Converting a Martini Henry

T

tbloggins

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
85   0   0
I have a couple of .577/.450 MH and was thinking of taking the worst one and making a .303 British sporter. What is involved in changeing the calibers? Just a barrel and extractor swap?
 
The firing pin tip will probably have to be reduced in diameter, and the hole in the breech block reduced to match.
 
Go to http;//p223.ezboard.com/bbritishmilitariaforums. Much information there for Martini shooters. If I remember correctly you can swap in an Enfield barrel with minimal maching but you need a 303 extractor. The British armourers built lots of these rifles.
 
tbloggins said:
I have a couple of .577/.450 MH and was thinking of taking the worst one and making a .303 British sporter. What is involved in changeing the calibers? Just a barrel and extractor swap?
Click to expand...

I believe that the SMLE Nº3 barrels have the same thread and can be fitted to a large Martini action- I hope so because I have a Martini-Enfield .303 carbine with a shot-out bore and have just acquired an SMLE barrel for it! You'll also have to get the breech face milled for the M-H extractor and probably the chamber recut as a result of that. You may have to do some hunting for a .303 extractor, too, as the .577/450 one will be just a hair large. And, yes, as Tiriaq said, the firing pin may have to be reduced and the block bushed to handle the higher pressure.

bdft's suggestion about the British Military forum is a good one- lots of people there who live and breathe these fine old rifles. There are a few Canadians on there as well: Carignan-Salieres (who I thought was a CGN'er but can't find his name here) and GrantR (who is also a CGN'er). There are also lots of links to more info. Get a large cup of coffee and a sandwich and prepare for a long session!

Have you fired the 577/450? Presumably you know about Buffalo Arms in Ponderay, Idaho, who can supply brass. Not cheap, alas. There is also a Norwegian chap who loads the 577/450; you can see a short clip of him firing it on his website at http://www.svartkrutt.net/filmklipp.php

And don't forget to give us a range report and post pics when you get it done.

:) Stuart
 
FWIW, you could probably trade someone you .455/570 receiver for a .303 Artillery Carbine receiver and be further ahead on your project.

Personally though, I would go with a larger caliber then .303 so you can keep it as an unregistered antique. .45-70 might be a good choice.
 
josquin said:
Have you fired the 577/450? Presumably you know about Buffalo Arms in Ponderay, Idaho, who can supply brass. Not cheap, alas. There is also a Norwegian chap who loads the 577/450; you can see a short clip of him firing it on his website at http://www.svartkrutt.net/filmklipp.php

And don't forget to give us a range report and post pics when you get it done.

:) Stuart
Click to expand...

I fired my first one about 25 years ago. Had it for BP cartridge shoots. The cases were custom made back then and cost me about $5.00 apiece IIRC. Great fun to shoot and quite accurate at 100 yds. No trouble hitting and flipping around a 12" x 1/2" thick boiler plate gong at that range. Even with annealing the cases between reloads, they only lasted about 10 shots before splitting at the neck. Just got to expensive compared to my front stuffers. Still, was fun while it lasted. That's why I want to make a .303 sporter. I love these single shot rifles. Pretty sure I know where to get an original .303 MH barrel and extractor, that's why I was wondering if the straight swap would works.

Cheers.
 
tbloggins said:
I fired my first one about 25 years ago. Had it for BP cartridge shoots. The cases were custom made back then and cost me about $5.00 apiece IIRC....
Click to expand...

I was just looking online at a .577 Snider for sale and then checked Buffalo Arms for the price of brass: $3.00 ea or $110/50. Same for 577/450. Dies about $165.00. Then bullet moulds.... Still, it'd be nice to have one.

In the meantime I'm having fun getting my .310 Cadet shooting for the first time.

:) Stuart
 
With the 577-450 you can make a chamber adaptor fairly easily and shoot 45-70 shells in it accurately and cheaply. Some people are able to shoot 45 long colt or 45 acp but in my gun they did not pan out.
In the case of a conversion to .303 it would not be that hard to silver solder an addition on to the larger extractor and adapt it to .303

cheers mooncoon
 
Barrel profile.

With a conversion to 303 and fitting another barrel....

Is the outside barrel profile of a ME 303 barrel the same as that of a 577/450 MH? If so, then it must be a thick walled barrel, no?
If it is smaller in diameter (I think it is), will it work with the 450 forearm? Or will the barrel relief be too sloppy?

Perhaps that is why you made mention of building a sporter, the forearm no longer would fit. Hmmm, however, smle barrel and forearm on a martini receiver.....

Hey, that might mean that there may one day be MH forearm and furnature surplus to your requirements ;)

As I understand, the threads on a smle barrel are same as Martini, but relief for the extractor has to be cut. Also careful indexing is required to get sites lined up. Sounds like a good project.
 
The ME barrel was similar in profile to the LM/LLE and lighter and smaller in diameter than the MH. When the forends were converted a liner was placed in the barrel channel.
 
Why don't you just offer the M/H in trade for a M/E? The M/H is much more desireable and is worth more than the M/E. It would be a shame to change it. Is the M/H Canadian marked? Which Model/Mark is it? It would be a larger and more expensive project than most think. Dave
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom