Untouched Nepalese Martini-Henry Rifles

[jk2008]

Has anyone recently purchased (within the last few years) one of the "untouched" Nepalese Gahendra Martini-Henry Rifles from either IMA or Atlanta Cutlery? I've been toying with the idea of picking one of these up, but would like to hear any advice that others may have before taking the plunge. Thanks!

 

[deadin]

From what I have seen of them "untouched" does not mean "excellent" or even "good" condition. It merely means they have done nothing to clean them up.
I believe that I read somewhere that most of the wood is worm eaten and needs to be replaced for starters.

 

[Dazen]

I didn't buy an untouched one but i did get a cleaned up one from IMA a year ago. I picked up a 1872 short lever with bayonet and i am very very impressed with it. I have how ever been on a waiting list for over 7 months at Midway and Cabela's for some of that TEN X ammo

 

[Trebor]

The untouched rifles haven't been cleaned so you'd have the fun of cleaning over 150 years of dirt and grime off the guns. What's underneath is anyone's guess. The reports I've seen are that most of the rifles are pretty rough underneath, but you don't know until you've cleaned it.

I also have a Mark II M-H from 1871. Mine was the regular grade with extra cash paid for "Hand Select" for mechanical condition. Mine is in pretty nice shape and I have no qualms about shooting it.

 

[JohnBT]

That was such a great story, a palace so full of old arms that they had to start emptying it out of the second-floor windows and work their way down to the first floor. What a motherlode.

John

 

[JohnBT]

What the heck, for those that haven't seen it.







www.sportsmansguide.com/net/section/sl.aspx?s=3274&rp=section

 

[acmech]

I'm cleaning one up now that they had a sale on for $150 a couple weeks ago. Its the 1878 Francotte pattern. Mechanically, its a shooter. Front stock is in great shape so I don't need to do too much with it, the buttstock however was in terrible shape. The bolt that goes throught the buttstock usually corrodes, and sometimes causes the buttstock to split at the wrist. I thought mine was completely unrepairable but, I fixed it. For $150 I'm happy with it. To reload it, I ordered a Lee classic cast press from midway that was on sale and a set of dies plus a box of magtech 24ga shotgun brass to form down. The reloading supplies cost me $182 lol. I live 20 min. from atlantacutlery so I'm going there Wed. to pick out a "untouched" Ghendra. Here's a pic of my stock after I cut out the rot and damage and then after I repaired it, it took some time.