Shout out to all Martini-Henry owners! I have joined the club!***** PICS ADDED****

What makes that MkIII Canadian issue? Just wondering because I have one that looks just like it and I would like to know what to look for.
 
woodchopper said:
I have 3 mk4 martinis 2 are shooters one is parts for a project. Both slug out at .461" and I'm just using .459" cast 45-70 bullets

I also have a mini martini in 310 cadet. I think it may have been modified to take 32H&R mag. 32-20 rims are too thick but chamer when thinned to .055" or it has fairly loose headspace for a .038" rim 310. Bore is .319"

I'm still looking for a butchered mini martini and martini metford martin enfields in 303, and carbines to add to my collection.
Click to expand...

what's happening is you a measuring on a groove and a land since the martini henrys use henry rifling with 7 grooves you need to turn the slug in the jaws of the calipers for a mk4 .468"-.470" bullets are what's needed. I've even used lee .476" 400gr bullets cast is soft lead worked ok they could be sized a bit though
 
antiqueguy said:
the fact it was issued in Canada any snider or martini will have a DC stamp
Click to expand...

This :) Also, when you see a MkIII made in the 1880's in Canada, it's almost always a Canadian-issue gun. Many are not DC marked and were not issued before being surplused. MkI and MkII rifles are far rarer in Canada as those models were largely not in service in Canada, when the Brits were using those, we still had the Snider MkII**.

Short Levers don't work any better, but for some reason I prefer them over the Long Lever guns.
 
Last edited:
Claven2 said:
This :) Also, when you see a MkIII made in the 1880's in Canada, it's almost always a Canadian-issue gun. Many are not DC marked and were not issued before being surplused. MkI and MkII rifles are far rarer in Canada as those models were largely not in service in Canada, when the Brits were using those, we still had the Snider MkII**.

Short Levers don't work any better, but for some reason I prefer them over the Long Lever guns.
Click to expand...

Canada is one of the savers of mk1 martinis most were upgraded
 
lt.hicks@rogers.com said:
Well, it's official, I have my P-1885 long lever, hand select, Martini-Henry all the way from Atlanta cutlery paid for and in the mail. Now for the agonizing wait, hoping it will get here in time for me to wrap it for myself for Christmas. I will post pics as soon as it arrives but from what others have said the hand select ones are in amazing shape for their age. If you watch iraqiveteran8888 on youtube, he has a pretty cool range vid of his that he bought from Atlanta Cutlery as well. Truth be told that vid is what finally made me pull the trigger.

Now, this is the first Martini-Henry for me, do any of you wiser collectors have any advice for a young buck? Care, maintenance, maybe even a pet load you might want to share? Anyway, they are a pretty reasonable price, it was in the mail for 650.16 US, with a correct cleaning rod.

-Hicks
Click to expand...
Did you order the "untouched" hand select rifle? will be interesting to see the condition of the rifle.
 
wbaad said:
Did you order the "untouched" hand select rifle? will be interesting to see the condition of the rifle.
Click to expand...

I got mine through epps but I know it came from the Nepal cache as the it was covered in grease. I got it cheap because the bore was marked as fair although most of that was grease it has a good bore and a lot of them do. these served only a short time then put in grease and stored some have bad pitting but it al matters as to where they were stored in the castle.
 
So is this MkIII likely a Canadian issue one?

mk31.jpg


 
picked one up at auction recently, was marked with ns That being said I did a quick clean on it, 2 patches with faint rust and the rest absolutely clean, no black soot or anything. almost suspect a new barrel. I have cleaned enuff guns to know that no matter how many patches you run, if you use a cleaning agent you will get black on the patch.
 
My Canadian-issue Mark III -

mkiiiqor_medium.jpg


My Mark I .... not DC-marked, but undoubtedly from the batch of such "Second Pattern Mark I" rifles ordered by Canada at the end of 1873 and received in early 1874. (The Final Pattern of the Mark I Martini-Henry, as approved in the British War Department's List of Changes in mid-1874, was somewhat different - the most notable difference in a side view like this was that the Final Pattern had a steel breech-block pivot pin, rather than the earlier bronze pin seen here -

MkIwithreceivermarkings_med_zpsc643a80e.jpg
 
Well, she has finally arrived, and I must say I could not be happier. The external metal is in exceptionally good condition, no pits or discolouration at all! Unfortunately the bore doesn't look so hot and I have not had time to disassemble and clean everything yet. I will post pics of the internals when I am done. I think the bore will be fine, it just seems like it is packed full of grease. On a side note, when I talked to atlanta cutlery the genius on the phone assured me they did not come with a cleaning rod, and so I bought one. I now have a cleaning rod in good shape for sale.
Enjoy the pics!






The stock markings are very crisp and clear, and the stock is in exceptional condition as well, only one ding, and it looks fresh. Maybe from shipping?



If anyone knows what the stock markings mean, I would really love to hear it.

-Hicks
 
the cleaning rod on the gun is useless anyway. also remember to use some sort of muzzle guide a cut down .303 case works well cut it down drill out the primer pocket to fit your cleaning rod and then slide it on before the jag/brush
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom