I bought this M78/81 the other day. It came with a set of Lee dies for the center-fire conversion cartridges.

Seems it was made in either 1881 or 1882. It's still in 10.4×38mm Swiss Rimfire.....and I have a two, count them, two RF cartridges for it.

I've yet to tear it completely down for cleaning but all serials appear to match. Extra FP under the butt-plate.

Excellent bore. I have about $150.00 in it.

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Very nice buy I think.  They are well made guns and kind of sadly under appreciated in the US.  I had a chance to pick one up like that in an antique shop for $300... kind of wish I had as most I encounter now are the Italian 6.5 conversions.  Went back a week later and it had sold.

Nice.

My uncle gave me one several years ago. It's missing the bolt and all internal parts. Turned it into a lamp awhile back.

Just the right height too!

I've been known to make a gun lamp out of otherwise useless guns.

Kaboomed FN-49



Welded together P-38



Pitting that went into the bore/stock rotted in half Gahendra

I converted mine to centerfire and have loaded some ammo, but not yet fired it.  I paid about double what you did!.

Appears to be all number matching and I didn't see an importer mark (don't know if Antiques need them at import time).





Rob

I'm not too bothered about doing a CF conversion on it but I would like some dummy rounds to cycle through the action......It's different.  

I've got one that was in an attic for years. I bought a centerfire converted bolt off of a guy but the firing pin had yet to be fitted to final length. I fitted it but it turns out whoever originally made the striker assembly never set and soldered the firing pin to the final depth. After it set off the first primer it ended up seating itself and was then too short. At some point I will get around to making a new firing pin for it. I think you use .348 winchester to make the cases.

The better cases to use are 8mm lebel because of the rim thickness.

I wouldn't attempt to fire the rimfire rounds. They are all duds and you will only mar their appearance.

I reload for 41 swiss using 8mm lebel brass converted to 41 swiss from Buffalo Arms. Projectiles are 0.430 44 magnum bullets 260gr from Missouri bullet co.
OAL is crucial to function on these rifles due to the action design as there is no cartridge interrupter from the mag tube. OAL 2.200.  Due to this critical OAL, bullets must be seated quite far out of the case. I am unsure if standard 240gr 44 mag projos will work for this, I have not tried it. The 260gr ones have worked well for me.

The Lee Die for 41 Swiss unfortunately is sized too small at the neck and must be opened up. I used some emory cloth on a rod for this.
The original swiss loading used a projectile with a rebated base, similar to 22lr these days. When Lee copied the original specs for the 41 Swiss cartridge, they didnt account for using non-rebated projectiles.

Lots more information available on these on other forums including doing centerfire conversions. If you like to tinker, these are a fun project. Nothing like shooting a gun for the first time in close to 100 years!