Snider Enfield

[triggerman42]

Need a little help here guys. I've looked at a couple sniders and broken out into a fever both times.
I may have caught the bug. What would be a ball park price to pay for a decent , shootable , 3 band rifle.
I have looked around the net a bit but the prices vary so much from site to site, I'm lost.
Whats the going rate for a gun with a decent bore + and has all it's parts. Just a ballpark to give me somewhere to start . Just something that is shootable as opposed to a wall hanger.

 

[Tinman204]

It's ok if you've got the bug, it happened to me last year and my brain kept telling me "you need a 3 band Snider!!"

I purchased a 3 band off a member here in need of a full resto. As to a 3 band in decent shape that is complete, from my research I'd say $500-$700 and if you want museum quality $800-$1000.

I haven't fired my Snider yet but I hope to in the near future.

Anyhow, happy hunting and please post pics when you get one!

 

[tokguy]

Don't turn down Martini-Henry rifles either, they have a certain ce je ne sais quoi and use the 577 cal as well.
Once you've started down the road with a certain caliber it's easy enough to obtain another type that uses the same ammo.

 

[triggerman42]

I used the search feature in the EE section and found alot more good examples to go by. At first I was just browsing through all the stuff and didn't see too many. .........thanks for your responces ! I may have to worry about buying ammo in the future if the fever doesn't break ! LOL

 

[JTF#]

I just got one saturday DC marked for $240 at auction. that's the place to look for the older firearms.

 

[GrantR]

Don't turn down Martini-Henry rifles either, they have a certain ce je ne sais quoi and use the 577 cal as well.
Once you've started down the road with a certain caliber it's easy enough to obtain another type that uses the same ammo.

Martini-Henry rifles do not fire .577 cartridges - they are .45 caliber! The cartridge designation (.577/.450) referenced the fact that the base of the cartridge was the same size as that of the .577 Snider cartridge, but the case was "necked down" (and was also longer) -

The Snider-Enfield was the primary-issue military rifle of Canada longer than anywhere else in the British Empire - 1867 through to the last few years of the 1890's - with some rural Militia units not having their Sniders withdrawn from service until the 20th century! Accordingly, it is the quintessential Canadian military firearm right from the year of Confederation.

Cases are easily made from all-brass Magtech 24 gauge hulls, economical dies are produced by Lee Precision and loading is relatively easy ...... you do need a press with the removeable bushing to permit use of "oversize dies", but pretty much all of the single-stage reloading presses now made have that feature.

Although Martini-Henry rifles are also great firearms, and fun to shoot, cases are harder to come by (and harder to form from the 24 ga. hulls). If you are looking for something relevant to Canadian history, very few Martini-Henry rifles were ever issued in Canada.