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Swiss Rifles

The Swiss Magazine Loading Rifles, 1869-1958 Switzerland was the introductory country to adopt a magazine repeating rifle, doing so in 1869. The Vetterli rifle, named after it is designer, Friedrich Vetterli, combined the features of the Winchester Model 1866 repeating rifle and the Dreyse needle fire rifle. In 1889, the Vetterli was substituted by the line of rifles based on the design of Rudolph Schmidt and the ammunition design of Eduard Rubin. The Schmidt-Rubin rifles remained in service with the Swiss military until 1958. They have become very popular collectible rifles. They are likewise exceedingly exact and make a great deal of of the finest target rifles in the world.

Currently being imported in big numbers with a plentiful supply of ammunition, they are inexpensive and outstanding fun to shoot.

The Swiss Magazine Loading Rifles, 1869-1958 is another in the North Cape Publications series of "For Collectors Only" books. It includes a short history of the development, production and use of both rifles as well as a detailed, part-by-part analysis that will enable the aggregator to determine the authenticity of his or her rifle or carbine.

The Vetterli was developed in sixteen respective models and the Schmidt-Rubin in eight. Certain constituents are interchangeable amid models and the gatherer may use this book to determine if the parts on his or her rifle or carbine are rectify by examining the codes, markings, design and finish of each share and comparing them to the descriptions in the book and to the serial number charts included.

In addition, chapters and appendices describe ammunition for both models, disassembly/assembly, repairs and maintenance and shooting as well as specific subdivisions on markings, codes and serial numbers.

The Swiss Magazine Loading Rifles, 1869 to 1958 is the only book that has ever been written in English with regards to these fine rifles.

About the AuthorJoe Poyer has written and published over 400 magazine articles and 35 books on ageold and progressed firearms and the modern military with twelve novels included in that number. He has written thirteen books in the North Cape Publications series on collectible firearms.

Most helpful client reviews

12 of 12 persons found the following review helpful.
A Good Book for the Beginning Collector
By J. Mangrum
If you have looked for any printed material on your K-31 you have found that the landscape is beauteous barren. That was until North Cape Publications rolled out the elaborate collectors' guide by Joe Poyer called For Collector's Only: Swiss Magazine Loading Rifles, 1869 to 1958. I have looked for other available books (printed in English) on the same subject and have not found any to date.

Following the traditionalisti "For Collector's Only" format and systematic approach of presenting info on gathering firearms, Joe's new book includes history of the development as well as a detailed, part-by-part analysis of the famous rifles and carbines. The book covers Friedich Vetterli's design of one of the very the initial military bolt action repeaters and the firstborn designs of Rudolf Schmidt's (Eduard Rubin in truth designed the cartridge) straight-pull action rifles and carbines.

Presents broad selective information for detail cartouche and marking identification so you will be competent to answer the "when and where your rifle or carbine was made" questions you may have.

A good book for the beginning aggregator of Swiss rifles and carbines.

6 of 7 humans found the following review helpful.
Joe Poyer's book on Swiss magazine rifles
By Bill
Very good book, even taking into account the lack of published material (in English) on these rifles. Incorporates most of the info available from respective web web sites and manuals on the straight-pull rifles, ammo, and bayonets. Only criticism I have is that I personally feel it would have been better coordinated by rifle model rather of being coordinated by the respective elements, ie: all stocks, all receivers, etc.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
The Best and Only Book on Swiss Repeating Rifles
By John M. Lane
Switzerland didn't fight in either of the world wars which scarred the 20th century and shaped much of the world we recognise today. Its tiny size size contributes to the impression I employed to have that Switzerland was interesting principally because of it is splendid chocolate, finelooking ski resorts and HEIDI.

I would not have guessed that the Swiss played such a leading role in the development of little arms, but Joe Poyer's book, SWISS MAGAZINE LOADING RIFLES 1869-1958, proved to be an effective wake-up call for me. I do not forget spotting an odd looking carbine at a gun store in a nearby city and at last finding a picture of it in Smith and Smith's SMALL ARMS OF THE WORLD.

It wasn't a Carcano like the store thought it was. It was a Swiss M 1893 carbine chambered for the GP 1890 7.5 X 53.5 mm cartridge and the design was borrowed from the Austrian 1888/90 carbine. Smith and Smith had only a line or two on this carbine and only a brief, but helpful summary of other Swiss rifles. There wasn't anything else (in English, at least) on Swiss rifles.

Gradually, I gathered more of them including an potpourri of Schmidt rifles, an 89/96, an M-11, an M-11 carbine (the so-called "Engineer's carbine)and an assortment of K-31s. All of them are beautifully constructed, well marked and accurate. The only exception is the M-93 carbine which I don't shoot due to a crack in the wrist of the stock.

North Cape Publishers' magnificent FOR COLLECTORS ONLY in the end gave me a great reference for these rifles. I take pleasure in them a lot more now that I may read up on them.

Poyer also gives us a good deal of interesting history. Switzerland was the firstborn country to adopt a bolt-action repeating rifle, the .41 caliber Vetterli with an 11 round tubular magazine. The Swiss did this on January 8, 1869, at a time when the US was still making the transition to it is firstborn breech loader, the .50 caliber Allin which was a single shot conversion of the .58 caliber muzzle-loading Springfield which equipped most Union forces for the duration of the Civil War.

Most US forces still carried the Allin, or "Trapdoor Springfield" for the duration of the Spanish American War in 1898, nine years after the Swiss had moved to the more advanced, M-89 Schmidt rifle which fired 7.5 mm smokeless rounds and from a 12 round magazine. Those US soldiers lucky sufficient to have a .30-40 Krag found themselves facing Imperial Spanish infantrymen armed with 7 mm Mauser repeaters which proved to be more than a match for the potpourri of Allins and Krags available to US personnel. Rifles like the Mauser and the fast-firing M-89 Schmidt illustrated how much the US had fallen behind in the arms race.

I like this book and have used it a lot. It has a good deal of good amount of time photographs, line drawings, and a number of utile graphs and charts including illustrations of gunmarks. There is likewise a glossary.

The only thing I may see which would make this book more utile to gatherers and shooters is an index to facilitate quick reference. Hopefully, that will be included in future editions.

If you are fascinated in Swiss firearms or Swiss history, you'll take delight in this book.

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