Martini Henry Mk IV Stuck Striker

I've picked up one of the IMA untouched Mk IV rifles. The action wouldn't move but I managed to get it all apart.

The breech block is apart with the striker spring out but the striker is quite solidly stuck inside the breech block in the forward position with the pin protruding. I've been soaking it in PB blaster for about 24 hours but no luck getting it free yet.

Its a bit awkward of a piece to try and get out. I have a set of brass punches and a brass hammer. I can get a brass punch into the tumbler slot and tap but I haven't gone nuts. Is it safe to tap the protruding firing pin with a soft hammer?

What about heat? Are any of these parts heat treated? Is there risk to heating them up?

If anyone has some advice, I would appreciate it greatly.

Not much response here... After much perseverance, soaking with kroil, it came loose after I used a brass punch on the end of the protruding firing pin. Unfortunately the tip had rusted and although it came out intact, it broke off just pinching it in my fingers.

Will have to add that to my list of things.

To be honest, this is the first time I saw this post...but you seem to have the solution anyway and that may be as good as it gets. Now you need replacement parts...?

IMA or ebay

IMA is a good bet.

yes IMA is the plan. I just want to get farther into disassembly to make sure I get everything in one shipment.

Order a new part, but in the interim if you needed to shoot it, cut back the broken striker tip and drill the center for a decapping pin. Make it a drive fit or solder it into place.

I made this 'temporary fix' in a couple of rifles and they have held up for years.

Cool tip (no pun intended) thanks! I've spent a few vacations up Burk's Falls way on Pickerel Lake :)

I wanted to make sure she's safe to shoot before getting setup for reloading. I've got everything in pieces and aside from a minor amount of barrel pitting, the broken striker and one broken screw on the recoil piece on the handguard, I think I'm good to go. Just waiting to see if IMA does a sale for boxing day while I clean the yak's mess off of it all.

I also need to figure out how to get the broken part of the screw out of the handguard so I can get the replacement in. Any tips would be appreciated.

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Originally Posted by MauserMike

one broken screw on the recoil piece on the handguard,

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Huh? This a MH Mk.IV, right?

Not too sure as to what you mean. A pic would explain.

IMA calls it a "P-1885 MkIV Stock Fore-end Reinforcement Bar Screw Set"

Ok, I get it. The screw in the fore end hook. Short little stubby wood screw. Not a lot holding it in there. Sometimes they rust pretty badly inside the wood.

Yes that's the one. Maybe I can dremel a little slot in the stub enough to turn it out?

I got all the wood cleaned up yesterday just need to pickup some linseed oil (raw? boiled? does it matter?)

Only a stub, no head? Modern wood screws are formed from steel wire. These 100 year old Martini wood screws are actually made from cast iron, the metal can be brittle and the screw head will chip out if over stressed. Because of this, some British gun screw slots take a very thin turnscrew blade. If overstressed, the turnscrew tip will break before the screw does. Well, that is my theory anyway.

Cutting a slot should work if you can get in there.

Another suggestion would be to make a tiny hole saw from a suitable steel tube and cut out around the screw. Or simply dig it out and then repair the screw hole. Drill a nice clean hole and glue in a plug with a piece of oak dowelling, then redrill for the screw.

This is the solution that I use sometimes when the screw strips out of the wood and chews up the hole. The wood into which the screw bites is not very deep as the cleaning rod channel is right above it, so simply using a longer screw is not an option if you want to fit the rod. Make sure that the rod is in place and lightly greased when you glue the plug

The repair will be inside the inletting for the hook so will not be seen when the rifle is assembled.

Raw linseed oil is what was used in the day. Modern boiled linseed oil has driers added to make it more convenient to use. Several coatings of boiled linseed can produce a shiny finish, which can look nice, but totally wrong for a military arm.
I recommend that you use raw linseed and many coats over an extended period. (SOP was once a day for a week, once a week for a month, once a month for a year, then once a year.)

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Originally Posted by englishman_ca

Or simply dig it out and then repair the screw hole. Drill a nice clean hole and glue in a plug with a piece of oak dowelling, then redrill for the screw.

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That's the way to go...mostly. The wood around will be powdered after removing the screw anyway.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by englishman_ca

Another suggestion would be to make a tiny hole saw from a suitable steel tube and cut out around the screw.

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If you have the patience to make such a tool, it's a better/neater solution than hacking out the wrecked screw. Hole saw + beech dowel from a hardware stores = neat job.
If I can find the one I made, I'll post a photo, but don't hold your breath as I am at present deeply entangled with a muzzle-loading Anschütz (!) target rifle.

No head the screw was rusted almost all the way through flush with the wood

All good - I went in with a dental pick and the screw was just disintegrated completely. Drilled her out and have a hardwood dowel glued in and drying as we speak.

Should be able to get her all back together as soon as my goodies come from IMA. The bore is super on this rifle I think it may be destined to become a shooter at the end of all this.

" I am at present deeply entangled with a muzzle-loading Anschütz (!) target rifle."

Wot??? Do tell. Start a new thread, this sounds interesting.

An old trick for Martinis that were used for training was to wrap string around the front of the striker and re-inset it in the block. This formed a sort of buffer to allow the action to be snapped without causing damage. In the UK the Boys Brigade used to use Martini Carbines for drill in the 1900s and the string thing seems to have come from them.. I have come across a number of blocks that this has been done to...

They are a devil to get out.. I have an old 3/8" drill that I have ground flat and sharpened to two points that I use for clearing out the striker cavity. You could also probably use a long series slot drill..

The tip above for using decapping pins to repair strikers is a good one. Pivot steel, which you can get from clockmakers suppiers in fractional sizes is also a good source of material for repairs like this. It is blued high carbon tool steel used to repair the bearings in clocks, and a very useful and relatively cheap source of high precision rod. Cut and polish with a Dremel and fix in place with epoxy...

In the meantime, you might like to start reading about the Anschütz (post 20 in this thread)

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread....nsch%FCtz+plug

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Originally Posted by englishman_ca

" I am at present deeply entangled with a muzzle-loading Anschütz (!) target rifle."

Wot??? Do tell. Start a new thread, this sounds interesting.

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It's coming. I got the Anschutz banging away again today, but need a couple of days for the photos to start a new thread

---------- Post added at 12:46 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:42 AM ----------

Sorry everybody, the last two post are in the wrong order, which makes it a bit confusing. I am having trouble with the software again, which doesn't let me edit posts at the moment.

Thanks for all the replies and advice. She's all back together now.

Only remaining question about the hole in the fore end stock just in front of the barrel band closest to the action: is there supposed to be a steel pin in here? I don't see a part listed anywhere. I might just have to fabricate one from some round steel rod stock.

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Originally Posted by MauserMike

Thanks for all the replies and advice. She's all back together now.

Only remaining question about the hole in the fore end stock just in front of the barrel band closest to the action: is there supposed to be a steel pin in here? I don't see a part listed anywhere. I might just have to fabricate one from some round steel rod stock.

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Yes, there is a thin metal pin with rounded ends to stop the barrel band moving. The ends of the pins should not be higher than the highest part of the band. They often get lost or rusted.. Just make them from mild steel and either oil or chemical blue..