1878 Martini-Henry .577/450 Rifle

[Von der Goltz]

This 1878 Martini-Henry serial number AC5665 saw service with the British Army as indicated by the numerous acceptace aand property marks and was later transferred to the Colonial forces in India as shown by the Ft Williams Arsenal stamp and the Nepalese markings shown below. Serial number AC5665 was manufactured at the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield between April 1877-March 1878 which is the production year for Enfield, one of 35,630 made in that year. The "2" on the barrel and action denote is has been passed into the second class reserve, which was set down in criterion from Enfield, and after inspection at Birmingham Bagot St.

 

[Ironhand54]

Nice.

My brother bought one years ago that was marked 1883. It needed a new stock and some other parts. It took us about 5 years to restore it. Then we had to find cases. We eventually found some and in the late 1990s I took a deer with it.

IronHand

 

[RWMC]

That is a very nice rifle. Thanks for sharing your pics.

 

[Officers'Wife]

A beautiful piece of history in steel and wood. I can't help but wonder if it's one of the rifles used in the battle Kipling described-

Then ’ere ’s to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, an’ the missis and the kid;
Our orders was to break you, an’ of course we went an’ did.
We sloshed you with Martinis, an’ it was n’t ’ardly fair;
But for all the odds agin’ you, Fuzzy-Wuz, you broke the square.

 

[Obturation]

Sweet rifle, dont see many people tinkering with martinis very often.heres mine, originally a service rifle in australia but re stocked and rebarreled to rimfire in the 60s by a friend of mines dad. Too much fun.