TJ in Kabul
Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2010
- Messages
- 1
Gentlemen,
I'm in Kabul, Afghanistan. Last summer I acquired a Martini with what I believe to be a Metford Barrel (early .303 British) and dated 1882 in English, (the ONLY English language markings on it) whereas the remainder of the weapon is marked exclusively in Farsi including a date of 3013 (convert this Islamic date and you'll also come up with 1882.) So, with the exception of the breach-block which is from a British weapon, all the Farsi numbers match on this carbine.
Additionally, the receiver is marked with an Afghanistan State seal from the period of 1919-1925. Here, Urdu, Pashto and Dari are the primary language, rather than Farsi which is Persian (Iranian) so this weapon had a history long before it came into Afghan service.
This weapon is NOT a Khyber Pass rifle. Of this, we are sure.
After a lot of snooping on the internet for anything on this particular example (and finding nothing :banghead: ) I come to you fellows for answers. Does anyone know of the provenance of weapons such as I have described?
ANY information you might provide would be of great interest to me.
Cheers,
TJ in Kabul
I'm in Kabul, Afghanistan. Last summer I acquired a Martini with what I believe to be a Metford Barrel (early .303 British) and dated 1882 in English, (the ONLY English language markings on it) whereas the remainder of the weapon is marked exclusively in Farsi including a date of 3013 (convert this Islamic date and you'll also come up with 1882.) So, with the exception of the breach-block which is from a British weapon, all the Farsi numbers match on this carbine.
Additionally, the receiver is marked with an Afghanistan State seal from the period of 1919-1925. Here, Urdu, Pashto and Dari are the primary language, rather than Farsi which is Persian (Iranian) so this weapon had a history long before it came into Afghan service.
This weapon is NOT a Khyber Pass rifle. Of this, we are sure.
After a lot of snooping on the internet for anything on this particular example (and finding nothing :banghead: ) I come to you fellows for answers. Does anyone know of the provenance of weapons such as I have described?
ANY information you might provide would be of great interest to me.
Cheers,
TJ in Kabul