I shoot mine quite often with cast lead loads. I use a .269 dia. 170 gr. gas checked round nose bullet, in front of 15 gr. Alliant 2400 powder, and a large rifle primer. Very pleasant, and accurate to shoot if you can overcome the heavy trigger pull. This load works well in Carcano's as well.

 

Is it safe to shoot surplus ammo? or should I stick to Handloads.

 

I would not shoot surplus, I shoot private partizian out of mine with decent results. I just need a new bolt my extractor is bad. Actually someone shot high powered ammo before me and cracked the bolt and had it repaired, crappy repair I had to repair it again but it still shoots. I would have a gunsmith check the liner and see if they did a decent job at soldering the ends in.

 

I shoot any ammo I can find and never had a prolem. I do not believe any 6.5 cartridge was ever made for Blackpowder.

 

Converted Vetterlis were made for rear-echelon troops and it was known at the time of their issue that the likelihood of their being fired would be slim to none. In the event of an emergency it was felt that they would stand up long enough to weather that particular emergency without incident, but were never intended for extended service.

I have had several and fired one of them a few times with some old surplus SMI ammo without incident. After that, I retired the gun and never shot it again.

Personally, since the guns were originally designed for a black powder, low pressure cartridge, I don't think it's wise to push the envelope and shoot them with smokeless powder rounds unless you are a reloader and can duplicate original black powder pressures with light loads of smokeless.

 

I shoot any ammo I can find and never had a problem. I do not believe any 6.5 cartridge was ever made for Blackpowder.

You are correct that no 6.5 was ever a black powder cartridge. And no Vetterli was ever a smokeless powder rifle. So, in my opinion, you are shooting "on borrowed time" if you continue to push your luck. But, hey, it's your eyes and fingers.

 

The problem isn't whether you can make a mild enough cast load to shoot it within its original design limits. One has been posted above and most cast loads by definition will be milder since velocity must be held down.

The real issue is what has someone done before you....going back to when they actually were issued. I've seen more than a few with cracks in their locking lugs and/or receivers. Have they let go yet...NO! Will they? Anytime now and I wouldn't want to be the one holding it at the time, and that applies to those trying to be good with cast loads as well as the folks that shoot modern ammo in hopes of making rich widows. See prior threads :

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?t=104054&highlight=Vetterli


This is a rifle designed to 22,000 psi, now chamberred for a 38,000 psi round that has a 60,000 psi proof threshold. While a few BP era rifles safely made the transition to the smokeless era, this wasn't one of them.

While you constantly see the warning to have a gunsmith check a rifle before shooting, it really does apply here. Too many have fired too many original rounds and now have flaws. So an expert examination of the locking lug area on bolt and receiver by someone who knows what they are looking for is indicated before even shooting one with the correct mild loads. However once given a clean bill of health, they can shoot mild loads for the next century with no problems.

 

The Vetterli went to a jacketed smokeless round in 1890 . The rifle was not designed for 22,000 psi , that is just what the original blackpower ammo produced . The smokless load made more pressure and was used by the Italians well past the 1920's , and saw a lot of use by Russia all through WW . I have a 1892 Vetterli and a 1892 Carcano made by the same maker , how is the steel different ? mag

 

The load I posted above is being fired from a rifle that has been inspected and found to be in excellent condition. It will not be bothered by this load. However, as posted above, it is impossible to know what a 100 plus year old rifle has endured during its lifetime. It MUST be inspected prior to firing! I would NEVER subject any of my Vetterli's to out of the box factory 6.5 loads (Hornady, Prvi Partizan, Original military, ect.), as any damage caused is irrevocable. Once locking lugs, recievers, ect, are compromised, they cannot be reliably restored, nor can some bodily parts. Its always fun to shoot your rifles, but not as much when you know you are destroying it one shot at a time. Shooting full house loads in Vetterlis is not worth it.

 

Was shooting my 6.5 Vetterli conversion yesterday.

I have only used my reloads with lead 125 gr. RN bullets sized to .266 and a light load of Unique powder. So far have had no issues. I do not intend to fire full power loads through this rifle - These are fine for me!

Attached are some images of my rilfle and loads. Didn't post target image but of 20 rds fired at 100yds, 15 were in a round two inch group then the other five were scattered flyers opening the group to 4". Not too bad. Shot about 12" high with the front sight buried in the rear notch. My Vetterli has a nice trigger.

Fun to shoot - Like shooting a big .22 LR.

Tiledude

 

Steel quality is only part of the equation. There's also the design of action. Some are just weaker designs than others.