My Collecting "philosophy" and the "universe" of what I focus on.
(To identify a Non-US issued / Black Powder Metallic Cartridge / Military / Rifle).
Parts, Repair, Reloading & Shooting Supplies & INFO
of Excellent Further Readings & Sources
to other excellent related sites.
Military Rifles in the Age of Transition
(Non-U.S.) Black Powder, Metallic Cartidge, Military Rifles
1865 to 1890
(A Research, Photo-Identification and Information Website since 1997)
M1882 Italian Vetterli-Bertoldo
(Drawing from Armi Lunghe D'Ordinanza 1841-1890; Guida Pratica All'Identificazionne), Massimo Pagani)
GENERALLY: (Information from Walters, Rifles of the World) The M1882 Vetterli, known as the Vetterli-Bertoldo, was adopted only by the Italian navy for the use of its Marines. The Bertoldo is basically a M1870 with a tube magazine much like the Swiss Vetterli, except that the magazine was loaded through the top of the open action 'a la Mauser and Kropatchek magazine systems. Like the 11mm Kropatcheks and Portuguese Mauser-Kropatcheks, the cleaning rod was fitted in a channel cut into the left side of the fore-end.
Subj: concerning vetterli Bertoldo rifles
Date: 02-07-11 03:56:13 EDT
From: M.Willemsen@legermuseum.nl (Willemsen, M.)
To: KeithDoyon@MilitaryRifles(.)com ('KeithDoyon@MilitaryRifles(.)com')
Hi Keith,
A small addition concerning the Italian Vetterli Bertoldo that might be interesting for your site:
Some (175?) prototypes of the M.1882 Vetterli Bertoldo were made in 1881. One of these (serialnr.2) is at present in the collection of the Royal Netherlands Army and Armsmuseum. It is made by Glisenti and differs (as far as I can tell, but perhaps somebody else knows more about it?!) in the placement of the ramrod which is beneath the barrel and a different mounting for the bayonet. This prototype already has the Vecci sight that was introduced on the single shot M.70 in 1881.
Kindest regards,
Mathieu Willemsen,
Royal Netherlands Army and Arms Museum.
P.S. I will sent you a line-drawing of the rifle from the Dutch trails
report of 1881 when I have scanned it. >>
Keith,
Hereby the drawings from the Dutch trials report of 1881 with a prototypeVetterli Bertoldo. It is likely that the drawing is from the nr. 2 that is at present in our collection. Probably it is one of the 150 infantry rifles from 1881 (also made that year were 25 carbines for the carabinieri)
I hope you and the readers like it. I do!
If somebody knows more about these 1881 Bertoldo's, please let them contact me so that I can use the info in my publication that I am preparing about the Dutch trials!
Also, I discovered a piece from the Dutch trials dept. dating from 1890, stating that the sight of the future rifle (becoming the Dutch Mannlicher M.95) has been created on the basis of the Italian Vetterli Bertoldo and the Austrian M.88!!
regards, Mathieu Willemsen.
Royal Netherlands Army and Arms Museum
m.willemsen@legermuseum.nl