Original Swiss Vetterli Repetiergewehr M1871 Transitional Magazine Rifle by Waffenfabrik Bern Serial 136686 - 10.4×38mm Snider Rifle Covered in old pitting

Covered in old pitting

The flag header is marked with a London maker mark which has faded and is not completely legible

this one seems to be one of the earlier ones which are believed to have been produced in Toledo

and the lock plate tail bears the location and date markings:

Army Assistant Surgeon in the 7th Cavalry who was killed in the Battle of the Little Big Horn in Montana Territory during the Black Hills War

Original Swiss Vetterli Repetiergewehr M1871 Transitional Magazine Rifle by Waffenfabrik Bern Serial 136686 - 10.4×38mm Snider Rifle Covered in old pittingOriginal Item: Only One Available. Introduced in 1867, the Vetterli rifle system utilized the "Winchester" tube magazine system for cartridge storage under the barrel. The original 1867 model had an external hammer, like a Winchester, but in 1868 this was changed to an internal cocking bolt spring. The cleaning rod was moved to the side of the rifle, but this proved problematic, so the model of 1869 moved it back to the under barrel position. In 1871,