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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Sweden
Posts: 688
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This is an antique rifle given to me as a gift 20 years ago, and I always wondered what it was. It was purchased from an antiques shop on Eton High Street (Berkshire, England). The seller said it “was used by British troops in the Sudan.” Recently I saw pictures of similar objects identified as Afghan jezail. It has a functioning percussion lock stamped with a British crown and "Tower 1870." It has a scrolled hexagon barrel with a detachable ramrod stuck in underneath. There's still some black gunpowder in the barrel. The rifle is 141cm long and weighs just over 3kg. The rifle has real patina in my view, and must be old. It has been used, as there are still traces of gunpowder in the barrel and the wood behind the nipple has been burnt away by the mercury used in percussion caps. The ramrod goes all the way down the barrel with a couple of inches left at the top to hold. The nipple is hollow as it should be. I did some reading on Jezails, and the lock may or may not be British made. The trigger and trigger guard look like crude replacements, or suggest local production.
The question is whether this is likely an Afghan Jezail, or were they also made and used in other areas like India and North Africa (Sudan)? Could it have been used by muslim Indian troops in the British Army? |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Poole England
Posts: 441
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Is it a Whitworth rifle that has been "localised"?
Roy |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 525
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Hi Victrix,
this video might be interesting for you and a rifled barrel is a good sign. Afghan Jezail on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-aEWZrTibE Roland |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Sweden
Posts: 688
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Thanks for your comments. Interesting video, Roland. These are interesting guns from both historical and ethnical perspectives. It’s a pity they seem fairly unappreciated by collectors when they are handmade and apparently fairly effective in use.
I post some more photos below. |
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Sweden
Posts: 688
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I might try this bedouin dance. It looks fun!
Last edited by Victrix; 20th January 2018 at 12:01 PM. |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 803
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Hello Victrix,
I saw these dance photos a while ago. I think it will be very hard on the carpet! Your rifle looks a good and very solid piece!, and it Is unusual to see a rifled bore. Many of these seem to have round barrels as well, so nice to see something a little different for a change. There is a possibility that an arm of this type May have been used by irregular troops attached to British forces, (In the same way as many irregulars in India still carried their matchlocks) Native troops in EIC or British Regular regiments would be armed with British made arms. I see the ticket has it down as a hexagonal barrel,..... :-) |
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: St. Louis, MO area.
Posts: 1,623
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Hi Victrix
In my view this is an Afghan made Jezail. And a nice unmolested example that shows definate field use, yet still very solid as Richard mentions. These Jazails were locally made utilizing a combination of surplus and locally made parts as you surmised. They were probably used by the locals all the way to at least the 1880's. And you will find them in any combination of flintlock or percussion and rifled or smooth bore barrels. The Jazails have a colorful history and must have been very popular in the Region as there are so many examples still available today. If you search the Forum you can find previous discussions as to the reasons for the unusual butt stock design. Again, a nice piece. Rick |
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