Martini Henry Question

[Burrhead]

When I picked my Rolling Block up today I looked at a Martini Henry in 577-450 Martini I was curious about anyone here's experience with this weapon. I am considering purchasing this and would like to know how difficult reload components and load data would be to find.
Thanks
Burrhead

[Junk Yard Dog]

Dies can be had but they are limited production and expensive, Dixie should be able to supply brass, bullet molds and such. Used by Queen Victoria's army's 1870's-1890's. Look up the battle for Rorks Drift 1879, and the movie made of the event called Zulu. This was the rifle the British used while we had the trapdoor Springfield, being the height of the empire the Martini Henry was used all over the world. Good solid rifle, they can be found in very good condition 1920's imports, or the Nepal hoard relics that can be either colonial copy's or original British made rifles. A must have along with the Snider for any BPC rifle collection.

[bunkysdad]

I am sure I have seen that ammo available but where? I'll be back with a link.

[bunkysdad]

Buffalo Arms. 15 bucks a round. Midway USA has new brass for 141.00 for 20.00

[Darryl]

When I picked my Rolling Block up today I looked at a Martini Henry in 577-450 Martini I was curious about anyone here's experience with this weapon. I am considering purchasing this and would like to know how difficult reload components and load data would be to find.
Thanks
Burrhead

Not that hard to make, but there are a few things that you have to know. I would check out this forum on British Martinis, and Sniders.

http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/ ... nS0u-L55vk

I load .577 snider rounds, but Martini loads are a little different. They have that neck down.

[entropy]

The brass is a quandry, because the original rounds were so thin. The newer brass isn't, and can make for difficult extraction. One of my 'bucket list' projects is a custom made (by me) rifle on a Martini "Cadet" action, in either .22 Hornet or .32-20.

[Burrhead]

When I picked my Rolling Block up today I looked at a Martini Henry in 577-450 Martini I was curious about anyone here's experience with this weapon. I am considering purchasing this and would like to know how difficult reload components and load data would be to find.
Thanks
Burrhead

Not that hard to make, but there are a few things that you have to know. I would check out this forum on British Martinis, and Sniders.

http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/ ... nS0u-L55vk

I load .577 snider rounds, but Martini loads are a little different. They have that neck down.

Dolk,
I've been looking at the forums for the Martini's and one guy clams to be shooting BP with an air gap in the cartridge. This goes against everything I've been taught about loading BPCR rounds. I always compress mine and Mike Venturino's SPG book stress this point when loading. So I kind of wonder about some of the people out there. Anyway I sure enough like the looks of the rifle I'm looking at. But the cost to tool up to load for it is staggering. Besides I have a hot offer on a Argentine 1891 Carbine also. Then Williiams has a pretty nice looking 1908 Mauser too. Decisions, Decisions...

[Junk Yard Dog]

One day he will be the subject of the storys they tell at the medical examiners Christmas party, that guy who came in with half a rifle stuck in his head.

[Darryl]

When I picked my Rolling Block up today I looked at a Martini Henry in 577-450 Martini I was curious about anyone here's experience with this weapon. I am considering purchasing this and would like to know how difficult reload components and load data would be to find.
Thanks
Burrhead

Not that hard to make, but there are a few things that you have to know. I would check out this forum on British Martinis, and Sniders.

http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com/ ... nS0u-L55vk

I load .577 snider rounds, but Martini loads are a little different. They have that neck down.

Dolk,
I've been looking at the forums for the Martini's and one guy clams to be shooting BP with an air gap in the cartridge. This goes against everything I've been taught about loading BPCR rounds. I always compress mine and Mike Venturino's SPG book stress this point when loading. So I kind of wonder about some of the people out there. Anyway I sure enough like the looks of the rifle I'm looking at. But the cost to tool up to load for it is staggering. Besides I have a hot offer on a Argentine 1891 Carbine also. Then Williiams has a pretty nice looking 1908 Mauser too. Decisions, Decisions...

There has always been a "disagreement about the air gap on Martini loads. Snider is not a pproblem and I load them all the time (.577). The disagreement is about the bottle down case. some say you can't use a filler in those rounds as it causes a build up of pressure because of the bottle neck. They show you opened (antique or vintage) Martini rounds with no filler and a gap.

Others are like you or I. Air gaps and BP is a no no (for the most part). I haven't got to the Martini load yet.

I do Snider rounds and they use the same brass, but don't have the bottle neck on the Snider round, so I use a filler
viewtopic.php?f=30&t=307&p=2328&hilit=s ... adox#p2328

I don't know if the Martini uses the same bullet as the Snider does (I know, both .577, but the Snider uses a .59 bullet). Jim knows a lot about the Martini. I'm still learning.
If so, I have a ton of those. They do use the same brass to start with, but the Martini is a lot harder case to make from scratch. You can't hardly find Snider cases, so I make them, but you can find Martini cases (sometimes).


One thing about firing .577 at a paper target......it makes very big holes! (hard to cove up)!

Darryl

[Burrhead]

I'm loading for a 43 Spanish now and I have a second one I just purchased that I'm cleaning up to shoot it. The 43 Spanish is a bottle neck case but not as sharply shouldered as the Martini case. From my reading the Martini uses a .468"-.470" diameter bullet and the rifling is suppose to be different as well. IF I decide to take the plunge on this I'll be looking for more loading information as I setup for it.
Thanks a Bunch
Burrhead

[Darryl]

https://www.libertytreecollectors.com/p ... dcategory=


Ouch!


PS, I knew the bullet on a Martini is smaller then a Snider (because of the bottle down neck). I think I am getting older and saying things that are dumb! Oldtimers???

[entropy]

They show you opened (antique or vintage) Martini rounds with no filler and a gap.

Those were originally loaded with Cordite, not BP. I would not load BP cartridges without filler, bottleneck or no. I use pillow filling in reduced smokeless loads,(both bottleneck and not) probably would do the same with BP.

[Junk Yard Dog]

They show you opened (antique or vintage) Martini rounds with no filler and a gap.

Those were originally loaded with Cordite, not BP. I would not load BP cartridges without filler, bottleneck or no. I use pillow filling in reduced smokeless loads,(both bottleneck and not) probably would do the same with BP.

The Martini Henry ( 1871-1888) predates the invention of smokeless powder, so does it's cartridge. All original M-H rounds were black powder loaded with 85 grains F or FFG, the French did not invent smokeless powder until 1886, and the Germans stole it before the British did. Filler back then on any round requiring it was cotton in it's natural state, and the 577-450 did use it. Read up on the early M-H rounds, lots of interesting experimentation with coiled brass, copper, paper, and so on. If you want to shoot your Martini with smokeless then at least do it with a cartridge converter, this would be a chamber insert allowing the use of .45LC revolver cartridges. Old Western Scrounger had these when I bought one 15 years ago, they may still have them. This is a cheap and quick way to shoot the M-H, just don't expect stellar accuracy.

[Darryl]

It was my understanding that the British didn't start using Cordite until the .303 round. Stopped using it around WWI ?

Martini Henry would have been Black Powder (I think). Have to go back and check.

[entropy]

They did, but I've seen .577-450 rounds with cordite in them, probably loaded in and or for the many British Colonial forces that still used the Martini-Henry into the 20th Century. They were in a collection of cartridges for sale at a gun show. You are correct that the original load was BP.

[Burrhead]

We'll I'm concerned with all the expense to load for this if I was to take the plunge on it. I'd need the large press and the dies then a mould for casting bullets as well and of course brass. So the Boss isn't too happy about the prospects of me getting into another BP rifle and I did buy another Argentine Rolling Block I have yet to shoot. She did bribe me yesterday by putting a Star SS 380 in layaway for me at Williams Gunsight. So I have to hold off or find a way to sneak it into the house and we all know where that will get me.
Entropy another member posted a link here to some 577-450 smokeless loaded ammo, so ya it was loaded with other than BP.
Barrhead