Strange Martini

[mooncoon]

I ran across a strange Martini rifle today; on the right side of the receiver appears to be a correct stamp including the word Enfield (forgotten the rest) as well as a crown and broad arrow. What makes the gun peculiar is that on the left side of the gun, the same is stamped in reverse and by that I mean not only are the letters in reverse order but each letter is a mirror image with the E for example facing to the left instead of to the right. I don't even understand how the stamping could be done that way unless the stamp was on a roller. A regular stamp would have the left side of the roller contacting the metal and if the same roller was run down the left side of the receiver, the right side of the roller would be the one contacting the metal
No photos in part because the gun is not immediately accessible to me and because any photograph would be difficult to interpret because of a light pitting on both sides of the gun

cheers mooncoon

 

[383SB]

If a roll stamping die was used wouldn’t the stamp be the same orientation regardless of the side roll it went on? A Kyber pass rifle perhaps? Even though the whole stamping is backwards,

“Likewise, another type of Martini-Henry is encountered more frequently: the so-called knock-off from the Khyber Pass region of Afghanistan. Atkin tells that these are easy to spot, as the "N" in "Enfield" on the side of the gun is backwards. These rifles were reproduced in the same region where the British mounted several invasions into Afghanistan.”

 

[trevj]

If a roll stamping die was used wouldn’t the stamp be the same orientation regardless of the side roll it went on? A Kyber pass rifle perhaps? Even though the whole stamping is backwards,

Yeah, it would. To reverse the lettering, you would have to turn the roll stamp inside out, and somehow still get all the edges of the stamp's markings to pop proud of the surface.

And yeah, I figure Khyber clone, too

 

[milsurpo]

Perhaps an original British Martini body (with stamps on the right) used in a Khyber .303 concoction. The builder might have been aware that the British .303 conversions had additional markings on the left side and fudged something in that location. Around 1900 the British did a survey of the rifles captured during the big Uprising of '97 and found a complete range of original and local parts so a Khyber pass special might be quite collectible if one could prove it was done back then and not 20 years ago for sale to foreigners. I have a Khyber pass Artillery carbine (Martini-ish) with virtually all parts locally made, including barrel with simulated Henry rifling. I don't plan to shoot it but, judging from the fouling in the bore, someone did.

milsurpo

 

[mooncoon]

If a roll stamping die was used wouldn’t the stamp be the same orientation regardless of the side roll it went on? A Kyber pass rifle perhaps? Even though the whole stamping is backwards,

I don't think this is a Khyber Pass gun but relative to the order of the letters and their orientation. Draw a circle on a piece of paper and write the word "Enfield" along the edge of the circle at the 12'00 O'clock position then rotate the paper around to the 6 O'clock position the letters become a mirror image and reversed. The writing looks professionally done and further, a metal stamp could not be reversed while an engraved roll could be

cheers mooncoon

 

[B_noser]

I don't think this is a Khyber Pass gun but relative to the order of the letters and their orientation. Draw a circle on a piece of paper and write the word "Enfield" along the edge of the circle at the 12'00 O'clock position then rotate the paper around to the 6 O'clock position the letters become a mirror image and reversed. The writing looks professionally done and further, a metal stamp could not be reversed while an engraved roll could be

cheers mooncoon

I am afraid you lost me on that one. Wouldn't the letters be reversed and upside down - rather than a mirror image? Does it read correctly on the receiver if you hold it top side down? Lettering on a stamp is cut in reverse orientation (mirror image). It sounds as though the lettering on this stamp was cut such that it would read correctly on the stamp. Kind of a DUH moment!

 

[trevj]

I don't think this is a Khyber Pass gun but relative to the order of the letters and their orientation. Draw a circle on a piece of paper and write the word "Enfield" along the edge of the circle at the 12'00 O'clock position then rotate the paper around to the 6 O'clock position the letters become a mirror image and reversed. The writing looks professionally done and further, a metal stamp could not be reversed while an engraved roll could be

cheers mooncoon

Post pictures, because what you are describing, with the paper, doesn't make reversed images, just rotated (upside down) ones.

 

[mooncoon]

Post pictures, because what you are describing, with the paper, doesn't make reversed images, just rotated (upside down) ones.

For the time being, I am unable to photo the gun. Think in terms of a disk with raised letters on the edge. When the disk is level with the edge contacting the receiver on one side the letters will be right side up and in the correct order. If the disk is on the other side of the receiver, the letters will be right side up but in reverse order and facing backwards

cheers mooncoon

 

[trevj]

For the time being, I am unable to photo the gun. Think in terms of a disk with raised letters on the edge. When the disk is level with the edge contacting the receiver on one side the letters will be right side up and in the correct order. If the disk is on the other side of the receiver, the letters will be right side up but in reverse order and facing backwards

cheers mooncoon

No they won't. Best you can get, is upside down letters that read OK once you turn the gun over.

To get the mirror image you describe, you have to invert the stamp, ei: make a mirror image of the original engraving.

Like I said, for your idea to work, you have to make the letters turn inside out.

Quite simply, you cannot get the result you describe, in the manner you propose to.