Original Item: Only One Available. This is a particularly interesting early British Martini-Henry rifle manufactured at Enfield in 1872, originally produced in Mark I configuration and subsequently upgraded to the Mark II standard during British service. It retains the desirable early short lever, 33" barrel, large early cocking indicator, extensive British inspection markings, Nepalese service marks, and an excellent polygonally rifled bore. The rifle came directly from our historic 2003 discovery of arms stored in the old Royal Arsenal of Nepal, giving it a remarkable service history spanning both the British Empire and Nepal.

This is an antique black powder firearm manufactured before 1899. Under federal law, it may generally be owned within the United States without a special license or permit and does not require transfer through a Federal Firearms Licensee. However, state and local laws may vary. This firearm is sold solely as a historical collector’s item and has not been test fired or inspected for firing safety by a professional gunsmith. Any mechanical or bore observations provided below describe only its present condition and should not be interpreted as confirmation that the firearm is safe to load or fire. The purchaser is solely responsible for complying with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.

The Martini-Henry is among the most recognizable British military rifles of the Victorian period. Adopted in the early 1870s, it combined Friedrich von Martini's falling block action with Alexander Henry's distinctive rifling system and chambered the powerful .577/450 Martini-Henry cartridge. Unlike the earlier Snider-Enfield, which converted existing muzzleloading rifles to breechloading operation, the Martini-Henry was designed from the outset as a purpose-built breechloading service rifle.

The type became inseparably associated with Britain's colonial campaigns, particularly the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Martini-Henry rifles were used at both Isandlwana and the famous defense of Rorke's Drift on January 22-23, 1879, where a small British and colonial garrison successfully held the mission station against a much larger Zulu force. The defense resulted in eleven Victoria Crosses being awarded to men involved in the action and helped make the Martini-Henry one of the iconic firearms of the Victorian military era.

This rifle is an especially desirable early example because its action body was manufactured at Enfield in 1872, during Mark I production, and was later upgraded to Mark II configuration.

The right side of the receiver is marked:

(CROWN)
V.R.
ENFIELD
1872
(Crowned Broad Arrow)
II.   

The crowned V.R. is the royal cypher of Queen Victoria, Victoria Regina. ENFIELD identifies manufacture at the Royal Small Arms Factory, and 1872 is the original date of manufacture.

The II below the acceptance marking identifies the rifle in its final Mark II configuration. Particularly significant is the position of this mark. The second Roman numeral appears offset rather than forming a perfectly centered original II, a feature encountered on early Mark I rifles subsequently upgraded to Mark II standard.

Additional physical evidence confirms the conversion. Early Mark I rifles were originally fitted with a mechanical safety on the right side of the action. On this rifle the holes associated with that system have been plugged, and the corresponding slot beside the right side of the trigger guard remains visible. These surviving alterations provide strong evidence that the action began life as an early Mark I before being brought up to later service specifications.

The rifle retains the early short operating lever and 33" barrel. This is the classic configuration associated with the Martini-Henry rifles of the 1870s, well before the adoption of the much longer operating lever on the later Mark IV.

British military inspection and proof marks are present throughout the metal components, as expected on a service rifle produced and accepted through the Enfield system.

The rifle later entered Nepalese service. On the left side of the barrel beneath the rear sight is the marking:

N . S
N E P

This marking is associated with arms transferred for service in Nepal, generally interpreted as indicating Native State Nepal. Additional markings in Devanagari script appear on the right side of the receiver and on the butt stock, reflecting subsequent Nepalese inventory or unit use.

This rifle came directly from the remarkable cache of historic arms acquired by IMA from Nepal in 2003. Many of these rifles had remained in long term arsenal storage for generations, which accounts for the characteristic combination of original military components, Nepalese repairs and substitutions, surface oxidation, and remarkably preserved internal parts seen on many examples.

The metalwork on this rifle shows a pleasing service aged surface with the original finish largely worn into a peppery gray and brown oxidized patina. There is scattered past oxidation throughout, together with more noticeable erosion along the wood line of the fore stock, typical of arms that spent many decades in Nepalese arsenal storage.

The stocks have developed an attractive dark red brown color. The fore stock appears to have been replaced during arsenal service, most likely while the rifle was in Nepal. It is unusually clean compared with the balance of the rifle and is almost entirely devoid of markings and heavy service wear.

The butt stock retains significantly more historical marking. A faint original British stock roundel remains visible and includes:

R (Crown) M
(Broad Arrow)
WD
ENFIELD
1

The Enfield and War Department markings identify the stock as British military property, while the numeral 1 denotes a First Class arm classification.

The butt stock also shows an additional inlet farther to the rear consistent with accommodation for the longer lever arrangement used on later Martini rifles, including the Mark IV. This suggests that the stock itself may have been reused or altered during a later arsenal rebuild. Such component substitutions are commonly encountered on rifles that remained in extended Indian or Nepalese service, and the stock should not necessarily be assumed to be original to the 1872 action.

Both sling swivels remain present and move freely. The cleaning rod is also intact and retains its threaded end.

The rear sight is complete and mechanically functional. The ladder moves correctly, although the slider presently does not grip the ladder securely and will require adjustment if the sight is to hold a selected elevation.

The Martini action cycles smoothly during manual inspection. When the lever is lowered, the extractor presents correctly at the chamber, although we have not tested the rifle with a fired or empty cartridge case and therefore cannot confirm actual extraction or ejection under ammunition.

The rifle dry fires correctly, and the large early style cocking indicator moves appropriately with operation of the action. We have not disassembled the action to verify the present condition of the striker.

The bore is in very good condition. The distinctive Henry pattern polygonal rifling remains strong, with only light evidence of old fouling in the grooves and no major interior oxidation or other significant damage observed. Henry rifling looks quite different from conventional sharply cut lands and grooves, using a polygonal bore form that was intended in part to reduce fouling and facilitate cleaning when firing black powder ammunition.

With its early 1872 Enfield action, clear evidence of conversion from Mark I to Mark II configuration, short operating lever, surviving early cocking indicator, Nepalese transfer and Devanagari markings, British First Class stock roundel, complete cleaning rod, and very good bore, this rifle has an unusually layered service history. It is an excellent example for a collection focused on early Martini-Henry development, Victorian British military arms, Anglo-Zulu War era weaponry, or the fascinating British and Nepalese service history represented by the Nepal cache.

Specifications:-

Year of Manufacture: 1885
Maker: R.S.A.F. Enfield
Model: P-1871 Martini-Henry MkII Rifle
Caliber: .577/450 Martini-Henry
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 33.22 inches
Overall Length: 49 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Falling Block
Feed System: Single Shot
Federal Classification: Pre-1899 Antique

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers". Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services.