Khyber Pass build?

[NavyEngineer]

If anyone is interested in seeing any of the rifles currently available in the Kabul area, just let me know. I have spoken with a couple of the vendors at the Bazaars in the area, and they said they'd try to find whatever I'm interested in (hopefully that doesn't mean give them a few days, and they'll manufacture it for me!) I plan to bring one or two back strictly as wallhangers.

[Patrick Chadwick]

hopefully that doesn't mean give them a few days, and they'll manufacture it for me!)

How did you guess? Just ask them to be careful to get the fake stamps and proof marks the right way round!

Patrick

[johnny.50]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and am in the middle of a crash course in Martini Henry's and Snider Enfields. I'm stationed in Afghanistan and have been attempting to learn what not to buy.There seems to be several different lines of thought as to the purchase of Afghan rifles; especially martinis. I have fallen into the "buy with the knowledge that they may or may not fire" category.

I've picked up three , so far. One is a MK II. The right side of the receiver has not been scrubbed off and is marked Enfield MK II, 1877, but without a crown. The barrel is marked 11/78 with a serial number that matches the receiver. This seems to be a british made rifle that was re-stamped sometime in the past. The barrel is slightly dark, but definitely has martini rifling and an LSA breechblock. But, where i have really been looking is at the Afghan made martinis. I've purchased two of these; one very clean carbine and one totally scrubbed and inlaid. The carbine is void of browning on the exposed metal, but still retains excellent color beneath the forestock. The internals are in good working order, with some well made replacement parts. I spent a week trying to determine what is written on the right hand side of the receivers, contacting linguistic forums and even posting on FB (i know some Arabic, Persian Farsi and Dari speakers.) I had a Pashtu speaker come and look at it. All to no avail. Then, I received a response on the Omniglot forum. The response said it looked like kufic, an ancient arabic script used before modern arabic mostly between 900-1200 AD. So my Pashtu speaking friend took it to an Afghan professor who finally deciphered it.

The script on the side reads, "Fabriqe Jangalak", in English,r "made at Jangalak." Jangalak is an industrial area in Kabul and remained a center of production until the Soviets came in, when it was destroyed. From what i can tell, all rifles were made at Jsangalak, then stamped in the Armory where it was stored. Both of my rifles bear the seal of the Mazar-i-sharif Armory. the stamp is is supposedly the blue mosque in MIS. I am researching to see if this is the same armory that was destroyed during the current war. The other stamp seen here is from the Kabul Armory, as far as i can concern. The best examples I have seen are still blued with very bright barrels, both belonging to a friend. These three all have matching serial numbers stamped on each part, two on the stock. It also seems that the older rifles were manufactured with more care, though all are very nice rifles.

That said, I will be firing two of the three- i am a little suspicious of the inlaid rifle, since the breechblock, though well fitting, is obviously not a machined piece. But still a well made and unique rifle that says, "Afghanistan" and would probably fire just fine.

Next purchase- 1871 Snider MKIII. Can't wait for that!

Johnny

[Richardwv]

The Kabul made Martinis are made to English gauges and when containing all original parts, appear to be just as sound. Alas like many of the Brit examples there, they have been subjected to a century of use and often not repaired with quality parts. None the less, these are an interesting varient and I believe will become much more collectable as their history is better understood in the collecting community.

[johnny.50]

agreed. In the photos I'm adding, there is a photo of the guts of a Jangalak Martini, all matching numbers and perfectly machined. The rifle they come from looks like it's never been fired; shiny bore and most of the bluing still retained. I'm adding some photos this morning and will expound them tonight.

Real vs Fake Stamps


Unidentified Cartouche


Jangalak Martini Carbine Guts


Brandelin Martini- Afghanized


A nice LSA Martini - Must do more investigating!


Wall Rifles


More Wall Rifles


Unknown Stamp on cocking lever- War Dept? Fake?


LSA on Receiver Heel


MTF