[Oleg Volk]

From the same photographer in Afghanistan.
http://photos.photosig.com/photos/63/60/996063-0a8c17c77e6d023c.jpg http://photos.photosig.com/photos/77/63/986377-14d0eff978f89f01.jpg

[Nightcrawler]

I wonder how old the rifle the old man in the bottom picture is holding is. Can anybody ID it? Looks like a musket of some kind.

[JDSlack]

It almost looks like a Martini action...could be an old british service weapon, or a Martini rifle converted to a shotgun, which the Indians did for use as police weapons a long while ago.

If it's a rifle, any bet he is more effective that the toad with the grenade launcher?

[Oleg Volk]

.45-.577 Martini
http://www.olegvolk.net/newphotos/tn2/martinirifle2_s.jpg http://www.olegvolk.net/newphotos/tn2/martinirifle_s.jpg http://www.olegvolk.net/newphotos/tn2/martini-loading_s.jpg

[Chipperman]

Yowza!
That's quite a cartridge.
They'd better outlaw that before he starts shooting down satellites.
:neener:

[Dave Markowitz]

Definitely a Martini-Henry or Martini-Enfield.

As Oleg noted, the M-H was chambered for the .577/.450 (.577 Snider necked down to .450. 480 grain bullet and 80 grains black powder.)

The M-E was essentially the same rifle, rebarrelled for .303 British.

[capnrik]

The photos make an interesting point don't they? The police have a belt fed, fully automatic weapon, and the civilian has an antique single shot.

The antis' dream.

[CWL]

That Martini rifle probably has a long history to it, could'a been a battlefield trophy from one of the many Brittish failures to colonize that country.

The top photo looks posed, aside from the poorly fitting police helmet, notice how the 12.7mm's tripod is not properly set onto a stable shooting platform. Condition of MG and ammo/belt is horrifying.

[OEF_VET]

CWL - That DsHK is in standard condition for Afghani weapons, dirty. With all the sandstorms over there, it's next to impossible to keep a weapon clean and it's not generally on the top of their priority list.

Afghanis will use anything they can get their hands on to kill each other. They don't play the whole "Well, it's been out of service for 100 years, so it must be no good." game. As long as it still goes BANG when they pull the trigger and they have at least one bullet for it, it remains a viable killing tool. Heck, I've seen a British blackpowder rifle of 1840's vintage that was still being used as late as 2002.

Frank

[foghornl]

...and the civilian has an antique single shot.
The anti's dream...


You're close capnrik...Except that the anti is having a nighmare, because the civvy still has ANY firearm at all.

[seeker_two]

...and I'll bet that old man has taken more Russian soldiers w/ that single-shot than that Russian MG has taken of Afghani lives...:what:

One of the big problems that the Russians (& now our troops) is that the Afghanis would shoot up squads of troops w/ "obsolete" rifles & cartridges (7x57Mauser, .303Brit, etc.) at 600+ yards while the Russians w/ AK-74's chambered in 5.45x39 couldn't hit anything past 300 yards. :banghead:

That's why the Russians broke out the Dragunovs & the Americans the M-14's...:cool:

Like the saying goes: "Beware the man w/ only one gun..." :evil:

[Nightcrawler]

That policeman looks about as ate-up as all get-out, doesn't he? Wow.

Dude, seriously, repaint your helmet, clean your weapon, put on a fresh uniform, build a decent fighting position, and look sharp.

(Some calesthenics wouldn't hurt, either, bud.)

[hillbilly]

Here's the kicker. That Martini Henry style rifle the old man is holding was probably MADE locally.

In the city of Darra, Pakistan, there are countless gun makers and sellers.

Afghanis and Pakistanis make their own versions of all kinds of firearms, from British pattern pieces from the earliest colonial days to truly antiquted black powder pieces to copies of Russian heavy machine guns.

Here's a link about Darra.

http://www.newsday.com/news/ny-saja8,0,5011089.story

[DMK]

Speaking of contrast, is that woman wearing a digital watch?

[Oleg Volk]

Yes, same exact Casio as on my wrist right now.

[Navy joe]

Speaking of contrast, is that woman wearing a digital watch?

Dude, that's a dude! ;)

[glockten]

Some calesthenics wouldn't hurt, either, bud.

That's not Bud, that's Lou, as in Lou Costello.:D

What MG is that?

[TexasVet]

Yep, Long Lever, Mark IV Martini-Henry in .577-.450 caliber (note big hole in end of barrel!) May be a Darra gun, but most of them are .303 carbines. With more fake British proof marks than any 10 real M-Hs have. One of mine has Victoria's stamp under a King's crown instead of the proper Queen's. Most probably an Indian Ishapore Arsenal gun. I could tell if you could see if the front sight is ramped or not.

[Sunray]

"...probably MADE locally..." Yep, in the Afghan mountains all kinds of firearms have been made, by hand, by true craftsmen. And please reduce the size of your pictures.

[MicroBalrog]

Unfortunately - no real contrast:

http://www.afghanwar.spb.ru:8101/2/oni8.gif


http://www.afghanwar.spb.ru:8101/3/oni9.gif

http://www.afghanwar.spb.ru:8101/8/o1.jpg

[MicroBalrog]

And, furthermore:

http://www.afghanwar.spb.ru:8101/8/o2.jpg


http://www.afghanwar.spb.ru:8101/8/o4.jpg

http://www.afghanwar.spb.ru:8101/12/7oni.jpg

http://www.afghanwar.spb.ru:8101/9/o12.jpg

[Archie]

Hmmmm. The old feller's Martini looks functional, as does the old fellow. He has that "been there, done that" look about him.

The "policeman" on the other hand, has the "been in the bar, been done to" look about him.

If we are picking teams for a gunfight, I'll take the old man. As armed.