Omani Gun Belts. Bedouin Martini Henry Ammo Belts.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams,
Yes these weapons were made on licence all over the world and some illegally ... when I was in Kabul there were a lot with crude engineering and wrong spellings.
Mine has all the right armourers stamps and marks with the budgies MOD foot arrows VR and Crown stamps and BSA and M Co stamps with what appears to be a model number in Roman numerals II ... and a large Capital E forward of the breach. Stamps are repeated on the barrel between breach and rear sight and on the cocking handle. Unlike the Martini Henry this short barrel artillerymans weapon has escaped its barrel being cut back and even has the original bayonet lug.
The other Birmingham job; The 303 SMLE carries amongst many other markings the Birmingham Stamp just forward of the breach in the form of three standing rifles below which is marked BSA and appears to be a WW1 Variant. The jungle carbine (I carried one in military training) is a lovely weapon ideal in jungle and handy in close quarter battle conditions though it needed regular zeroing. 303s after WW2 were superceded by the FN. 7.62 except in the case of the Bren and the sniper rifle but by now they too are all obselete.

Getting back to the Martini Henry Arabized weapons which are very attractive especially with the silver adornment and the lovely belts and bedouin gunbags etc.. I need to get hold of a supply of spare silver butt and stock decorative silver plates and capucines but may have a selection organised soon.

Regards Ibrahiim.