Martini Henry
Lawful Martini-Henry of the British army.
Martini-Henry, if it is equipped with a barrel to the calibre .45 provided with the special stripes invented by Alexandre Henry, Scottish arms manufacturer of Edinburgh who also created famous British individual Shot gauges 577 in 1861 of it.
If the barrel is with the 303 gauge, it is Martini-Metford, appeared later; but it is in any case a lawful rifle of the English army, and the punches which are above are the English official punches.
The marks on the left side of the carcass, in front of the indicator of loading, are also the English official marks, the "VR" under the crown meaning "Victoria Regina", and the "BSA", "British Small Arms".
The date of 1889 makes me think of a rifle which would have been useful during the War of Boers in South Africa.
The Martini alternatives, there is much of it. It is enough for you to type "Martini-Henry" on your search motor, and you will see. It is phenomenal.
But this one is the lawful model, that which tears off you the shoulder with his passing.
Good weapon, but extremely unpleasant to use when it is wholesale gauge.
Francotte (Belgian Craftsman) manufactured hundreds in small gauge, like the 22 or the 25/20.
In small calibre, it is a weapon very appraisal of the sporting shooters.
I do not have unfortunately enough documentation to identify all the punches, but I will seek a little.
Marcel
