of my father's firearms. The first is a Swiss Vetterli. This first photo is a bad one, but you can see the entire rifle...
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This is a close-up of the action. It is in pretty good condition.
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Here is the Springfield Model 1873. It was manufactured in Oct-Dec 1884.
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One more of the Springfield Model 1873...
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WOW! Those are some great rifles. I'm sure they have some interesting history attached. I hope you can keep those in your family forever.
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I remember reading Old Jules by Mari Sandoz ....... Old Jules had a Vetterli, state of the art for the time....
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Wow is right, very nice condition for the age!! Question is: wall hangers or shooters?
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Wow is right, very nice condition for the age!! Question is: wall hangers or shooters?
Well NE Bull...I want to shoot them. Figured I might have a gunsmith give them a once over. Then find some appropriate ammo. I've been doing a little research, and it appears I will have to convert the Vetterli to center-fire if I want to shoot it. The conversion doesn't sound too bad, and it can be converted back to rimfire. The ammo for that may be a little more troublesome, but do-able.
The Springfield 1873 will be a little bit easier. Just have to make sure I find some 45-70 with lead bullets and low enough pressure. I have seen some cowboy action 45-70, but it has flat head lead bullets. Not sure how good of ballistics that will produce in a rifle.
Fly
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Very cool, I love trap doors, but that Vetterli is awesome.
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OnTheFly, Do you reload? It should be very easy to come up with some starting loads that are quite safe for the 1873. After of course the rifle has been given a good once over by your smith.
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OnTheFly, Do you reload? It should be very easy to come up with some starting loads that are quite safe for the 1873. After of course the rifle has been given a good once over by your smith.
I do not reload...yet. I do have a friend with all the equipment. Found this (http://telecom.hartford.edu/swiss/vetterli.htm) website about the conversion and modifying a .348 case. Not sure if the friend would feel comfortable letting me use his equipment. I'm sure he would at least show me the ropes.
Fly
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I have an 1873 45/70 that I bought in a pawn shop in Utah in the late 50's for $15.00.....I have the equip to reload for it. There is a good reference in Hornady's reloading manual forl the 1873. It is fun to shoot.
It will jolt you about like a 12ga......
Rp
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45/70 with cast bullets and black powder shot at a silhouette is about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. I'm not sure where you're at, but you should check out the big bore gong match we have in Lincoln every month. Any single shot rifle over .38 caliber is welcome, and you can shoot smokeless or black as long as it's a cast bullet with no gas check.
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45/70 with cast bullets and black powder shot at a silhouette is about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. I'm not sure where you're at, but you should check out the big bore gong match we have in Lincoln every month. Any single shot rifle over .38 caliber is welcome, and you can shoot smokeless or black as long as it's a cast bullet with no gas check.
I imagine that is at the Izaak Walton range? How far do you shoot? 100 yds?
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45/70 with cast bullets and black powder shot at a silhouette is about as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. I'm not sure where you're at, but you should check out the big bore gong match we have in Lincoln every month. Any single shot rifle over .38 caliber is welcome, and you can shoot smokeless or black as long as it's a cast bullet with no gas check.
I imagine that is at the Izaak Walton range? How far do you shoot? 100 yds?
Yep, it's at the Ikes. We shoot chickens offhand at 200 and and pigs, rams, & turkeys at 300 off cross sticks. The first shoot of the year is April 4th at 8:00 AM.
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Yep, it's at the Ikes. We shoot chickens offhand at 200 and and pigs, rams, & turkeys at 300 off cross sticks. The first shoot of the year is April 4th at 8:00 AM.
Do you have to be a member?
Fly
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No, it's open to everyone with a $10 entry fee. It's a pretty informal shoot, no prizes or anything. Just a bunch of guys BSing and having fun.
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No, it's open to everyone with a $10 entry fee. It's a pretty informal shoot, no prizes or anything. Just a bunch of guys BSing and having fun.
Wouldn't you flipp'n know it! The matches are on the first Monday of every month through October, and I am out of town on work EVERY time. That bites! :angry9:
Fly
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They're actually on the first Sunday.
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They're actually on the first Sunday.
Oops! Yes...that's what I meant. I work a set number of days on and off, so it takes a while before I have a first Sunday of the month off.
I hope to join Ikes this year. Maybe I will see you out there with one, or several, of my rifles.
Fly
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Sounds good, drop me a line and we'll go make some smoke.
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I got the number for Schlereth's Gun Repair on west A street just outside of Lincoln. I called and decided to take my Springfield Model 1873 to him. He is going to take it apart and thoroughly clean it. He noticed a crack in the stock just aft of the trap door. He is going to repair that so it will not fracture any further.
I was very happy to see the look on his face when I presented the rifle to him. He commented that this was one of the top end examples of an 1873 that he has seen. Not his exact words, but that was the gist. He also said that many people wouldn't even shoot it and would rather preserve it since the value is quite high. Even though the gun may be worth $XXXX, it really does not mean anything to me. I intend to pass my firearms down to my son or daughter (if she shows any interest) so I will never realize any monetary gain from them. My only concern is that I don't want to take a family heirloom and harm it in any way.
I know I must be careful about the ammo I use and clean it thoroughly like my other guns, but my larger concern is the normal dents and scratches which can happen during a day at the range.
I guess my question is...Am I wrong to want to occasionally shoot it if I am cautious?
As far as ammo, I have found some smokeless ammo from Ultramax. Would like to avoid BP for fear that I wouldn't get some residue that could start some corrosion on my treasure. I wrote Ultramax to ask if it would be safe in a vintage trapdoor rifle, and they said it "should" be fine in my rifle. Anyone with experience have a suggestion?
Fly
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Don't look back, don't hesitate, shoot it!
Don't worry about shooting real black powder, it's actually much easier to clean up than you think. The real stuff is water soluble, so it dissolves easily. I clean my Sharps with nothing more than soapy water. When I clean my rifle I run wet patches through the barrel until they come out clean, then a brush to knock loose any residue, then more wet patches until they're clean again. Then I push dry patches through until the bore is bone dry, and then I oil it. That regimen may be overkill, but I actually enjoy cleaning guns :D It sounds like a pain, but in reality it takes less time to clean a black powder cartridge rifle than it does to get the copper out of a modern rifle bore. You're talking maybe 5 minutes of work.
This rifle was made for black powder. Generally speaking, you can't fit enough BP into a cartridge to harm a gun. If you shoot the holy black in your rifle you know it will always be safe. Just clean it well and you have nothing to fear.