Looking to purchase my first Martini Henry

[flygrimm]

A local seller has a MK IV for sale. Pictures at Martini - Album on Imgur . Real deal, Khyber pass or not enough info to tell either way?

Want a shooter.

Thanks for the help.

Stuart

Information

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[yulzari]

Looks to be a fairly standard MkIV from the Nepal armouries via IMA. I bought one direct from IMA and it was faultless bar a broken firing pin spring (replaced courtesy of Peter Dyson). A sound choice for a first martini. X-Ring Services will do you excellent cheap cartridge cases and even a mould.

[Dwr461]

I finished restoring my first Martini Henry Mk2 from Atlanta Cutlery about a month ago. I loved restoring the rifle. It was the most fun I've had in years. Now I'm getting set up reload for it.

Unless you don't enjoy working on old guns and repairing old wood, I'd just order one from AC or IMA.

Dave

[flygrimm]

Thanks for the replies. I do enjoy working on old guns. This would be my first restoration type project. I usually do more modern stuff, Lee Enfields, Springfields and the mandatory AR. The seller says that the striker spring is broken and it has the MK I cleaning rod. I saw on AtlantaCuttlery.com that they have the spring so no problem there.

Stuart

[flygrimm]

Got a web address for X-Ring Services? All I found was a Facebook page. Being the anti-social type I don't do Facebook.

Stuart

[dennis g]

xringservices@yahoo.com Martyn is a great guy. Just got a M-H mold from him and waiting on a Snider mold.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Looks real enough to me AS FAR AS I CAN TELL FROM PHOTOS ALONE.


I must have seen a 3-figure number of dodgy M-Hs before I found a 100% genuine example, after 4 years of searching. Hands-on examination is vital, as I once handled a good fake that would have fooled anybody on the basis of photos alone. Ali Bubba and colleagues are getting better, but they never get the hollow in the block to look right. However, some of the fakes are mixmasters incorporating original parts... If you get this rifle, please post a detail photo of the area below the "1887". The (at present illegible) markings there will reveal more of its history.

[Richardwv]

Definitely a Nepal cache rifle, being a pattern "A" MK IV that was part of the final shipment of aid weapons to Nepal in 1909. The front action screw is a modern replacement that other than looking out of place shouldn't be an issue. All very standard markings for one with this background. While the IMA/AC MK IV rifles normally cleaned up to very good condition with sharp bores, now that they've been in circulation a while that is no longer a given. I have yet to see a MK IV direct from IMA with corrosion in the action, chamber or bore....but am seeing more than a few resales lately that show that Nepal's troops took much better care of their rifles than many of the more recent civilian owners.

[flygrimm]

Going to see it tonight. Will let you know what I think. Seller says there is a small crack in the stock (5th picture). Doesn't look like it is in a place that would let it propagate.

Stuart

[Richardwv]

That crack is from the wood shrinking around the top butt plate screw, which isn't uncommon and as you say, isn't likely to propagate further. It does raise the point that you should look for other stress points in the wood where shrinkage could be setting up additional crack situations....the most common of which is to check that the butt stock is actually seated on the bottom of the action's butt socket and not on the thin back edge of the action. A common cure for shrinkage there is to place a few thin shims in the butt socket and reinstall the butt. All of such issues are readily addressed if the mechanics and bore check out. Good luck!