Lot 357

Martini- Henry Arabic Rolling Block Rifle

Estimate: $100 - $400

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
For your consideration is a Martini- Henry rolling block rifle. The Martini–Henry is a breech-loading single-shot lever-actuated rifle that was used by the British Army. It first entered service in 1871, eventually replacing the Snider–Enfield. Martini–Henry variants were used throughout the British Empire for 47 years. It combined the dropping-block action first developed by Henry O. Peabody and improved by the Swiss designer Friedrich von Martini. In the original chambering, the rifles fired a round-nosed, tapered-head .452-inch, soft hollow-based lead bullet, wrapped in a paper patch giving a wider diameter of .460 to .469-inch; it weighed 485 grains. It was crimped in place with two cannelures (grooves on the outside neck of the case), ahead of 2 fiber card or mill board disks, a concave beeswax wad, another card disk and cotton wool filler. This sat on top of the main powder charge inside initially a rimmed brass foil cartridge, later made in drawn brass. The cartridge case was paper lined to prevent the chemical reaction between the black powder and the brass. Known today as the .577/450, a bottle-neck design with the same base as the .577 cartridge of the Snider–Enfield. This rifle shows Arabic markings on the tang and butt stock. The rifle is in poor condition and is missing the trigger guard. The rifle is equipped with a 33 ¼” round barrel with fixed front sight and adjustable rear sight. The metal has a dark brown patina and shows heavy pitting in areas. No Serial Number. This firearm qualifies as a Curio & Relic, and requires FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.
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