Here's my newest old rifle. She's 134 years old this year. Looks pretty good for her age, don't you think?
This is a Martini-Henry rifle manufactured as a Mk I rifle at RSAF Enfield in 1873 and later upgraded to Mk II configuratin. The rifle eventually found it's way into Nepalese service. It's one of the guns rescued and imported by IMA/Atlanta Cutlery after they bought out the contents of the Royal Nepalese Armory a few years ago.
I've known about these guns since they started coming into the country but I've resisted buying one until now. I did pick up a M-H Mk III converted to .303 Brit from an estate sale a year or so ago and thought that would satisfy my "thirst for a martini." (I posted about that rifle earlier here if anyone is interested and missed it the first time)
One of the reasons I've always avoided them was because I don't reload and no one made any good .577/450 ammo. When I was at the SHOT show this year I mentioned this to to the guy at IMA and he introduced me to the owner of the Ten-X custom ammo manufacturing company.
Ten-X is one of the companies now selling commercially loaded .577/450 ammo. (The other company is Buffalo Arms. Both companies use brass from the same manufacturer). The Ten-X ammo uses a blackpowder substitute loaded to safe levels for these old guns and uses a lead bullet with a hollow base designed to expand and fill the rifling to maximize the accuracy potentional.
So, I'm standing there in the IMA booth, looking at the M-H rifles they have on display, while "Zulu" plays on the TV in the background. I was trying to decide whether I should buy one or not when I hear the following dialouge:
"They've pulled back! It's a miracle."
"If it was a miracle, then it was a short chambered, boxer primed .577 caliber miracle, Sir."
That was it. I pulled out my credit card and made the purchase. In addition to the rifle I also sprung for the bayonet and scabbard and the
M-H combo tool. I then went to the Ten-X booth next door and ordered 40 rounds of ammo. (At $5 a round, that's all I could afford! They'll reload the brass for me for half price though)
Anyway, here's the pics. Sorry for the quality, but the lighting sucked and these were the best I could indoors with my crappy digicam. I'll take some better shots outdoors when I take this to the range.
This is a rifle! No "short rifle" or carbine here. When I put the bayonet on, I couldn't get far enough back in the hallway to get the whole thing in the frame!
Here's the rifle and bayonet. There is some rust on the bayonet and the scabbard has split along one side. I'm going to check with IMA, but I bet there all pretty much in the same shape. I'm just glad the rifle was in better shape.
The rifle and the ammo. With what's in the picture, plus the bayonet and combo tool, I could have bought a Bushy AR.
Here's a couple close ups of the markings. The "II" is the model number. The hand stamped "2" indicates that this rifle was withdrawn from first line service and placed in second line (reserve) service at some point.
Here's the hungry maw of the beast. Much larger than her .303 sibling. "Feed me, Seymour!"
And here's her prefered food. Just wish I could afford to keep her better fed.
I paid extra for the "hand select" of the best of the next 50 to be shipped. I'm glad I did because I think it made a difference. This rifle is pretty nice! The finish has mostly gone to patina, but it is nearly 95% and the wood is solid. Overall, I'd say this gun is in better shape than my other M-H in .303.
It was interesting to put the two guns side by side. The Mk II in .577/450 is longer and heavier then the Mk III in .303. I thought the conversion to .303 was a simple rebarrelling, but evidently they restocked the rifles and made other significant changes as well.
This is a Martini-Henry rifle manufactured as a Mk I rifle at RSAF Enfield in 1873 and later upgraded to Mk II configuratin. The rifle eventually found it's way into Nepalese service. It's one of the guns rescued and imported by IMA/Atlanta Cutlery after they bought out the contents of the Royal Nepalese Armory a few years ago.
I've known about these guns since they started coming into the country but I've resisted buying one until now. I did pick up a M-H Mk III converted to .303 Brit from an estate sale a year or so ago and thought that would satisfy my "thirst for a martini." (I posted about that rifle earlier here if anyone is interested and missed it the first time)
One of the reasons I've always avoided them was because I don't reload and no one made any good .577/450 ammo. When I was at the SHOT show this year I mentioned this to to the guy at IMA and he introduced me to the owner of the Ten-X custom ammo manufacturing company.
Ten-X is one of the companies now selling commercially loaded .577/450 ammo. (The other company is Buffalo Arms. Both companies use brass from the same manufacturer). The Ten-X ammo uses a blackpowder substitute loaded to safe levels for these old guns and uses a lead bullet with a hollow base designed to expand and fill the rifling to maximize the accuracy potentional.
So, I'm standing there in the IMA booth, looking at the M-H rifles they have on display, while "Zulu" plays on the TV in the background. I was trying to decide whether I should buy one or not when I hear the following dialouge:
"They've pulled back! It's a miracle."
"If it was a miracle, then it was a short chambered, boxer primed .577 caliber miracle, Sir."
That was it. I pulled out my credit card and made the purchase. In addition to the rifle I also sprung for the bayonet and scabbard and the
M-H combo tool. I then went to the Ten-X booth next door and ordered 40 rounds of ammo. (At $5 a round, that's all I could afford! They'll reload the brass for me for half price though)
Anyway, here's the pics. Sorry for the quality, but the lighting sucked and these were the best I could indoors with my crappy digicam. I'll take some better shots outdoors when I take this to the range.
This is a rifle! No "short rifle" or carbine here. When I put the bayonet on, I couldn't get far enough back in the hallway to get the whole thing in the frame!
Here's the rifle and bayonet. There is some rust on the bayonet and the scabbard has split along one side. I'm going to check with IMA, but I bet there all pretty much in the same shape. I'm just glad the rifle was in better shape.
The rifle and the ammo. With what's in the picture, plus the bayonet and combo tool, I could have bought a Bushy AR.
Here's a couple close ups of the markings. The "II" is the model number. The hand stamped "2" indicates that this rifle was withdrawn from first line service and placed in second line (reserve) service at some point.
Here's the hungry maw of the beast. Much larger than her .303 sibling. "Feed me, Seymour!"
And here's her prefered food. Just wish I could afford to keep her better fed.
I paid extra for the "hand select" of the best of the next 50 to be shipped. I'm glad I did because I think it made a difference. This rifle is pretty nice! The finish has mostly gone to patina, but it is nearly 95% and the wood is solid. Overall, I'd say this gun is in better shape than my other M-H in .303.
It was interesting to put the two guns side by side. The Mk II in .577/450 is longer and heavier then the Mk III in .303. I thought the conversion to .303 was a simple rebarrelling, but evidently they restocked the rifles and made other significant changes as well.
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).Too bad feeding them is so expensive....
