Lindcott Armory Rimfire · Obsolete / Non-standard
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
- 1867
- Case
- Rimfire
- Primary use
- Military (Historical)
- Status
- Obsolete
- Introduced
- 1867
- Type
- Rimfire
- Origin
- Switzerland
- Inventor
- Friedrich Vetterli
- Manufacturer
- Swiss Federal Arsenal (Bern)
- Standard
- Obsolete / Non-standard
- Status
- Obsolete
- Availability
- Collector Only
- Case capacity
- 35 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:22
- Primer
- Rimfire
- Case type
- Rimfire
- Max pressure
- 18,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 400 yd
- Max range
- 1800 yd
- Recoil
- 12–16 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Performance
Buy links open 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
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 ⌀ | 11.40 | 0.449 | ~ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 13.40 | 0.528 | ~ |
| Shoulder angle | — | — | |
| Base ⌀ | 13.60 | 0.535 | ~ |
| Rim ⌀ | 15.80 | 0.622 | ~ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | — | — | |
| Neck length | — | — | |
| Case length | 38.00 | 1.496 | · |
| Overall length | 56.00 | 2.205 | · |
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
In production — 6 active loads across 6 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten-X Ammunition | Cowboy | 313 | Lead RN | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Bertram | Lead RN | 313 | Lead RN | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Graf & Sons | Lead RN Reproduction | 313 | Lead RN | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Cowboy | 313 | RNFP | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| PPU | Lead | 313 | Lead RN | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Fiocchi | Vintage | 313 | Lead RN | 1,343 | 1,253 | — |
| Norma | Classic | 313 | Lead Round Nose | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Eley | Lead RN | 313 | Lead RN | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Eidgenossische Munitionsfabrik | Lead RN Military | 313 | Lead RN | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 313 | Lead Round Nose | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom | 313 | Lead Round Nose | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | SP | 313 | Lead Round Nose | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Kynoch | Classic | 313 | Lead Round Nose | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| PPU | Standard | 313 | Lead Round Nose | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
| Wolf | FMJ | 313 | Lead Round Nose | 1,345 | 1,257 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Firearms chambered in 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli
1 model in the database chamber 10.4x38mm Swiss Vetterli. Browse all →
Connected reference
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 →