Swiss craftsmanship and resourcefulness is on display with the model Swiss Schmidt Rubin 1896/1911. These rifles are historical marvels for many reasons, but one of the most interesting is that the stock’s serial number will never match the rest of the rifle. That’s because the Swiss used old 1889/1896 rifle stocks with the updated 1911 actions. Of course, they’re still considered “matching” by collectors, since they were produced this way by the Swiss.
This rifle expresses its historical journey by using newer Swiss military technology capable of firing 7.5x55mm (GP11) rounds while conserving precious resources; one can see the change where the Swiss grafted a much more modern grip onto the old stock. The Swiss also added a newer trigger guard plate. This makes the Schmidt Rubin model 96/11 functionally the same as a 1911, while at the same time showcasing the resourcefulness and craftsmanship the Swiss drew from to create the rifle.