Nepalese Martini-Henrys?

[HankB]

I've been reading a lot lately about a cache of British Martini-Henry rifles in .577-.450 caliber which were found in Nepal . . . supposedly, they're in decent condition (for 100+ year old rifles) and, after a bit of cleaning up, are functional, and OK to shoot with appropriate ammo. (Kind of like an old Trapdoor Springfield.)

I've been a bit interested in these ancient breechloaders since I first saw the movie Zulu in my youth. These Nepalese rifles probably never got near RSA, but still make for an interesting piece of history.

So . . . has anyone at THR had experience with these rifles? Comments, impressions, and recommendations would be most welcome.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I've shot them -- I lived in Egypt in the '50s, and they were standard police and Camel Corps issue. My dad was in the oil exploration business, and when out in the desert, you could sometimes bribe Camel Corps troops to let you fire a few shots (they had to pay for each cartridge used.)

Those I shot were nothing to write home about -- I remember one that we had to shim the chamber with twigs, and the case split on firing and released a huge puff of smoke from the breech!

 

[Das Pferd]

I've been reading a lot lately about a cache of British Martini-Henry rifles in .577-.450 caliber which were found in Nepal . . . supposedly, they're in decent condition (for 100+ year old rifles) and, after a bit of cleaning up, are functional, and OK to shoot with appropriate ammo. (Kind of like an old Trapdoor Springfield.)

Was this add in Shotgun News by any chance?

 

[Jim Watson]

The ads are in every recent gun publication I have read.

Ross Seyfried cleaned up two of them for an article in Rifle. He says if you get a good one, wash out the barrel with boiling water and see what Henry rifling looks like when new.

If you want to shoot one very much, best be a pretty well equipped handloader or have a large ammo budget, the few places selling .577-.450 are very expensive.