Martini Henry - 2 more new to me (now with pictures)

[woodchopper]

Well I now have 2 new to me Martini Henry rifles comming my way.

one I think is going to be a parts gun as the bore looks rough but for $200 I coulnd't say no. Its an 1887 Mk IV just like the one I already have so if I can use the good parts to replace the worn ones I'll be happy. Also it comes with a beat up sword bayonet, so again $200 whats not to like.

and the other Mk IV but it has been refinished and reblued, but I'm told the bore is very good and I want it as a shooter, I paid a little more then I really wanted to but it was a fair price.


So pictures to follow once the rifles get to me. Its been a good week

 

[H Wally]

Where people find these deals I don't know. Yeesh

I look forward to pics

 

[ben hunchak]

You can certainly make some beauties from those, there is an excellent article in this months Black Powder News about a custom hunting rifle built on one of those, a beautiful rifle, completely devoid of plastic.

 

[CMichaud]

Where can you get a copy of the article?

Thanks

 

[ben hunchak]

Maybe someone else receives the BP News and can fax you the article, I can't fax or even copy.

 

[woodchopper]

did a little search and it appears that the bayonet I got is not a Martini Henry bayonet, it does not fit.

Its a pattern 1858 Snider Enfeild bayonet that has not been altered to fit the MH

 

[Steppenwolf]

The bayo alone must be worth close to that.

 

[woodchopper]

The bayo alone must be worth close to that.

bayo is in rough shape, its been well used over the years, tip broken off, nicks in the blade, and the pressed leather is mostly missing from one side. if it was wood I could make new grips but pressed leather thats out of my skill set.

So the $200 parts gun was getting some cleaning last night, I think that it spent a lot of time in a very dry dusty area (North Africa ?) and never maintained. Looks like the bore is shot out by corrosive ammo, heavy throat erossion judging by how the brush feels in the bore. Trigger spring just reaches the trigger and is well worn.

Under the wood was very little pitting but packed full of fine sand dust. Most of the bearing surfaces and pins are well polished by the grit and the block is very loose I think the pivot pin has be worn. So its going to be a parts gun for now, I'll have to re-manufacture some parts for it when I get around to doing someting interesting with it later.

I'll have to ask the last owner where he found it, he had it on the wall for the last 30 years.

Still waiting on Canada Post for the other one.

 

[biggles]

Martini Henry

Picture please Woodchopper The Martini is one of, if not my absolute favourite rifle. Can never see enough pictures.
Peter (Burlington, Ontario)

Well I now have 2 new to me Martini Henry rifles comming my way.

one I think is going to be a parts gun as the bore looks rough but for $200 I coulnd't say no. Its an 1887 Mk IV just like the one I already have so if I can use the good parts to replace the worn ones I'll be happy. Also it comes with a beat up sword bayonet, so again $200 whats not to like.

and the other Mk IV but it has been refinished and reblued, but I'm told the bore is very good and I want it as a shooter, I paid a little more then I really wanted to but it was a fair price.


So pictures to follow once the rifles get to me. Its been a good week

 

[woodchopper]

Ok lets see if this works

the top rifle is my first MH and its the one that I am shooting, the bottom rifle is the one I just got for $200 with the bayonet.

you might notice that the wood on my shooter is a little rough, and its old damage.

Ok, now the bad news, the butt has been chopped

and the pivot pin is broken, and there is a lot of wear of the internals, so its looking like its going to be a parts gun.

oh and an odd stamp on the receiver

so its looking like I'm going to swap a few parts from the new one over to the shooter, both are 1887 Mk IV and they might have been made at the same time. Most of the inspector marks are the same on both rifles


Now bayonets, the patt'n 07 for comparison

its has not been modified to fith the MH, no bushing or grinding done so it will fit the snider enfield.

not too bad

not too good

and its seen some hard use, there are a few good nicks in the blade too.

 

[10x]

Both of those have the short knox at the barrel breech, you would do well to check Skennerton's book on the Martini as I suspect these were trials guns produced in .402 caliber then rebored to .45 caliber. The short knox is a result of the breech being set back.
There is more on the guns here.
http://www.militaryrifles.com/britain/Martini.htm

I have the Mark IV with both short and long barrel knox.

 

[biggles]

MH Mk. IV

Woodchopper,
Nice pictures & interesting rifles. Most if not all of the internal parts (especially for the Mk.IV) are available from IMA & a MH guy on Ebay (let me know if you want the links).
Is there any, "NS" or "NS NEP" stamps on the sight base?.
I have a Mk.IV that has the wood covered in stamps but they all seem to be British (or not recognisably Indian at least).
I wish these rifles could talk.

Peter (Burlington, Ontario)

 

[10x]

Woodchopper,
Nice pictures & interesting rifles. Most if not all of the internal parts (especially for the Mk.IV) are available from IMA & a MH guy on Ebay (let me know if you want the links).
Is there any, "NS" or "NS NEP" stamps on the sight base?.
I have a Mk.IV that has the wood covered in stamps but they all seem to be British (or not recognisably Indian at least).
I wish these rifles could talk.

Peter (Burlington, Ontario)

They do talk, very loudly, short duration, and to the point!
When a Martini speaks the Zulu listen....

 

[Steppenwolf]

IMA sells MH parts.