Carabine Fédérale M.1851
This is a
percussion rifle of Swiss origin. Despite the restorations carried out by the
weapon's owner (replacement of the missing ramrod and rear sight), it is a
standard issue rifle generally referred to as the Federal Carbine Model 1851 (in
German: Eidgenössischer Stutzer 1851, also called Feldstutzer 1851). This weapon
was the first military rifle of the Swiss army to be procured by the
Confederation rather than being supplied by the soldiers' respective cantons of
residence. Another particularity is its caliber of 10.5 and later 10.4 mm, used
for the first time by a European army. This model was replaced in 1869 by the
Vetterli rifle Model 1869/70. Its genesis dates back to 1848, when the
previously independent Swiss cantons decided to form an alliance that led to the
creation of the Swiss Confederation, involving the creation of a joint Ministry
of the Army. A key mission of this ministry was to harmonize soldiers'
equipment, which led to the adoption of this Model 1851 rifle.
Some
specifications provided by the owner:
Overall
length 1.22 m with 85 cm barrel. 10.4 mm rifled caliber. Stetcher trigger.
This
Model 1851 rifle was built by various gunsmiths in Switzerland and other
countries, including Beuret Frères in Liège, Belgium. An example made by J.N.
Peter in Geneva can be found on the LittleGun website.
The
example presented here bears the marking "Jules Poncet et fils à Genève" on the
lockplate. This gunsmith was renowned for his production of percussion rifles
for precision shooting (see, for example, Gazette des Armes No. 106). In the
absence of any other markings, it is therefore likely that this craftsman was
indeed the maker of the example examined here. The military purpose of this
weapon justifies the possibility of accommodating a bayonet, as shown in the
original drawing below, taken from:
https://capandball.com/the-model-1851-feldstutzer-and-its-impact-on-rifle-development-part-1/#_ftn6
Sources:
For a
complete study including ballistic data and ammunition information, see:
https://capandball.com/the-model-1851-feldstutzer-and-its-impact-on-rifle-development-part-1/#_ftn6
