I recently acquired a martini henry mark 4 that is in very nice shape. Whenever I actuate the lever and the breech block falls I can see that the extractor protrudes like it should to extract a spent casing. Whenever I grab a properly sized shell casing (24 gauge brass shot shell) the extractor will not move forward to allow me to push the rim of the shell into the chamber flush so that it will close. I took the breech block out of the rifle and it looks fine. The extractor also moves back and forth smoothly with little effort when the breech block is removed. If I put a shell casing in the chamber with only the extractor in the receiver the extractor moves with the shell and fits nice and flush. Very odd problem. Has anyone else had this happen? Is the breech block impeding the travel of the extractor??
Martini Henry MK4 will not chamber a cartridge.
- Thread starter FARMHANDYO
- Start date
May sound silly but whatever it is, it's likely insignificant -- so don't go wild.
Remembering a similar kind of thing on a lever action, where the bottom tang had shifted .005 or so too far forward. Whole gun got taken apart and all the parts were lost. Could have fixed in five seconds with kindling and a hammer.
Remembering a similar kind of thing on a lever action, where the bottom tang had shifted .005 or so too far forward. Whole gun got taken apart and all the parts were lost. Could have fixed in five seconds with kindling and a hammer.
Milanczar
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Perhaps this could be off assistance.
There are only a few places the extractor can get locked up or against.
Taking it apart you may be able to find where the part that has wear is or what is loose to cause this to lock.
Look at all the parts and edges where it has contact or where it moves inside or against.
It has to be one of those things.
A lot of the IVs were made up from parts of IIIs as well as copied in Asia as well as refurbished and sometimes there are
non standard parts or someone has used a replacement part that is also non standard.
https://www.rifleman.org.uk/Martini-Henry_action.htm
There are only a few places the extractor can get locked up or against.
Taking it apart you may be able to find where the part that has wear is or what is loose to cause this to lock.
Look at all the parts and edges where it has contact or where it moves inside or against.
It has to be one of those things.
A lot of the IVs were made up from parts of IIIs as well as copied in Asia as well as refurbished and sometimes there are
non standard parts or someone has used a replacement part that is also non standard.
https://www.rifleman.org.uk/Martini-Henry_action.htm
Is the breech block impeding the travel of the extractor??
The short answer is...yes.
I would be looking at a possible compatibility issue of mixed matched parts in the assembly.
The breech block should be marked IV or EM.
The earlier style breech block (marked 74) could give those symptoms if assembled used with the wrong extractor.
The Mk.IV breech block was a modification of the earlier style with material removed from its lower front edge to clear the longer legged Mk.IV extractor, changing the geometry and mechanical advantage of primary and secondary extraction.
The earlier block being deeper (front lower edge), I think that it could touch the Mk.IV extractor when open at the load position.
I know that there is some problem of getting them to work if miss-matched. You must use a Mk.IV block with a Mk.IV extractor.
Can you field strip it and show us the parts?
The short answer is...yes.
I would be looking at a possible compatibility issue of mixed matched parts in the assembly.
The breech block should be marked IV or EM.
The earlier style breech block (marked 74) could give those symptoms if assembled used with the wrong extractor.
The Mk.IV breech block was a modification of the earlier style with material removed from its lower front edge to clear the longer legged Mk.IV extractor, changing the geometry and mechanical advantage of primary and secondary extraction.
The earlier block being deeper (front lower edge), I think that it could touch the Mk.IV extractor when open at the load position.
I know that there is some problem of getting them to work if miss-matched. You must use a Mk.IV block with a Mk.IV extractor.
Can you field strip it and show us the parts?
If you chamber a round as far as it will go and then slightly raise the breech block, will it allow you to fully chamber the round? That is the drill with my Mk. IV, which I believe to not be a mix master. The breech block holds the extractor in the full rearward position when fully lowered.
