Greener-Martini Light Harpoon Gun - Pics added

NL-Hunter

NL-Hunter

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Newfoundland
Today i had a surprise discovery at a friends house. Conversation lead to rifles and calibers and he brought me to his office that houses his safe. After looking at a few rifles, i glanced towards the floor and noticed an old narrow case that sort of looked military or a case old surveyer type equipment would belong in. I just casually asked what on earth that was and the answer was a harpoon rifle. I was told there used to be a large number of tuna around and he believe that is what it was purchased for. Shoots a blank shot similar to concrete nail guns and has a rather large stainless steel harpoon that fits over the barrel.

I searched after I got home and found out that it is called a Greener-Martini Light Harpoon Gun. Image search etc I could only find takedown models in a short case.

Pictures to follow as soon as photobucket agrees with me...

Case

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Rifle and harpoon

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Receiver Detail

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Attachment point for rope spool

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Trigger and lever

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Barrel

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Oil

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Ammo

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He said he is going to clean it up, i suggested to leave it as is since it could possibly decrease value if not properly restored. Either way i believe it is a rare one as others I have seen online is in larger caliber. Found a link that mentioned a rifle like this was used in the movie Jaws. Also saw a youtube video where one was fired but also appeared to be in larger caliber. This one looks to be about a .22.

Edit: ones i found online seems to be firing .38 special.
 
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The Blue fin tuna where once in abundance, but due to over fishing and a few other phenom they have slowly dwindled.
This may have been used ( insert sound track for Jaws here ) for shark fishing too?
Interesting to see the pictures when PB is co-operative.
Rob
 
There was a nice one on the EE for around $2600. It used .38 Sp blanks IIRC.

It was the same one as the rifle in "Jaws".

I was sorely tempted for a useless, irrational, I just want it, impulse buy.
 
This would have come in handy if my X-wife ever went swimming. Probably would have sparked some outrage, maybe Paul Watson zooming up on a Zodiac.

On a serious note, looks like some sort of old Martini action conversion. Good luck finding any ammo, would be a challenge to even reload for this rifle.
 
Amazing find with all the parts.
Don't clean up or restore!!!!!!

A light coating of gun oil and cleaning as you would normally any other gun should be fine, but refinishing, polishing or sanding will almost certainly ruin the collectors value of that cool piece.
 
Found some more info...

The trade mark with the 40 Pall Mall seems to have been used between 1933 and 1967.

Ammo information from International Ammunition Association lead me to think that the cartridge is based on .38 and stepped down.

Either way, never expected to see one. To find one in my friends house was a rather large surprise. As for value, prices seems to be all over the place as it is almost sold as a oddity/curiosity item. Most I have seen online have been in a flat takedown box.

This one will not be sold.
 
nowarningshot said:
This would have come in handy if my X-wife ever went swimming. Probably would have sparked some outrage, maybe Paul Watson zooming up on a Zodiac.

On a serious note, looks like some sort of old Martini action conversion. Good luck finding any ammo, would be a challenge to even reload for this rifle.
Click to expand...
Very funny!

:):):):)
 
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