Martini Henry actions
- Thread starter mauser 91
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Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
I would have a look at the auctions -Holts, Southams etc and start with a donor rifle. Cadets are rarer as I think most went to Australia, whilst here in the UK most became 22rf which will need changes to firing pin if wanting to go centrefire. You will also find plenty of BSA Martini type target rifles.
Hi, I have one I was thinking of making available for sale. Just the action and stock set for sale as I am going to be using the barrel on a smle 45-70 project.
The action has an extractor for a 45-70. All work was done by the superb Gary Whitcome of Artisan Forge, and has a semi finished stock. See pics and pm if interested.
Cheers K
The action has an extractor for a 45-70. All work was done by the superb Gary Whitcome of Artisan Forge, and has a semi finished stock. See pics and pm if interested.
Cheers K
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Hi Mauser91,
I was thinking for the action and stock around 250? I had also thought of eventually chambering to 45-90 for lower pressures but this smle fell into my lap. So the next build will be a 45-70 smle. Just for fun!
Pm me if you are interested.
Cheers K
I was thinking for the action and stock around 250? I had also thought of eventually chambering to 45-90 for lower pressures but this smle fell into my lap. So the next build will be a 45-70 smle. Just for fun!
Pm me if you are interested.
Cheers K
I built a couple of rifles on the Enfield Martini and if I remember correctly, you would be hard pressed to get a 45-90 or 45-100 to make the turn into the chamber without heavy modification of the block. I ended up building a 45-90 on a SMLE for one customer because of this. ~Muir
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Yep , I've done a few myself . The longer rounds get hung up trying to make the turn into the chamber . You can make the 45/90 fit , but , as you say , you have to deepen the groove in the breach block or modify the linkages( something I've never done ) From a practical standpoint , with today powders , there's no real advantage to go with the longer rounds in the Martini . In a stronger action like a No 4 , you can load up the 45/90 to pretty impressive velocities ( again , something we've both done , that parallel universe thing again lol ) I turned the rims on the cases down to help feeding , it worked perfectly . I got the idea for mine from an article in Rifle magazine years ago , I think we talked about when I saw you last .......... by the way , a road trip is imminent . I have a good bottle for you and a box of Cubans for Rob . Stay tuned .
AB
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
I like that rifle brother , but I get what you're going to do with the SMLE . If it wasn't for the UK laws , I'd mail you a Swedish Rolling Block I have , you can stuff some very long cartridges in it ......... plus the cool factor is very high lol .
Thanks to Scrumbag , I'm on a Winchester 1895 Lever and 1885 High Wall quest . The High Wall being my favorite American made single shot , others may disagree . I don't know what I'll chamber it in , but it will be largish , I'm open to suggestions .
AB
That parallel universe thing. "Rifle" magazine was where the step by step came from. A custome saw it and had to have it. Yes. The rims had to be turned down. I still have that reamer and some of the remaining brass from that project should you want to stop by and pick them up. Only one chamber cut on that reamer..... ~Muir
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Things are good brother , the same with you and yours I hope . The 405 is pretty much what I had in mind . There are a lot of 1895's kicking around here in 303 Brit with sewer pipe bores but sound actions . The bolt face is the same and I won't have to dick around with feed lips very much . They're reasonably priced and I already have a guy from Canadian Gun Nuts reamer exchange with a 405 reamer I can borrow . I need to get a barrel sourced and then I'm good to go . There's also a guy in Manitoba who does beautiful color case hardening , I'm tempted to send him the receiver , bolt and butt - plate ( yes butt - plate , a recoil pad would just look wrong and it's not a bench gun anyway ) actually , since you're a CGN member , you can go on there and see a 1895 that he did just rcently , it's right up there with Doug Turnbulls restorations . My apologies to the OP for the hijack .
AB
I think I have 50 pcs of brass and the reamer. I redipped the flutes so that bouncing around for the last 25 years shouldn't have nicked it up. I think i still have my notes as to how i finally got the magazine to function 100%, too. That was the **(^_&%^$%#!! part of it.~Muir
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Yes , the mags are a nightmare , it took a lot of work to get it to feed properly . On a side note , when I built a 444 Marlin on a LE No4 , I used a Savage bolt action 410 shotgun mag . I blocked the issue mag up and tacked the 410 mag inside of it . It worked perfectly and was a lot less grief . One of these days , I'll build another ........... and then give it away like the last one lol .
AB
Harry mac
Well-Known Member
If you want a Martini Henry action, try Peter Dyson. Some years ago, at one of the Bisley arms fairs, he had quite a few bare action frames going ridiculously cheap.
It might also be worth looking for one of the many "saw cut" DP carbines that are around; they can usually be had quite cheaply because they're no good for firing. The saw cut ones can also be sleeved to smaller calibres such as .32-20 or .357 Mag (provided you can find a long enough liner).
Greener GP shotguns can be used to make nice rifles as well, and complete shotguns can be found from about £50 upwards.
If you did want to go big in a Martini then an earlier Greener GP is the best base, a 577 2 3/4" will work and even the 3" will at a push.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
The only advice I'd give is that the original Martini and the Greener GP knock off of it aren't suited to high pressure cartridges. The sole bearing part on these is the pin at the rear that the block pivots down on. As seen below. Do please be aware of this and be careful. It is the design's weak point.
Unlike a true falling block the back of the falling breech on a Martini is not in contact with the rear wall of the receiver. It is only the pin and that area that of the breech it passes through that contains any back thrust. I don't know what the safe cartridge pressure is but somewhere on the internet it'll be out there. Or ask the Proof House.
Unlike a true falling block the back of the falling breech on a Martini is not in contact with the rear wall of the receiver. It is only the pin and that area that of the breech it passes through that contains any back thrust. I don't know what the safe cartridge pressure is but somewhere on the internet it'll be out there. Or ask the Proof House.
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All of the above is true! However this conversion has past proof with full nitro proof house loads very recently at the Birmingham House! They state is is more than adequate, and is very tight. As said I shall be putting the action and stock in the classifieds soon! They do make great 45-70 rifles!
Best K
This is quite true, indeed. My old friend Frank D'Haas used to say that the Cadet action was much stronger than the Martini and that is was a shame that the breechblock wasn't supported in the larger guns as in the smaller actions. For a shrot time in the 80's the US saw an influx of 'retired' surplus 303's. I reamed the action and breechblock for new pins on most of them that I rebarrled. I did two in fast twist (1-18") 444 Marlin and one in 30-40 Krag that worked well. I did another in 38-55 but the customer insisted on doing the extactor fitting himself and I never heard back from him so I don't know how it shot or functioned. On that particular action, .444 Marlin was a breeze. ~Muir
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