Description
Original British P-1885 Martini-Henry MkIV Rifle Pattern C with MkIII Sword Bayonet – Cleaned and Complete Condition
Item Description
Original British P-1885 Martini-Henry MkIV Rifle Pattern C. Part of our exclusive discovery of antique firearms in the royal palace of Nepal. The great success of the P-1871 Martini Henry Short Lever Rifle had only been marred by the occasional difficulty experienced with the ejection of the spent cartridge from powder residue fouling the chamber.
The solution was the introduction of the P-1885 “long lever” model that provided great leverage for case extraction. In front-line service for only three years when it was superseded by the .303 cal P-1888 magazine Rifle, the P-1885 Martini saw principal use in Britain’s overseas colonial empire.
Every “cleaned & complete” rifle we sell has been taken fully apart, carefully cleaned, preserved, and rebuilt replacing any worn or broken parts by our resident master antique gunsmith. These come complete with a Mark III Sword bayonet with a steel or brass fitted leather scabbard (our choice).
Official documentation tells us that approximately 100,000 Pattern C MkIV Martini-Henry rifles were ever produced.
Approximate MKIV Production numbers:
Patterns
A- 22,000
B- 40,000
C- 100,000
Every MKIV Martini-Henry rifle bears a date within the 1880s and comes complete with a fabulous original British-manufactured MK3 Sword Bayonet with Scabbard.
Martini Henry Pattern C is a conversion of the Enfield
Martini MK1.
Unique Features
1) Block or Ramp style front sight
2) Long knocks-form (but will be approximately 1/2 of an inch shorter than Pattern B)
3) Two rows of proof marks under the barrel.
The below copy is courtesy of martinihenry.org-
With the decision to make the general issue of the Martini-Henry MKII & MkIII to the militia and Volunteers in January 1885 and the impending new .303″ caliber and the suspension and ultimate cancellation of the .402″ bore Enfield Martini in June 1887. It was decided as a short-term measure to convert those 65000 .402″ Enfield Martinis already made into a usable .577/450″ arm. The new rifle was to be designated the Martini-Henry MkIV at the cost to convert those arms was expected to be 6s 6d per piece.
The success of enhanced extraction of the longer lever of the Enfield-Martini Pattern B rifle was readily adopted for all MkIV patterns. Those existing Enfield-Martini A pattern walnut stocks required the brass stock cup re-siting to correspond with the long levers’ tip. The process required a fresh recess hole to be drilled and the cup re-set. A purpose-made wooden plug was glued into the hole completing the process. As the stocks were all removed there is no consistency as to which stock was fitted to the A or B pattern, so they will be found on any pattern.
Original British P-1885 Martini-Henry MkIV Rifle Pattern C
Wherever possible the old components were re-used, and the “E-M” designation originally marked on many of the parts betrays today its original pedigree often scored through thus: E-M. The A pattern trigger assembly, designed to accept the E-M’s safety was reamed to remove the original configuration. Whilst Receivers and buttstocks of the old pattern had an extra Roman numeral “V” stamped alongside the original “I”. Whilst newly made but unused components have a distinctive “IV” classification. A new pattern clearing rod, designed to spring into place and to be suitable with the use of the new steel jag was installed and the nose cap was redesigned. However, it was decided to retain to old pattern Barleycorn on Block foresight on the pattern “A”.
Martini Henry MkIV pattern B & C
The Enfields’ records throw into confusion as to what happened to the 49,902 Pattern B .402″ arms manufactured. These rifles required less conversion, the obvious re-bore to .577/450 caliber. And apart from sighting alteration and re-tooling of the extractor, it was a far easier task to convert. These existing Pattern B rifles after barrel conversion to the new .577/450 were designated as the Martini-Henry MkIV Pattern “C”, or “conversions”. Whilst those rifles were made as new pieces, from new components which were rifled to .577/.450″ were known as Martini Henry Pattern “B”.
The author begs to be controversial and also doubts conventional thinking on the issue. In my collection, I have a Martini-Henry pattern B, with a “B” designation to the serial number, several B markings on the knocks form, and B on the receiver. I have inspected 15 other examples and found the same. All proof marks are single lines, not twin lines of proofs. A discrepancy, or maybe proof indeed of the original nomenclature. However, to confuse matters, the official List of change No 5603, announcing the issue of the MH MkIV clearly states the knocks form of patterns A & B are 1/8th inch shorter than the pattern C. Whichever, the new sealed patterns were offered for adoption and accepted on the same date 15th Sept 1887
In 1895 BSA & M Co was contracted to refurbish 5000 Martini Henry MkIV. It is to be noted these rifles carry the BSA & M Co logo. However, these rifles have Enfield-made barrels and therefore are not BSA original pieces.
Specifications-
Years of Manufacture: 1884-1889
Caliber: .577/450 Martini-Henry
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 32 inches
Overall Length: 49 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Falling Block
Feed System: Single Shot
NOTE: “Cleaned and Complete” antique guns are often cleaned to order, So these may not be available for same-day expedited shipping. International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail International will not accept these.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.