Original Antique 1870's MK II Short Lever Martini Henry Rifle, Victorian Leather Sling & Fabulous Stock Patina.

This Martini is no longer available, but we have three or more arriving hopefully, early in the early summer from our restoration workshops. Including Original Antique MK II’s, Antique Short Lever Martini Henry Rifles, with Victorian Leather Slings & Fabulous Stock Patina, and steel butt plates. They will arrive back from full no expense spared conservation, taking over 40 hours, and they should look absolutely amazing. The stocks will looks as good as the very best quality walnut stocks can be, after it was used by a front rank regiment for several decades.

Returning from professional hand conservation from the group of Martini Henry's that arrived Most are already pre-sold, and reserved, but all were in the very same condition, and quality. Fully actionable and a superb tight mechanism. But suffering from corroded stock bolts. This is the reason for the severe time delays in completing restoration.

The most desirable Martini Henry are these MKII's, The very types of MK IIs as were used by the 24th Foot at Ishandwhana and Rorke's Drift, the Afghan War and several conflicts against the Mahdi in the Sudan. They were also used up to WW1 by some colonial regiments. All of our guns are original ordnance contract examples, best line regiment issue, and made either by Enfield, Birmingham Small Arms or London Small Arms, all with VR Crown mark, all are originally line regiment issue.

This rifle was made at the Enfield arms workshop in 1876, and is a truly exceptional and beautiful example, maker marked, and in very good operational order indeed with an excellent action, but clearly combat used.

The Martini Henry, .450 577 rifle was most famous British Infantry breech loading rifle of the 19th century. All of these rifles are just as were used in the film ZULU, and the exact model type as was used during the Zulu War, all very nice examples.

This Martini-Henry was the breech-loading lever-actuated rifle adopted by the British, combining an action worked on by Friedrich von Martini (based on the Peabody rifle developed by Henry Peabody), with the rifled barrel designed by Scotsman, Alexander Henry. It first entered service in 1871 replacing the Snider-Enfield, and variants were used throughout the British Empire for 30 years. It was the first British service rifle that was a true breech-loading rifle using metallic cartridges.
During the Martini-Henry period in service, the British army were involved in a large number of colonial wars, most notably the Anglo-Zulu War. The Martini Henry, 450-577, Short Lever, MK I converted/upgraded to a MK II, or, the regular MK II rifle, was the type used by the company of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot present at Rorke's Drift during the eponymous battle. The MK I originally had a small design fault in that the actions hinge pin was initially made of brass, which was too soft for continual use. The rare and early MKI's were thus converted by removing this pin, replacing it with a steel pin, and then redesignated the MKII. The Martini Henry examples we have were used throughout the British Empire, and especially sent for use by our Empire allies. in fact the Martini Henry was such a good and workable rifle that many survived to be used in WW1 by some colonial regiments.
This rifle was one from a collection that were used for lecture purposes for almost 15 years at various military bases & colleges around the country. The next last three we are awaiting return from our conservators and gun restorers, they will appear on our site when ready

As with all our original antique arms, no licence is required to own, purchase or to collect anything of that description we sell. They, and all of these rifles, are entirely unrestricted to own, collect, and display just as they are, however, we only permitted to sell to those who are over 18 of age with suitable I.d

Code: 24417