Vetterli-Vitali

[TheLuigiNoidMan 129]

The Vetterli-Vitali is an Italian rifle that was in use from the 1870s until the end of the First World War. Having seen many revisions throughout its lifetime, it would ultimately see use alongside the Carcano rifle, a much more popular (and possibly infamous) design that was also used by Italy during WW1.

This model is based off of the M1870/87 variant, which had a 4-round 10.4x47R magazine, which intriguingly, was fed by a large charger that was inserted directly into the chamber. This loading charger was very different to stripper clips, which would become the world standard during its time in service. 

The design wouldn't see many further improvements in Italy until 1915, when the rifle was rechambered for 6.5x52mm Carcano, the standard service caliber at the time, as a result of Italy's sudden entry into WW1. It replaced the magazine to accommodate 6-round enbloc clips, which were used by the Carcano rifle itself. I might model this variant soon.

Spoiler

The Vetterli design itself actually originated in Switzerland for its military during the 1860s, being surprisingly different to the designs seen in Italy. It originally had an >10-round internal tube magazine, making it the most advanced rifle in Europe at the time.

Being a newly formed nation, Italy found interest in the Vetterli design, and produced their own variant in 1870. However, they removed the internal tube magazine, and converted it to a 10.4x47mmR-firing single shot rifle.

In 1887, an improvement was produced by a military official going by the name of Vitali, who added a 4-round magazine to the design, loaded by a charger that was fully inserted into the rifle and removed with a string.

Eventually, when smokeless powder became more common throughout Europe, its ironsights would change to accommodate newer ammunition. In the meantime, several other variants of the Vetterli were produced, primarily including single shot carbines.

As mentioned before, the Vetterli-Vitali would see its final improvement during WW1, when Italy's sudden entry into the conflict urged them to convert the rifles to 6.5x52mm Carcano, and replacing the magazine to feed 6-round enbloc clips.

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