{"product_id":"original-italian-m1871-1915-vetterli-rifle-shortened-bayonet-with-scabbard-by-turin-arsenal","title":"Original Italian M1871\/1915 Vetterli Rifle Shortened Bayonet with Scabbard by Turin Arsenal","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is a very good original Italian \u003cb\u003eM1870 Vetterli sword bayonet that was arsenal-shortened during the First World War period\u003c\/b\u003e, retaining its original composition grip scales, long external locking spring, and shortened leather scabbard with metal fittings. Originally manufactured with a blade over 20 inches long, this example was subsequently altered to the much handier wartime configuration, with the blade reduced to approximately \u003cb\u003e9 ½ inches\u003c\/b\u003e and the original hooked quillon removed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe original M1870 sword bayonet was adopted for the Italian 10.4mm Vetterli rifle and had a blade approximately 20 ¼ inches long. Large numbers were later shortened when Italy brought older Vetterli rifles back into wartime service, particularly after the rifles were converted to the 6.5mm M1870\/87\/16 Vetterli-Vitali-Carcano configuration during WWI. Specialist references document shortened examples with blades around 230mm, or roughly 9 inches, very close to the dimensions of this example.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis bayonet retains the long external locking spring and original composition grip scales. Earlier literature sometimes associated the long-spring form without a lower muzzle-ring cutout with an early or circa-1875 variation. More recent specialist research identifies this configuration as the M1870\/87 Tipo Regolamentare, or Regulation Type, associated with the later Vetterli-Vitali system after the original rifle’s muzzle guide arrangement had been eliminated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe brass and steel mounted scabbard was also modified in length to match, though it still has very faint original markings on the leather of the scabbard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ricasso of the blade of the bayonet is clearly also stamped \u003cb\u003eCROWN\u003c\/b\u003e over \u003cb\u003eTA\u003c\/b\u003e, with the crossguard stamped with serial number \u003cb\u003eDI8408\u003c\/b\u003e. This denotes manufacture at \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTurin Arsenal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e. This should fit any WW1 6.5mm Vetterli rifle of which there are still plenty to be found.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a particularly interesting example of the long service life of the Italian Vetterli system, beginning as a full-length \u003cb\u003eM1870 sword bayonet\u003c\/b\u003e and later being altered for the wartime Vetterli rifles returned to service during the First World War. Its shortened blade, removed quillon, composition grips, long locking spring, arsenal markings, and correspondingly altered scabbard clearly illustrate the extensive reuse and modification of older Italian equipment during the wartime mobilization of 1915-1918. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDimensions:\u003cbr\u003eBlade length: 9 1\/2”\u003cbr\u003eBlade Style: Single Edge with Fuller\u003cbr\u003eOverall length: 14 1\/2”\u003cbr\u003eCrossguard: 3 1\/4”\u003cbr\u003eScabbard length: 10 1\/2\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45935511797829,"sku":"ONJR26AULC061","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONJR26AULC061__01.jpg?v=1791222196","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-italian-m1871-1915-vetterli-rifle-shortened-bayonet-with-scabbard-by-turin-arsenal","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}