The Eidgenössischer Stutzer 1851 (English: Federal Carbine 1851), also called Feldstutzer 1851, was the first service rifle used by the Swiss armed forces to be procured by the federal government, which was responsible for the armament of the Cantonal armed forces under the 1848 federal constitution. It was also the first military weapon in Europe to use the smaller 10.5 mm caliber (later reduced to 10.4 mm) instead of the prior de facto standard of 18 mm. The Stutzer was refitted with a Milbank Amsler breechloading system (à tabatière) in 1867. It was replaced by the Repetiergewehr Vetterli, Modell 1869/70 in 1869.
== References == Ernst Hostettler (1987). Hand- und Faustfeuerwaffen der Schweizer Armee von 1842 bis heute (3rd ed.). Buch-Vertriebs GmbH Zürich. p. 14. ISBN 3-905216-03-5.
== External links == Private website with additional information Archived 2008-09-21 at the Wayback Machine