Swiss 1863 infanteriegewehr

[SolidLeadSlug]

So I have this rifle that I mistook for a civillian 1851 feldstuzer, but it has been brought to my attention it is actually an 1863 infanteriegewehr. Does anyone here know anything about these things? I can only find a sales history going back to a Christie's 1993 auction where one sold for the equivalent of 9k usd.

Made at SIG and signed on the lock by F.Vetterlin.

10.4 caliber

 

[Powder Flask Collector]

There is a book in german language that describes all the swiss army guns from 1853 until today. Maybe you can get it in the local library or from the library of the congress

Ernst Hostettler (1987). Hand- und Faustfeuerwaffen der Schweizer Armee von 1842 bis heute (3rd ed.). Buch-Vertriebs GmbH Zürich. pp. 18/20. ISBN 3-905216-03-5.


It seems that you have a very rare gun because like other Swiss infantry weapons of the period, most of the Infantry rifles 1863
were retrofitted with a Milbank-Amsler breechloading system from 1867 on.

 

[Powder Flask Collector]

Maybe one can get a AI based translation of a commission report for the swiss parlament concerning the infanterie rifle 1863?
https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/fga/1863/1_229__/de

 

[Relic shooter]

Your photos don't show the whole rifle so hard to tell what you have but your right that there were civilian & military versions made.
I'm no expert on variations of military Swiss rifles but 30+ years ago I owned a nice .41 Swiss Federal rifle, it was very accurate with the correct slug & load. As I recall many were converted to use cartridges.

 

[SolidLeadSlug]

Your photos don't show the whole rifle so hard to tell what you have but your right that there were civilian & military versions made.
I'm no expert on variations of military Swiss rifles but 30+ years ago I owned a nice .41 Swiss Federal rifle, it was very accurate with the correct slug & load. As I recall many were converted to use cartridges.

Finding the right mold is proving difficult. buholzer bullet mold is what I need

 

[Relic shooter]

Finding the right mold is proving difficult. buholzer bullet mold is what I need

The forend of your rifle is much different than the Swiss Federal I had.
What bullet or ball will perform best in your rifle depends on what caliber, style of rifling it has.
A search will produce several mold companies in the US who will make just about any diameter, weight & style of bullet you need.

 

[SolidLeadSlug]

The forend of your rifle is much different than the Swiss Federal I had.
What bullet or ball will perform best in your rifle depends on what caliber, style of rifling it has.
A search will produce several mold companies in the US who will make just about any diameter, weight & style of bullet you need.

The rifle slugs at .408-422.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

So I have this rifle that I mistook for a civillian 1851 feldstuzer, but it has been brought to my attention it is actually an 1863 infanteriegewehr. Does anyone here know anything about these things? I can only find a sales history going back to a Christie's 1993 auction where one sold for the equivalent of 9k usd.

Made at SIG and signed on the lock by F.Vetterlin.

10.4 caliber

Yeah I think in that condition you're holding a good down payment on a slightly used pickup truck.

LD

 

[SolidLeadSlug]

Yeah I think in that condition you're holding a good down payment on a slightly used pickup truck.

LD

The problem is finding the right buyer! I've contacted the Swiss marksman museum in bern. Thier response was that the 1863 rifle they have in thier collection is the only example they know of and were wondering " where in the hell did you find yours"

 

[Loyalist Dave]

The problem is finding the right buyer! I've contacted the Swiss marksman museum in bern. Thier response was that the 1863 rifle they have in thier collection is the only example they know of and were wondering " where in the hell did you find yours"

Yeah, finding the buyer with deep enough pockets is always a chore with rare stuff.
Tell them they can investigate it to their hearts content, as soon as they buy it.

LD