THE MARTINI HENRY.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Will M

This Snider precedes MH but it has an interesting butt modification
https://www.icollector.com/SNIDER-EN...IDER_i33570078

What an interesting rifle. I have never seen a stock modification on any snider, apart from the odd one with Maori carving, and I have seen many sniders over the years. Obviously done to represent the jezail stocks of the Khyber region, but why would one bother to modify what would have been a perfectly functional stock anyway??
Thanks for posting.........
Stu

[rickystl]

That Snider is indeed an interesting gun. I have never seen a Snider with a Jazail style butt modification. My only guess is the owner was used to handling older Jazail style muzzle loaders in the past, and modified the stock to suite his personal taste. For sure an Afghan local modification. Very cool. Wish I had seen it first. LOL

Rick

[Will M]

Rick it may well be for sale by now , the buyer always purchases many firearms and is most likely a dealer. Downside it the price will be more.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

The Swinburn Henry

Reference ..
A....http://antiquearms.org.nz/articles/swinburn-henry/
B....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swinburn%E2%80%93Henry

I have to admit that my knowledge of Martini Henry variants was sketchy at best however I have now read such excellent write ups as at the references that I can now see where they fit … We have in Oman various marks of MH and the different types of ammunition. Local variations were changed to suit the more slight stature of the arab individual by sawing back the barrels making the system much lighter and disregarding the bayonet. Once the caliber had changed to 303 around 1890 it would inevitably mean the single shot weapon would be overtaken if someone could invent a magazine ...although trained riflemen could in fact deliver 20 plus rounds a minute just by hand feeding single rounds. I digress as the aim is to introduce the Swinburn Henry an almost exact lookalike ...with a few differences.

Please view the excellent report at Reference A on this weapon.(with excellent artwork and photos)

See also reference B wikepedia on the weapon..which states~

Quote"The Swinburn–Henry rifle was a breech-loading lever-actuated single-shot rifle that was used by British Commonwealth forces in the late 1870s as substitute for the Martini–Henry, which was at the time in short supply."Unquote.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

The problem or one of them with the Swinburn Henry was the extractor device which relied on a sliding plate but was very prone to jamming. It did however have a unique half and full cocking device in about the same place as the MH Load indicator lever..but much longer and functioned well. This would be useful in preventing an accidental discharge of the round up the spout while on horseback..thus a good bit of kit on the cavalry carbine.

[yulzari]

May I recommend Neil Aspinshaw's seminal book on the Martini Henry which is about to be published (see www. martinihenry.org) which deals with the many stories and myths about the rifle and explains the actual effectiveness of the weapon and it's ammunition. The result of years of close study from primary sources.

Also one should note that most of the smuggled Martinis and bazaar sold ones around the Persian Gulf were Belgian made using the 577/450 ammunition but not identical to the actual service Martini Henry.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Thanks for the detail about the book about to be released on the Martini Henry. This thread is composed from years of research …

ACTUALLY ABOUT 38 YEARS IN ALL FROM MAINLY MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH THE WEAPON AND AS A DEALER IN THEM FROM AN ACTIVE ANTIQUES SHOP FOR AT LEAST 10 YEARS . THE POSTS TO INSPECT IN THIS REGARD AND ON THE WEAPON FAVOURED BY TRIBALS IN THIS REGION CAN BE SEEN AT #84...38 AND 5 (ONE IS A BOOK) AND WE ARE ALWAYS READY TO VIEW ANY PUBLICATION AS IT ARRISES. I AM SURE THE NEW BOOK WILL GET A GOOD AIRING ON THESE PAGES.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by yulzari

May I recommend Neil Aspinshaw's seminal book on the Martini Henry which is about to be published (see www. martinihenry.org) which deals with the many stories and myths about the rifle and explains the actual effectiveness of the weapon and it's ammunition. The result of years of close study from primary sources.

Also one should note that most of the smuggled Martinis and bazaar sold ones around the Persian Gulf were Belgian made using the 577/450 ammunition but not identical to the actual service Martini Henry.

I was of the impression that most of the "smuggled" Martinis were in fact copy made in what is now Pakistan, though no doubt some were stolen from the British Army. If Belgian made, then surely they would carry a proof mark, and though they may exist, I have never seen a Belgian proof on a Martini. Most "smuggled " Martinis I have seen carry no marks at all, and appear never to have been marked, as there is no sign that marks have been removed.
Perhaps Ibrahiim, who will have seen many "local" Martinis could advise if he has seen any Belgian proved Martinis.
The fact that they were made in 577/450, was that this caliber was what was in common use at the time. Of course they were superceded by .303 when that caliber came into regular use.
Stu