Martini Henry actions

[karamoja]

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

Hi Muir, of the two current projects one is a martini BSA no 6 action in 30-30. I really want a 7-30 Waters and if the barrel is not that accurate I will rebarrel to 7-30 waters one day.
I need to fit a safety so any advice or ideas are welcome!
Cheers K

 

[Muir]

Hi Muir, of the two current projects one is a martini BSA no 6 action in 30-30. I really want a 7-30 Waters and if the barrel is not that accurate I will rebarrel to 7-30 waters one day.
I need to fit a safety so any advice or ideas are welcome!
Cheers K

The best safety for a Martini is to carry it with the breech open! I have seen several commercial/custom Martini with a built in safety. The most prevalent was a lever that swung back and blocked the sear engaging part of the trigger from coming forward. What that looked like internally, I can't tell you.

Frank d'Haas once told me he built a 'safety' that was fitted to the trigger guard of a large martini and was in essence, a sliding bar that blocked the rearward travel of the trigger -like a push button shotgun safety. I have a 25-20 Cadet with a similar safety machined into the action. I sent Frank some photo's of a large martini with a sliding bar safety that was machined into the front of the trigger guard. The bar came back and blocked the trigger nose from tipping downward. I got a response saying that he (d'Haas) didn't trust any safety that didn't arrest the striker directly and that anything that just blocked the trigger was a stop gap. He was an advocate of simply closing the lever before you shot. I use my 25-20 like that despite the safety.

I'm thinking the simplest would be a lever that swung down from the upper rear of the trigger guard and engaged the rear of the trigger. (ala AK47) In an tight action it would probably be as safe as any.~Muir

 

[FISH BOY]

What a coincidence finding this thread.

Only today I went to a bbq and someone gave me this. Knew nothing about it except it came from Muscat over 40 years ago and mentioned the name Martini Henry.

Top has been crudely crimped in 4 places and with a big old slug!!

 

[karamoja]

The best safety for a Martini is to carry it with the breech open! I have seen several commercial/custom Martini with a built in safety. The most prevalent was a lever that swung back and blocked the sear engaging part of the trigger from coming forward. What that looked like internally, I can't tell you.

Frank d'Haas once told me he built a 'safety' that was fitted to the trigger guard of a large martini and was in essence, a sliding bar that blocked the rearward travel of the trigger -like a push button shotgun safety. I have a 25-20 Cadet with a similar safety machined into the action. I sent Frank some photo's of a large martini with a sliding bar safety that was machined into the front of the trigger guard. The bar came back and blocked the trigger nose from tipping downward. I got a response saying that he (d'Haas) didn't trust any safety that didn't arrest the striker directly and that anything that just blocked the trigger was a stop gap. He was an advocate of simply closing the lever before you shot. I use my 25-20 like that despite the safety.

I'm thinking the simplest would be a lever that swung down from the upper rear of the trigger guard and engaged the rear of the trigger. (ala AK47) In an tight action it would probably be as safe as any.~Muir

Hi Muir,
There seems to be no simple answer. I dont like a purely trigger blocking safety either and I also don't much like the idea of carrying it half open. But it's a nice problem to have! Ha...
Cheers K

 

[scrumbag]

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

Dude, if you want me to advise you not to buy guns, I certainly will... But I don't particularly want to do and I don't think you want me too either....

Anyway, I thought you were going to fix up a repro 1895 and rebarrel it to 9.3x62..?

 

[alberta boy]

Dude, if you want me to advise you not to buy guns, I certainly will... But I don't particularly want to do and I don't think you want me too either....

Anyway, I thought you were going to fix up a repro 1895 and rebarrel it to 9.3x62..?

You could , but I'd probably ignore you lol . I still might build a 9.3 chambered 95 , but I have a number of projects to finish first . One I picked up last week . It's a grey rat 95 in 303 Brit . I got it cheap because the bore looked like a sewer . After giving the bore a scrub , it didn't look that bad . I made the mistake of shooting it ......... it shoots great . I now own a shooter 95 , and will have to look for another one with a hooped bore to build a 405 on . First world problems .
By the way , I flogged the 351 Winchester . I did keep the brass you sent me though , I'm not a total ingrate . Besides , I know I'll end up with another one .......... I have to , I have the brass for one . And that's how I justify buying more rifles lol .

AB

 

[hybridfiat]

Hi where would be the best place to source a martini-Henry or cadet donor action ?

They are easily found on google in the US but no luck this side of the pond.

I've got a couple of Henry and Cadet actions but I don't think it would be possible to send them to you.
Getting a firearm OUT of Australia is as hard as getting one in.
I have a rifle Enfield converted to .303 and Cordite Proofed that I've converted to .35 Whelen Rimmed. It rocks! 200gn Hornady FX at 2800fps.
No pressure signs after 300 rounds and no stretching.
I had to slightly mod a .35 W reamer and used 9.3x72 RWS cases cut down and necked to .358.
I'd thought of going to .375 but the recoil is vicious (measured at 24fps) so I'm glad I didn't.
It has claimed 3 victims and left it's mark on their forehead.