New to me, First Martini

Picked up my first real British martini rifle (my first being a khyber from a sight unseen lot). I'm not super familiar with Martini Enfield rifles, other than to know when it's real and when it's fake. I know it's converted to 303, in 1895. This rifle is in very neglected condition, but most likely was in very good condition when it was put away. I essentially wanted a placeholder until I could find one in VG condition, which I have been after for years.
I have taken down the khyber, and found it rather easy. The khyber has a long lee nose cap, rather than the real front band.
I'd like to evaluate how much pitting I have under the forestock, but I'm having difficulties drifting the front pin. I'll also most likely need to use a broken screw remover on the hook plate. The forestock is missing a chip from the front of the hook plate, and the "repair" was just to sand it flat, so the hook plate sticks up.

Aside from the questionable forestock and barrel, the action functions and extracts good as is, and the firing pin indicator moves.

Assuming I can remove the forestock to check condition and repair the chip, I would like to shoot this rifle. I have heard conflicting information that "It's not designed for MK 7 ammo" to "303 is nothing compared to 577-450 that it was designed for"

I'm already thinking about repair options. I do have access to the khyber, which was sold to a buddy for wall hanging duty, and can strip that for a fake forestock, fake hook plate, and if needed, a real, but heavily sanded and re-blued, 303 Martini barrel. It even has extractor cuts.
IMA has a reproduction stock available, has anyone tried to make it work?
Can provide more pictures if needed.
https://ibb.co/cgbfBt2
https://ibb.co/C2TPGnz
https://ibb.co/kHN498Z

The change over to Mk 7 cartridges was about 1910, and the Martinis soldiered on in the colonies for many years later. The change over was mainly to a spitzer and lighter bullet at a higher velocity commensurate with chamber pressures. And the Mk 6 cartridges disappeared. If the Mk 6 disappeared why would the Martinis remained in service?

The 577/450 was a black powder relatively low pressure cartridge.

I would seriously doubt if the Brits would convert the Martinis to 303 without checking chamber pressures, and use said converted Martinis with Mk 7 ammunition if it wasn't safe. They would also have ensured that all knew if the Mk 7 wasn't to be used in converted Martinis.

However, check your Martini to ensure it is indeed safe to shoot.

Good advice above thank you.
Especially the firing pin protrusion I would more than likely be checking first.
That’s what I learned with a Martini rifle I just picked up.
It was the last thing I checked , and glad I did.
I’ll be checking that first thing before anything else from here out.

Screws are all rusted stuck fairly good. I'm not sure I'm getting this stock off. The front pin will not budge with a bench vice either. The good? news is that the stripped screw won't be a problem, because the wood is so soft the plate should just fall out.
I was planning on making a cut out and replace repair in that spot anyways.
Based on the rust from underneath the missing handguard, and the soft condition of the wood, I am assuming the underside probably looks like the surface of the moon. My barrel will need to be welded or replaced, if the action remains serviceable. The bore is pitted but sharp, and the crown is recognisable.
It would be nice to actually know what the barrel looks like before I jump to conclusions.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BVZ24

Screws are all rusted stuck fairly good.

---

Perhaps you need to apply some penetrating oil first and let it soak in. With stuck screw fasteners it sometimes helps to first try tightening a tiny fraction before loosening and then alternating between fractionally tightening and loosening until the fastener, in this case a screw, becomes loose.

You never know, maybe the barrel underside will be coated with old grease that preserved it somewhat.
That's what I found when I broke mine down.
It seemed as if it was made of animal fat or something.

The exterior was blackened from where it dried and caked hard like varnish.
Kroil freed everything else right up after a quick soak.

The pins aren't supposed to be removed. The screws would be loosened enough to get the band over them. Try soaking the band screws with penetrating oil. Then with a properly fitted screw driver, try turning it in both directions. Give the screw driver some taps. With a screw driver bit in the slot, heat the bit with a torch. It will transfer heat to the screw.
Also, look up british militaria forums, on tapatalk, for help. If nothing else works, you can run a dremel cut off wheel through the band slot and replace it
john

The pin in question is the front band cross pin. I can get the screws out at this point.

Pictures would help.

This pin.
The front band swivel screw also appears to have a retainer on it. I got it as loose as it will go without popping the retainer.

IMG-20220825-065027 — ImgBB

Pictures of the rest of the rifle would be appreciated by all.

It's a nice, highly original example of a Martini 303, in poor condition. It's been sold out of service, and has some sort of rack number.
Currently I have the screws soaking in renchaid, a vintage rust remover I can't get more of, that loosens up anything. For emergencies only.
The screws still do not budge.


https://ibb.co/s6CJD0T
https://ibb.co/ZBDvFvw
https://ibb.co/02v2sJg

https://ibb.co/WGWfWq8
https://ibb.co/hZgj9f8
https://ibb.co/0JF3LbZ
https://ibb.co/jVJQz6y
https://ibb.co/59JBBG4
https://ibb.co/wR1F696
https://ibb.co/J2jP9yr

Had time to pick the project up again. I successfully pounded out the front pin, but unfortunately had to cut the band screw to remove the band. Underneath the stock, I found little no deep pitting, with the previously visible wood line pitting still being the worst.

The stock is extremely soft throughout, and the section between the action and the band has crumbled away.
My original plan was to bisect the rot and splice in some fresh walnut, but that is no longer an option. I retrieved the khyber parts and found they appear to fit fairly well. I may install the khyber stock as is, or cut both stocks at the band and splice to make a stock that closer resembles the original.
I have concerns with the hook plate. The khyber plate is significantly less substantial than the original, and does not have the stud on the bottom. It also sounds like the plates will rip out of soft wood upon firing. Thoughts on my plan so far?

https://ibb.co/BC8vxHb
https://ibb.co/DKyb7Sj

Thank-you for posting the picture links. Sadly it would appear that they don't work.

Got off mobile and can figure out how to post pictures.

Attachment 129568Attachment 129569Attachment 129570