Martini Shotguns

[Cannoneer]

Does anyone remember when Navy Arms was selling a 14 gauge Martini Shotgun? They could sell it w/o FFL because it not only was in a oddball obsolete caliber but had a three pronged firing pit so you could not rebarrel it to a modern cartridge.

[Janoosh]

I bought three when they were available. Now, I've only got two and an action left. I also bought a box of the stepped shotshells. All brass, arabic writing on the box. I had one made into a 12 gauge slug gun. A stump gun, just too heavy to stalk with.

[Janoosh]

I bought three when they were available. Now, I've only got two and an action left. I also bought a box of the stepped shotshells. All brass, arabic writing on the box. I had one made into a 12 gauge slug gun. A stump gun, just too heavy to stalk with.

[JeffinNZ]

They make a good base for a rifle rebarrel job.

[Ed in North Texas]

Does anyone remember when Navy Arms was selling a 14 gauge Martini Shotgun? They could sell it w/o FFL because it not only was in a oddball obsolete caliber but had a three pronged firing pit so you could not rebarrel it to a modern cartridge.

Navy Arms and everybody else in the surplus business had the Greener shotguns at one time. The were also produced in 12 gauge,and IIRC they were initially intended for Prison Guard duty.

As Jeff said, they make a good action on which to build a rifle (with attention to the extra holes in the breech block. I don't recollect if a regular large frame Martini-Henry breech block fits).

[John Taylor]

I have converted many over to rifles. The three prongs on the firing pin are broken off and it becomes a normal center fire ( with three gas vents in the breach face). You want to stay with black powder cartridges or equivalent, no hot rodding.

[Janoosh]

I would like to convert one of these to a 16ga round ball or buckshot gun. Cylinder or improved cylinder, tapered bore for a deer, pig, bird shotgun. Round ball for deer at @ 60-75 yds, pigs up close, and bird shot for small game.

[steg]

I was looking for an action, finally just gave up on finding one.............................steg

[Buckshot]

..............Bought a few loose actions and turned one into a .444 Marlin:



.............Buckshot

[plmitch]

..............Bought a few loose actions and turned one into a .444 Marlin:



.............Buckshot

now that is just sweet!

[Janoosh]

Very nice! I have a Navy Arms catalog from the 70's that lists a target Martini in .444. Your's must be what it looked like as I have never seen even a picture of one. Did you sleeve the barrel? Nice rear sight! Classy all around. Thanks for the foto.

[Buckshot]

Very nice! I have a Navy Arms catalog from the 70's that lists a target Martini in .444. Your's must be what it looked like as I have never seen even a picture of one. Did you sleeve the barrel? Nice rear sight! Classy all around. Thanks for the foto.

.............Thanks! I built it from scratch. Barrel was a 26" Douglas blank (14" twist) from Numrich. Wood came from Fajen, and that rollover cheekpiece REALLY needs to go. I made the rear sight. If you want to see how I did that, it's here: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=132527

..............Buckshot

[Janoosh]

I noticed the stepped barrel and presumed the barrel was sleeved. My mistake. A while back, I picked up a Navy Arms action. It is engraved and marked either Service Armament or Navy Arms, I forget which. I'll have to dig it out of the projects box. I often wonder what ever happened to the target rifles Navy Arms sold. 444 and 45/70 on Martini actions. Where'd they all go?

[Buckshot]

I noticed the stepped barrel and presumed the barrel was sleeved. My mistake. A while back, I picked up a Navy Arms action. It is engraved and marked either Service Armament or Navy Arms, I forget which. I'll have to dig it out of the projects box. I often wonder what ever happened to the target rifles Navy Arms sold. 444 and 45/70 on Martini actions. Where'd they all go?

I have a book or an article copied out of some magazine about a guy building a sporter from one of the Martini actions when they were actually produced to be sold "As commercial actions", and you could buy them engraved. Somehow or t'other, the gun author Dean Grennell was involved in this person's endeavor. Maybe in helping him with load developement. Anyway I recall Dean's smiling face in there a couple times

Where'd they all go? I don't know really, but seeing what happens to an Uncle's, Dad's, or Grandfather's firearms after they'd gone to the big range in the sky is a pure amazement to me sometimes. I still have one of those Greener actions, and a MkII Martini in a box (along with a #1 Rem RB, a Swede Mauser and four 1894 Brazilian (FN made) actions.

One of the old pistol shooters at our range passed away and his widow contacted a buddy (a member here) to see if he could move them for her? She told him when he went to price them that she had thought about wrapping them up in rags and putting them in the trash, and we're talking S&W's here!!!!! She had no clue, so imagine if she had done that? Another friend is a reserve cop and he was there one day when a young man brought in a nice old military Rem RB. His dad had passed, and he didn't know what to do with it, so he simply decided to bring it to the police station. My pal said one of the detectives ended up with it.

The same friend was there one day when the son of a former city councilman brought in one of those Dan Wesson pistol pack things? The briefcase deal with all the barrels and frame? Again he didn't know what to do with it, but in this instance a sergent gave him $250 for that. Turns out the old guy was also a boolit caster. Turns out in the guys trunk was 3 wooden boxes of boolit moulds. There were 67 of'em to be exact. He'd picked the stuff up at his dad's and figured the PD would know what to do with'em. The cop who bought the Dan Wesson stuff had zero interest in the moulds, but my buddy standing there said he knew someone who'd know Since they were included in the $250, the cop told my friend I could have them if I'd load him 100 rounds of 41 mag ammo (that's what the Dan Wesson was).

So for the price of a set of Lee dies (which I still have) an a box of 210gr jacketed slugs I got all those moulds, and there wasn't a Lee in the bunch. They were all Lyman, Saeco, NEI, and H&G's. I sold those I couldn't use here on the board. I have a couple more stories, and I suspect anyone interested in firearms who know others like themselves probably have many similar stories.

................Buckshot

[Janoosh]

The Martini action I bought at a gunshow was apart in a box. The owner couldn't get it back together so the price was right. Not to get too for off topic, at the club I belong to, I'm known as the guy that buys "old" reloading stuff. I know of a widow with at least 40 moulds but won't let go for sentimental reasons. Old time Lyman stuff. No price on sentimentality. Back on topic, I once saw a large Martini action with the barrel sleeved or should I say stubbed to 30/30. That's why I asked.

[Ed in North Texas]

About passing firearms on - I've been thinking I have to lay out which son and/or grandson will get what. I hadn't said anything to my wife, but out of the blue the other day she asked me to make a list of everything (including my other hobby stuff), give it a value and list who should get what. Would that we all did that. Right now my youngest son is told about every new firearm I buy, but the list is a better idea. Valuation is only good for now, but better than nothing. The C&R list gives neither current value, nor who I want to have each one, and it doesn't include non-C&R items.

[John Taylor]

I was looking for an action, finally just gave up on finding one.............................steg

I have one in the shop that a customer wants to sell. PM me if you interested.