Questions about a Martini-Henry Carbine... what is this?

[louthepou]

Hi folks,

Well here's something which recently came to my home.

I believe it's a MkII Carbine? The barrel measures a bit more than 21 inches.

Some holes seems to have been unfortunately drilled on the right side of the receiver, near the cocking indicator hole; no idea why.

A unit disk was found on the un-salvageable buttstock:

The bad: I need a butt stock; any chance I can find this somewhere? I know IMA USA has some new ones for $100 plus shipiping... any hope of finding a used replacement closer to home and closer to my budget?

Also, the rear sight seems to be missing it's elevation slide. What to do with this one?

The two bands are in rough shape, but I should be able to de-rust them and to free their screws (will probably need some heat) and save them.

On the plus side, the action feels solid, its moving parts in good shape, and there's some rifling visible in the bore

So, hoping to bring this one into shootable state. Thanks for any tip or help...

Louis

 

[crooked barrel jed]

If you happen to find a source for some surplus buttstocks be sure and post it,I saw one on ebay awhile back(in nova scotia I think) it started at $60 plus the usual high ebay shipping cost. I'm not sure what it finally sold for but the $100 new ones from IMA seemed kinda reasonable then. Although the last martini parts order I got from IMA the shipping cost bordered on unreasonable(but they had the parts and would ship to Canada)

 

[englishman_ca]

Wow Lou, you been hitting the yard sales again?

First a Snider, then a Martini? There is no hope for you now, it`s a slippery slope, I can see a muzzle loader in your future!

Nice find. What you have is a Mk.II Artillery Carbine converted circa 1891 from a VERY early Mk.I rifle that had been upgraded to a Mk.II. The conversion comprised of cutting the barrel back to 21.3 inches, reducing the muzzle diameter for a P1860 sword bayonet, shortening the fore stock, moving the bands back and remounting the nosecap. The rifle sight was removed, its mounting holes filled and a shorter carbine sight fitted.

As these were made from obscolete arms, they were downgraded to 2nd class, and issued to Volunteer Artillery units and Colonial forces.
The V in the data on the butt disk is for a volunteer unit.

The butt stocks from IMA are made by a established stock making company and are american walnut. They do require a bit of fitting, but nothing that you couldn't handle I am sure. The original must be pretty rough condition if you think that it can't be saved.

The holes in the receiver are possibly for some flavour of peep sight, not sure which one by the hole pattern but is similar to an old Lyman sight I once took off a gun. But their location seems a wee bit low and a bit too close to the cocking indicator, they appear to be right at the edge of it. Perhaps they were put there to run a couple of screws in so that their heads would keep the cocking lever from moving, kinda like deactivation to prevent kids taking it off the wall and trying to shoot it. The holes can be blanked with screw shanks, peened and filed flush. Not invisible, but certainly better for cosmetics.

The sight slider will be a challenge to find, keep eyes peeled on Epay and Gunbroker, they do pop up in job lots of junk. In the meantime, a MLE slider would fit and work and would not look out of place. There would be enough metal in it and could be filed to the carbine dimensions, the only giveaway clue would be the checkered ends being reshaped.

So nice one, your first Martini. I would put money on that it won`t be your last!

 

[louthepou]

Thanks, many thanks englishman_ca. I think you're right, there's no end in sight, no hope for me

Well you've given me many leads, better get busy. My goal is to end up shooting it next summer.

Lou

 

[Drachenblut]

Very nice. Reminds me of a Mk.II Artillery Carbine I once had. Keep that unit marked disk, read up on it if possible. Not common! I had one in mine, dated to the 3rd Lanarkshire Volunteer Regiment, 1898.

Someone else is a happy owner of it now.

Good luck, see you on the slippery slope to BP!