Martini Henry + Sutherland sight (was MH and Canadian trivia challenge)

[john@]

Hi I was cleaning and taking stock of a Mk2 NEP NS rifle I recently acquired ...

Can you identify the Canadiana in these photos?

 

[Musketfire]

Ill bite

Perhaps the sight ladder?? My Martini was issued to British troops and has a different sight ladder...

Was this something only our native martinis had....??

Pardon me, its a shot in the dark.

 

[WR1894]

The rear sight was made for a Ross Rifle, is it marked Sutherland Nova Scotia

 

[john@]

(Thats half the answer...)

What I really posted this for was to ask if anyone knows how a Sutherland sight got on a Nepalesse Native Service Martini Henry?

It looks like it was made for this rifle, unless the Ross has the same rear sight as a MH (including mounting bracket spring and the slide part? It seems to fit the MH properly, however someone epoxied an extention onto the front sight to about double its height, I think this was done recently for personal preferences.

closeup of the sight..

 

[JP]

Sight was added by a modern target shooter in Canada and original British made sight was removed.

 

[Musketfire]

By nep NS rifle I presumed it was a rifle issued to a Nova Scotia regiment.

Never even entered my mind that is was a Nepalese made rifle, the innards look well made indeed!

 

[green]

That is a sutherland MkI sight. It was introduced c1904 and the Cdn govt bought some for their Long Lees and they were also fitted to Ross MkII** and MkII5* rifles. The sight base on the MH, MM, ME, MLM, MLE and the above Rosses will take this sight. The sight base on the MkIII Ross will also fit this sight.
The Sutherland sight was also made for commercial sale.
IIRC the MH will shoot high with this sight which is probably why the extension is on the fore sight.
The first Nepalese MHs appeared on the surplus market in Canada in the early 60s which would give ample time for an enthusiast to fit this sight.

 

[john@]

So this sight was not originaly designed for the rifle? It looks all original and unaltered. Did the Ross have the identical mounting for the rear sight / or has this one been modified to fit the MH?

 

[green]

The Sutherland sight will fit a MH without modification as well as the other arms listed in the above post.
From the inspector's mark on the sight I would say it was made for a Ross.

 

[john@]

Ah thanks for the info Green, I did not see your reply before I answered JP.

BTW, NS stands for Native Service, not Nova Scotia.

And the rifle was not made in Nepal, it's an Enfield made in the UK.

Anyone see the other bit of Canadiana in the photos above?

 

[oldstarfire]

Odd part

What is the "saddle ring" thingy? Dont have one on my Martini.

 

[john@]

Yep thats the other Canadian bit. Thought I'd stick that in, its a lanyard loop for an Inglis.

What is the "saddle ring" thingy? Dont have one on my Martini.

 

[catnthehatt]

The Sutherland sight will fit a MH without modification as well as the other arms listed in the above post.
From the inspector's mark on the sight I would say it was made for a Ross.

They need a little spacer for the Snider however!
I happen to have one that was on my Grand father's gun!
It will go hunting with me this fall.....

Cat