Frontier Arithmetic: The Afghan Jezail

Jim McDougall · 28th August 2019, 09:33 PM

Thanks Wayne!!! An absolutely great nostalgic movie, with the pageantry of those great films of yesteryear. Forget accuracy, in those days it was all just the magic of the big screen .

Not sure I recall kukri throwing.
I had not recalled the Indian Mutiny being in this either. Like much of the lore of India and the Raj, the 'greased cartridge' case was dramatically seized upon, though the circumstances causing the rebellion were far more complex.
The cartridges for the new rifled Enfields were indeed initially greased, through horrendous oversight by the British administration with pig tallow in those issued from England; the ones made at the Dum Dum arsenal with cow tallow....thereby totally alienating the Muslim as well as Hindu sepoys.

The huge faux pas was realized quickly and orders from Bengal directed all extant cartridges be issued only to European forces; the native troops to create their own tallow of choice; and the entire drill to have cartridges broken open by fingers rather than teeth.
It was too late, the battle cry issued, and the disinformative info claiming vegetable fat fell flat on its face.

In all, a bit of a 'sticky wicket' which exploded catastrophically.

David R · 9th September 2020, 01:36 PM

My interest in this thread was recently revived by me actually getting one of these at last. On a previous thread there was a comment as to what 10 rupees was worth in real terms, and being the sort of person I am I found out. In 1898 it comes out as £157 in modern UK money, and about $200, working from the gold standard as it was on at the time. Now the pictures, my Jezail, and working out of the conversion.

SchildaBrit · 20th January 2021, 10:04 PM

OK, don't all laugh, but I'm seriously considering acquiring a jezail, to see how it shoots.

Has anyone out there actually seriously fired one of these, as a target rifle?

Hoping to get some serious answers,
Patrick

kahnjar1 · 20th January 2021, 10:46 PM

Suggest you PM RICKYSTL. I know he has shot these (and is still with us!!.

)
Stu

rickystl · 25th January 2021, 05:52 PM

Thanks Stu

Received a PM from Patrick.

Rick

SchildaBrit · 2nd April 2021, 11:17 AM

OK, it took a long time, thanks to Covid range restrictions etc.

But I did it.

See the new thread!

Napo7 · 13th May 2025, 02:53 PM

Hello everyone, I recently picked this one up, and out of curiosity after reading your messages, I decided to look at all the pieces one by one.
If anyone could tell me what they think, thank you.

Napo7 · 13th May 2025, 03:01 PM

Hello, how do I upload photos, please?
Thank you.

9th September 2020, 01:36 PM	#2
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,134	My interest in this thread was recently revived by me actually getting one of these at last. On a previous thread there was a comment as to what 10 rupees was worth in real terms, and being the sort of person I am I found out. In 1898 it comes out as £157 in modern UK money, and about $200, working from the gold standard as it was on at the time. Now the pictures, my Jezail, and working out of the conversion. Attached Images

20th January 2021, 10:04 PM	#3
SchildaBrit Member Join Date: Dec 2019 Posts: 33	Shooting a jezail OK, don't all laugh, but I'm seriously considering acquiring a jezail, to see how it shoots. Has anyone out there actually seriously fired one of these, as a target rifle? Hoping to get some serious answers, Patrick

2nd April 2021, 11:17 AM	#6
SchildaBrit Member Join Date: Dec 2019 Posts: 33	Shooting an original Jezail rifle OK, it took a long time, thanks to Covid range restrictions etc. But I did it. See the new thread!

13th May 2025, 03:01 PM	#8
Napo7 Member Join Date: May 2025 Posts: 5	Help me please Hello, how do I upload photos, please? Thank you.

28th August 2019, 09:33 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,650	Thanks Wayne!!! An absolutely great nostalgic movie, with the pageantry of those great films of yesteryear. Forget accuracy, in those days it was all just the magic of the big screen . Not sure I recall kukri throwing. I had not recalled the Indian Mutiny being in this either. Like much of the lore of India and the Raj, the 'greased cartridge' case was dramatically seized upon, though the circumstances causing the rebellion were far more complex. The cartridges for the new rifled Enfields were indeed initially greased, through horrendous oversight by the British administration with pig tallow in those issued from England; the ones made at the Dum Dum arsenal with cow tallow....thereby totally alienating the Muslim as well as Hindu sepoys. The huge faux pas was realized quickly and orders from Bengal directed all extant cartridges be issued only to European forces; the native troops to create their own tallow of choice; and the entire drill to have cartridges broken open by fingers rather than teeth. It was too late, the battle cry issued, and the disinformative info claiming vegetable fat fell flat on its face. In all, a bit of a 'sticky wicket' which exploded catastrophically.

20th January 2021, 10:46 PM	#4
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,810	Suggest you PM RICKYSTL. I know he has shot these (and is still with us!!. ) Stu

25th January 2021, 05:52 PM	#5
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,633	Thanks Stu Received a PM from Patrick. Rick

13th May 2025, 02:53 PM	#7
Napo7 Member Join Date: May 2025 Posts: 5	Hello everyone, I recently picked this one up, and out of curiosity after reading your messages, I decided to look at all the pieces one by one. If anyone could tell me what they think, thank you.