Help Identifying a Martini Henry 577/450

[FullMetalJckt]

I got this recently, and I am having a hard time identifying who made it and what the stamping marks mean.

 

[C96 1897]

Pictures?

 

[FullMetalJckt]

Photos on my wix site:
https://fullmetaljckt.wixsite.com/p...olio-collections/my-portfolio/project-title-6

 

[milsurpo]

FMJ: Looking at your photos, the only clearly recognizable markings are BSA view marks under the buttplate. The Enfield view mark on the forend attachment plate may be genuine? The under-barrel photo doesn't seem to show any markings (maybe due to pitting?). On British ordnance Martinis there is a long string of view and proof marks in that location.

milsurpo

 

[FullMetalJckt]

FMJ: Looking at your photos, the only clearly recognizable markings are BSA view marks under the buttplate. The Enfield view mark on the forend attachment plate may be genuine? The under-barrel photo doesn't seem to show any markings (maybe due to pitting?). On British ordnance Martinis there is a long string of view and proof marks in that location.

milsurpo

For the under-barrel photo, are yuo refering to the photo with "JN" and "JN" stamped twice? What could the "JN" stamp mean?

 

[milsurpo]

FMJ: I was thinking about what you see on any ordnance Martini, which is a string of Enfield, BSA, or LSA view marks that were stamped at some point in the manufacture process. There are many of them, all in a row.

milsurpo

 

[BlackPowderBurner]

h ttps://www.ima-usa.com/products/the-martini-henry-for-queen-and-empire-by-neil-aspinshaw
This book gives a good guide to Enfield view marks and others. It's also a fantastic read for the Martini enthusiast.
The engraving on your rifle looks very interesting. I like it!

 

[Pelcat]

Having the forehand hooked into the receiver, it must be a MkIII. Date of manufacture would be early 1880s. It looks to have been a military rifle at some point. My guess is that once it was on the surplus market, it was so pitted that whoever scrubbed, reblued and engraved it.

 

[FullMetalJckt]

Some more photos of the rifle assembled.