Greener Martini actions

tactical870

tactical870

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I have a Greener Martini action with the EG stamp in the side. It was a 14 guage greener police gun at some point but has now been rebarreled. It's a commercial action with a safety and I'm told it's considered and mkV. Any idea when these were originally made? My understanding is that they were redone by greener so there is a good chance the original action is pre 1898. Thanks
 
tactical870 said:
I have a Greener Martini action with the EG stamp in the side. It was a 14 guage greener police gun at some point but has now been rebarreled. It's a commercial action with a safety and I'm told it's considered and mkV. Any idea when these were originally made? My understanding is that they were redone by greener so there is a good chance the original action is pre 1898. Thanks
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No there not Pre 1898 Actions i dont think, not if its marked EG.
Look into it abit more dont just take my word for it.
Mooncoon knows alot about theses PM him if he dont post or see this.
 
Unless they have a date stamped on the receiver, the action is known as I think it is the GP model (off the top of my head) standing I think for general purpose. The 14 gauge ones were made I think in the late 30s for the Indian police and additionally have 3 firing pin tips. The base of the shell had a groove in it to allow the extra 2 pins to go all the way forward. They were made that way to prevent someone capturing the gun and shooting the police with it using 12 guage shells. I believe the extra pins are on a ring or something similar and can easily removed. The shells can be made from Winchester AA 12 guage trap shells using a die heated in boiling water. Almost all other shells will collapse when pressed into the die.

I tried bushing the chambers of a 12 guage gun to accept the shells and while the method works in terms of safely firing the shells, the pattern is beyond open.

cheers mooncoon
 
The one I have has a standard firing pin. It is a short lever as well so I guess it is a mk III? I had been told that all large frame Martini actions were built prior to 1898 despite some being reconditioned, finished or remanufactured later on. I am assuming this is incorrect?
 
If it is converted to .303 or under the upper limit of around .330 (I cannot recall what it is) you are knackered anyhow.
577/450 is OK, but not .303 in the pre 1898
 
tactical870 said:
The one I have has a standard firing pin. It is a short lever as well so I guess it is a mk III? I had been told that all large frame Martini actions were built prior to 1898 despite some being reconditioned, finished or remanufactured later on. I am assuming this is incorrect?
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Firing pin first; if it was for the greener police shell, you should see holes for the firing pins in the breach face. I think it is fairly common to remove them. The long lever simply denotes a tropical model and was done to assist in extracting/ejecting corroded shells. Not sure if the model designation changed or not. The police gun that I have looks to be the same size (at a glance) as the military ones although I have not bothered to measure them and see if there is a difference. I believe all GP guns were shotguns and intended for farmers and so forth (other than those for the police) As shotguns they would almost certainly require a large frame. It is not inconceivable that some military guns were rebuilt into the GP model but I don't if that is reality as well.

cheers mooncoon
 
In all likelihood the gun is 20th century. There were even plastic shells made for them.
A lot of the Police Guns in Canada came from Egypt.
 
tiriaq said:
In all likelihood the gun is 20th century. There were even plastic shells made for them.
A lot of the Police Guns in Canada came from Egypt.
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Yes i agree i have seen theses ones ^ Thats what i thought he was asking about.

Posting a picture would help alot.
 
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tactical870 said:
Thanks. So it appears this reciever is too new to be considered antique. I guess I'll look for another reciever as it would be nice if this thing was antique.
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Yes, sadly the Greener Police shotguns are not antique, must be registered. An older Martini would work better for you.

And, as Wheaty mentioned, the bore size is also involved in antique designation.
 
tactical870 said:
That is not an issue. The gun is chambered as a 577 BP Express gun right now. :D
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You know something? Once Bill C19 passes, there will be less difference between a registered rifle and an antique rifle than there is now.

There will be no reg needed, storage and transportation regs are I believe the same...
 
Here I am hoping for some interesting pictures of civi alterations of the Martini pattern ....and nothing

In case the reader of this thread has never seen a Martini Rifle, heres one
Martinicomplete001-2.jpg


The Greener action is the same action, so Imagine the bubba variations in caliber and mounting format....

The stuff of 19th century elephant hunts and Empire.
 
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