Rimfire · Not SAAMI standardized · Not standardizedObsolete
10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli
One of the world's first rimfire cartridges adopted for a repeating military rifle.
- Caliber
- 0.415″ · 10.54 mm
- Introduced
- 1869
- Case
- Rimfire
- Primary use
- Military (Historical)
- Status
- Obsolete
- Obsolete
- Obsolete
- Introduced
- 1869
- Type
- Rimfire
- Origin
- Switzerland
- Inventor
- Friedrich Vetterli
- Manufacturer
- Swiss Federal Arsenal (Bern)
- Standard
- Not SAAMI standardized · Not standardized
- SAAMI
- Not SAAMI standardized
- Obsolete
- Obsolete
- Status
- Obsolete
- Availability
- Collector Only
- Case capacity
- 51.8 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:22
- Primer
- Rimfire
- Case type
- Rimfire
- Max pressure
- 18,000 psi, CIP transducer
- Eff. range
- 400 yd
- Max range
- 3750 yd
- Recoil
- 12–16 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
Published velocity/energy data isn't available for 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli — an obsolete/collector cartridge.
Performance
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
Wikipedia · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 10.54 | 0.415 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 11.10 | 0.437 | ~ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 13.16 | 0.518 | ~ |
| Shoulder angle | 20° | — | |
| Base ⌀ | 13.72 | 0.540 | ~ |
| Rim ⌀ | 16.00 | 0.630 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 2.44 | 0.096 | |
| Neck length | 10.88 | 0.428 | |
| Case length | 40.64 | 1.600 | · |
| Overall length | 55.88 | 2.200 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli is highlighted below.
Missing a dimension for 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli? Some case measurements aren't in a published SAAMI/CIP drawing yet. Have a factory or reamer print? Send it → — verified hard-to-find data earns a free Lindcott sticker.
Factory loads
Being verified
Advertised FPS, energy, and BC are withheld until loads clear verification.
Firearms chambered in 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli
History
Friedrich Vetterli combined the rotating bolt of the Dreyse needle gun with the tubular magazine of the Winchester repeater to create the Vetterli rifle — the most technically advanced military rifle of 1867. Switzerland adopted it in 1867 as the world's first repeating military rifle. The rimfire 10.4mm cartridge fed from a 12-round tube magazine, giving Swiss soldiers a 12:1 firepower advantage over single-shot opponents. Italy adopted a variant for the Vetterli-Vitali in 1871. The cartridge's rimfire design proved a limitation — not readily reloadable in the field and sensitive to primer reliability. The transition to smokeless powder in the 1880s rendered it obsolete, and Switzerland adopted the superior straight-pull Schmidt-Rubin in 1889. Many Vetterli rifles were converted to centerfire during their service life.
FAQs
- What twist rate does 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli use?
- 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli typically uses a 1:22 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli?
- 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli uses a 0.415″ (10.54 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli still in production?
- 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli is obsolete; typical availability is collector only.
- What is 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli used for?
- 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli is primarily used for military (historical).
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 6 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →
