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Old January 11, 2012, 07:15 AM   #1
Flucky
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Identify this rifle?

Hi all, not sure if I'm posting in the wrong section but I was wondering if anybody could identify this rifle (took a few pictures as I'm not sure what would be needed, although I'm sure the side shot alone would do).

Thanks in advance.








Last edited by Flucky; January 11, 2012 at 07:38 AM.
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Old January 11, 2012, 08:50 AM   #2
P.A. Dutchman
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Maybe a British Martini ??
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Old January 11, 2012, 10:19 AM   #3
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Quote:
Maybe a British Martini ??
By George, I think you've got it!
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Old January 11, 2012, 10:25 AM   #4
Flucky
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Quote:
Maybe a British Martini ??
Thanks, looking into it more it is a Martini-Henry. Looks like it could've been used in Rorke's Drift which is pretty cool.
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Old January 11, 2012, 10:47 AM   #5
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Do you plan to get it checked out and then shoot it? Probably made for black powder cartridges only.
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Old January 11, 2012, 11:46 AM   #6
gyvel
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Martini Henry carbine for sure, with a buttstock repair and what appears to be a missing breechblock.
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Old January 11, 2012, 03:59 PM   #7
Flucky
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Quote:
Do you plan to get it checked out and then shoot it? Probably made for black powder cartridges only.
Not any time soon, not sure what reactivating it would involve. Think I'll just hang on to it for now as from what I've seen it seems to go for about £250 ($380?), which isn't worth it imo!
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Old January 11, 2012, 05:56 PM   #8
James K
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.577/.450 caliber Martini-Henry carbine, Mark II, made at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock. The two broad arrow marks indicate it was sold by the government to an individual. I would guess that it was then cut down for a child or a small person, following which someone else had the stock "restored" with a piece from another rifle.

The breechblock may have been removed for reasons of safety or (if in the UK) because of strict firearms laws. I would not rate very high the chances of finding one, but they are around.

The cartridge is a bottleneck number, originally with an iron base and wrapped brass body, later of drawn brass. Rifle and cartridge served at about the same time and were roughly equivalent to the American trapdoor Springfield and the .45-70 cartridge, although the Martini is a faster and stronger action than the trapdoor.

Jim
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Old January 11, 2012, 06:03 PM   #9
Flucky
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Quote:
.577/.450 caliber Martini-Henry carbine, Mark II, made at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock. The two broad arrow marks indicate it was sold by the government to an individual. I would guess that it was then cut down for a child or a small person, following which someone else had the stock "restored" with a piece from another rifle.

...
Extremely informative, couldn't have asked for any more.

Thanks Jim
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Old January 12, 2012, 12:27 AM   #10
gyvel
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FYI, parts are somewhat available for the Martini, but the entire breechblock assembly consists of several parts, including the firing pin, spring, etc. (I just checked and Numrich has some of the parts you need, but they ain't cheap!!)

Kynoch used to load .577/.450 in solid drawn brass cases that wre reloadable with the standard British 6mm Berdan primer (same as the .303).
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Old January 30, 2012, 05:42 AM   #11
gyvel
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Here is a one lot of parts on eBay right now which has most, if not all of the internals required for a Martini breechblock.

Auction #: 320839271141
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