Vetterli Mod. 1870
Italian State Arsenals (Terni / Brescia / Torino) · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1870
Also known as: Mod. 1870, Fucile di Fanteria Mod. 1870, Italian Vetterli 1870, M1870 Vetterli
Overview
The Vetterli Mod. 1870 was the Kingdom of Italy's first standard-issue metallic-cartridge service rifle, a single-shot bolt-action rifle adopted in 1870. Derived from Johann-Friedrich Vetterli's Swiss design but simplified for economy, the Italian version dispensed with the Swiss tubular magazine and was chambered for the centerfire 10.35x47mmR (10.35mm Vetterli) black-powder cartridge rather than the Swiss rimfire round. Its turn-bolt action used rear-mounted locking lugs and a coil-spring firing pin. The Mod. 1870 served as the basis for the later four-round Vetterli-Vitali Mod. 1870/87 repeater conversion that replaced it as the frontline rifle.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4300 g (151.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1360 mm (53.54") |
| Barrel Length | 870 mm (34.25") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 425 m/s (1394 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1751 J (1291 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 400 m (437 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1600 m (1750 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 8 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 10.35x47mmR Vetterli · primary — also known as 10.4x47R, 10.35 Italian Vetterli, 10.35x47R, 10.35mm Vetterli
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Single Shot Breech, Rear Locking Lug Bolt, Coil Spring Firing Pin, Two Band Full Length Stock, Large Rear Leaf Sight
Variants
- Vetterli-Vitali Mod. 1870/87 — Vitali Repeater Conversion
Service history
Operators
- Royal Italian Army (Regio Esercito) · adopted 1870 · as Fucile di Fanteria Mod. 1870
Conflicts
- First Italo-Ethiopian War (1895-1896)
Production
Production years: 1870-1887
Original single-shot Mod. 1870 production at the Italian national armories (Torino, Terni, Torre Annunziata, Brescia) before the bulk of stocks were converted to the Vitali repeater pattern; total Italian Vetterli production of all variants eventually reached roughly 1,800,000.
Origin
Country of origin: Italy
Designer: Friedrich Vetterli
Discontinued: 1887
Notes
The Italian Vetterli differs from the Swiss Vetterli chiefly in its centerfire (rather than rimfire) cartridge and the deletion of the Swiss tube magazine, leaving the Mod. 1870 a true single-shot. From 1887 most were converted to repeaters with Giuseppe Vitali's internal box magazine.
Background
Adopted just as Italy completed its unification, the Mod. 1870 gave the young Kingdom a modern breech-loading service rifle of its own pattern. Most surviving single-shots were swept up in the 1887 Vitali conversion program, so unconverted original Mod. 1870s are comparatively scarce today.