Single shot rifles. Why no more Martinis?

[BCRider]

I just found an old Greener Martini action shotgun for so cheap that I had to buy it. So far I've only shot a half box of shells through it but already I'm in love with the style of action and "snick, snack" sound of the action. So I'm wondering why with all the intrest in the other styles of single action receivers that there's no easily found or major brand single shot rifles with the Martini action.

Did I miss any or has the Martini action gone the way of the Dodo bird?

 

[Kendal Black]

You're right; new Martini-action arms are conspicuous by their absence. The type was dogged all its life with complaints about weak extraction and was followed around by the advice to work the lever smartly. It's not a critical problem but those parts require fiddling with sometimes. It may be the reason why we've seen no modern renaissance of Martinis though you can get modern repros of a number of other old time single shots.

 

[SaxonPig]

I like the Martini a lot.

 

[natman]

Too expensive to make, too much machine work. It's much easier to make a 22 bolt action out of steel tubes. Besides, how many other proper single shot 22s (not bolt actions with no magazine) are out there? The market wants these:

 

[CraigC]

As I said in the rook rifle thread, I'd love to see a down-sized single shot. Something appropriately sized for the .22LR through .32-20 or .38Spl. Give it a 24" barrel with an octagon option, peep sights, upgraded wood, and have it weigh 6lbs or less. Preferably less. A scaled down No. 1 or Martini Cadet action would be perfect.

 

[BCRider]

Craig, what you may want is already out there. But it doesn't seem cheap for what it is. It's the Stevens Favourite. This particular one is only in .22 but it seems to have all the features you're after in a light single shot. It even comes in a take down version for a few bucks more.

Or if you're patient wait for one of the older originals to show up used.

I got GIVEN an original Stevens Crackshot 26 a couple of years ago because it was rather rough looking and needed some 'smithing. I completed the roughed out new trigger that had been cut from ground tool steel stock and hardened and tempered it as well as making 2 new screw pins from drill rod which I also hardened and tempered. The better fit I gave the new screw pins required me to do some fine fitting to adjust the force needed for the camming action of the loading lever.

In use this compact little shoulder bumper has proven to be stupidly fun to shoot. The "magazine" is my support hand where I stuff 6 or 8 spare rounds to be plucked away and inserted following lowering the rear block and flicking away the previous empty. With this setup and given the delay for aiming a guy can put rounds downrange just about as fast as a bolt action gun. And it's a LOT lighter to hold onto as you'd expect.

So if your tastes go that way I can heartily recomend one of them. In particular the original Crackshot which has a shorter and lighter barrel than even the one Stevens/Savage is selling now. For giggles I just tossed it onto a digital scale and it's a whole whopping 3 lbs 4oz without the steel buttplate. That would likely add another 3 to 4 oz. And the one I have is a mere 32 inches long.

 

[cluttonfred]

Love the hair dryer signature.... ;-)

 

[CraigC]

I considered them but I don't think the Stevens guns are quite there. A little under-refined, undersized and short. On the right track but not quite there. I was thinking about something a little more along the lines of the original rook rifles.

 

[BCRider]

Well, I can't blame you for wanting something with nice looks and wood and an interesting action. After all when we call common crows "Rooks" it behooves one to sport a firearm made with some pride and distinction...

I have to admit that a finely made lightweight single shot done with some highly figured wood and a truly lovely multi coat oil finish would be a great thing to have.

I scored a couple of old Stevens rolling block receivers at a gun swap show a year back. The guts are mostly missing but one day, when the shop is back up and running, I'd like to build them up. I was thinking .22lr at the time but now you guys have me thinking that a low power handgun round such as .25-20 or perhaps .32S&WLong. This assumes I can find a suitable barrel blank to work with such a slow moving bullet out of a rifle.