Original Item: Only One Available. Here we have a very interesting British Martini-Henry MkII rifle made by the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock in 1876. This was not part of the Nepal purchase, and has no Negari or other Nepalese markings. This is a genuine War Department marked military issue Mark II Martini-Henry, though for some reason it has been smoothbored to about .488, which is 40 bore / gauge. We do not know if this was intended to fire slugs or to fire shot, but it may be one of many "Prison Service" style shotguns put into use. We have also heard that these may have been used by regimental pioneers, and used buck shot cartridges.

We have not really been able to find much about the history of this example, though it does not have any "opposed broad arrows" sold out of service markings, so it may have been some type of experimental piece.

The right side of the receiver is marked:

The barrel nocks form bears original proof marks, which look to be fairly standard for Martini-Henry rifles. There is however X4796 marked on the left barrel nocks form, with B / 5861 on the right side, matching the marking on the lower right receiver. We did not attempt to remove stock to see if there are any proofs under the barrel that may shed light on the conversion.

This example is in very nice condition, as the pictures show. The action cycles and dry fires, and the bore is quite clean, and does not show much use since being smoothbored. The original rear sight was partly removed and ground down, turning it into a simple notched rear sight. The stock is a lovely color, showing usual wear from use, and still retains both sling swivels, as well as the cleaning rod.

A very interesting smoothbored MkII "Short Lever" Martini-Henry, ready to research and display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1876
Caliber: .488 - 40 Bore
Barrel Length: 33 inches
Overall Length: 49 1/4 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Falling Block
Feed System: Single Shot

Below copy is courtesy of martinihenry.org-

During the development of the Martini Henry IC1 carbine, the RSAF decided to utilize the same component parts to produce a new mark of rifle, the intention to make the parts interchangeable. On 22nd August 1879, the MkIII rifle was accepted into service LOC 3998 “Rifle Breech loading, with Cleaning rod Martini Henry Interchangeable MKIII”, it took the same basic form of the MkII rifle, with some re-designed features. The first orders for 30,000 MkIII were placed on the RSAF in 1879, at a cost per rifle of £2.13s.10d, with combined orders for the trade BSA, LSA & NAA fo9r 10,000 arms at a cost of £2.18S.9d. The MkIII. Rifle was designed primarily as an arm for Volunteer, Militia and Dominion governments.

The MkIII was an exercise in durability, the barrel had a new double hump knocks form, primarily to give an enhanced grip when the barrel was held in the breeching vice. Because of this re-design, the lug hole brazed on the underside of the barrel to hold the fore-end and cross pin common to MkI & II rifles were discontinued, as a result The MkIII had the “Fore-end Hook” method of fixing, a screw fixed metal plate was let into the underside of the forestock, this hooked into a keeper slot grooved into the front of the action, a feature copied from the carbine development. As the walnut fore stock blank no longer needed to be located into the receiver mortice slot, it extend .312” longer along the barrel than the MkII rifle.

During sighting tests, it was found that the Henry rifled barrel affected a natural deflection at ranges beyond 600 yards, as a result the MkIII. sight bed was soldered onto the barrel with a 1 degree 6 minutes left hand of centre bias, resulting that when the back sight ladder was lifted this adjustment corrected the deflection. The MkIII. back sight bed was lengthened by 1/8” (3mm), to give the lowered sight leaf more support

A new pattern Breech block had been approved under order No68 22nd March 1878, and designated pattern III. This new block was made wider to eliminate play in the action when opened and closed, it also utilized a new design of firing pin, .002” narrower at the point to increase clearance. The most obvious change was the firing pin itself, the MkIII design was now fully cylindrical with a diameter of .056” purpose made to be a sliding fit into the spring chamber of the block. The breech block was purposely designed to interchange with all previous marks of rifles and carbines, to make it readily identified, The block was marked with the Roman numeral III, under the WD mark and the Maltese Cross on the opposite side, the stop nut and the rear of the firing pin to be marked similarly.

On 5th March 1883, Viscount Lewisham asked parliamentary question directed to the Secretary of State “ when he could inform the House how soon the Martini Henry will be served out to the Volunteers?”, SoS reported “ It is not desirable to increase production although we are very anxious to issue the superior arm to the Volunteers as soon as possible, I am afraid I cannot promise them this year”

During this time production of MKIII rifles had exceeded 95,000, with orders for the New South Wales Government alone of 6,500 pieces and Canada 5000. The MkIII rifle was made in large quantities, ending production in 1889. Pattern changes included:

- Pattern approved in August of 1879, introduced into service March of 1882 in LoC Paragraph 3998

- Small cocking indicator taken from the Carbine models

- Forend no longer attached by a pin going through the wood. Mark IIIs utilize a hook arrangement that hooks into the front of the receiver

- Roman numeral "III" on right side of receiver, below that, the Arabic numeral "1". Same configuration on the buttstock with the manufacturer's roundel

- New, wider breechblock to reduce movement when the block is opened/closed

- Firing pin hole diameter increased .002"

- Stronger, wider (.002") firing pin

- Improved rear sight. Rear sight was mounted slightly off center to the left to correct rifling deflection issues

- Made by RSAF Enfield, BSA (Birmingham Small Arms), LSA (London Small Arms), NAA (National Arms and Ammunition Co) and HRB (Henry Rifled Barrel Company)

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