New Martini Coming to 2019 S.H.O.T.

[Reverend Al]

The cost seems fairly high for a basic blued rifle with very basic (almost austere) stock design that appear to be about "2x4" grade in regards to figure? It would be more interesting if it was offered as just an action or as a barreled action in the white so that the buyer could build a custom rifle with upgraded wood and probably get the receiver and related parts colour case hardened as well. Just my 2 cents worth ...

This is my large action Martini which was re-barreled with a Douglas barrel blank and then chambered into .38-55 Winchester and then it was re-stocked with some moderately figured walnut stocks. I bought it used and paid $600 Canadian for it (without the scope which I added after). The last large action Martini I bought in .303 British with cut down / sporterized military stocks cost me $400 and it had a very nice "Sutherland" windage and elevation adjustable rear sight on it. Just sayin' ...

[john.k]

Rev Al is spot on...........the reason (one ,anyway) why the Italians have never considered producing a replica is that there are too many cheap Martinis floating about.........I built a cheap sporter from my spares box with a new 303 H barrel and a Martini Enfield carbine bought as a collection of bits after the barrel was used to restore a LE carbine......net cost under $100.....and I could build another one if I wanted to with more worn bits for very little......I admit the Francotte action is an improvement ,but how much is problematic................another point ,is they have not included the reduced grip /humped back typical of the Francotte............if a hole is drilled through the hump in line with the bore ,you can poke a cleaning rod straight thru.......a common mod with the Cadets and standard on BSA s.

[pietro]

What am I missing ? Oh yeah a weak action, difficult to load, poor trigger and cannot be cleaned from the breech -----

IMO, those statements lead me to believe that you've never owned a Martini, as the ones I had could be cleaned through the breech via a cleaning rod hole in the back wall of the receiver; and are plenty strong as long as they're not converted to a cartridge more powerful than their design parameters (i.e., large diameter cartridges that result in a thin chamber wall, etc, etc).

As many as I've had in the past, today new Ruger #1's are almost as expensive.



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[Jedman]

I wish this company a lot of luck. I remember just a year or two ago there was a US company that was going to make a version of the rolling block rifle. I have yet to see one ?
I would think someone could make a new and improved version of the Hepburn rifle with a coil spring for the mainspring and a stock that bolted up with a thru bolt and no receiver tangs but the market probably is not there to make it a profitable. I hope somehow this company can make this work and become a name that will be known for there single shot rifle.
History has proved most designs have a limited life and I don't see Martini rifles becoming a great seller even though I love them and so do a lot of others but not enough to make them a great seller.

Jedman

[am44mag]

For $1600, that thing better be able to shoot 1" groups at 300 yards and have a trigger that breaks like a glass rod.

I'm really not seeing how companies can justify charging that much for a single shot when much more complex designs (repeating rifles) that generally offer similar if not better accuracy can be bough at a 3rd of the price. I'd love to see the rolling block make a comeback, but only if it can be had for under $500.

[BigEyeBob]

Building a martini in that caliber at the moment ,on a small frame (cadet) . Almost finished , just need to bush the firing pin and reduce the pin diameter.

[BigEyeBob]

IMO, those statements lead me to believe that you've never owned a Martini, as the ones I had could be cleaned through the breech via a cleaning rod hole in the back wall of the receiver; and are plenty strong as long as they're not converted to a cartridge more powerful than their design parameters (i.e., large diameter cartridges that result in a thin chamber wall, etc, etc).

As many as I've had in the past, today new Ruger #1's are almost as expensive.



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Yeah wonder where he got the idea the martini is a weak action ? The small frame was tested by White laborioriesbto 60,000 psi many years ago .Many big game single shots have been built on the large frame action ,500Nitro express , 577Nitro express . In fact a friend of mine has just finished his 577Nitro on a large frame martini action.

[Boz330]

I love Martinis and might consider buying one in the future. The first one is a 357 that Vic Samuels did for me. I did the browning and the stock work myself and had $1000+ in it not counting my labor. The second is a 7MM Waters that I gathered the parts for and Vic did the chambering, safety conversion, and scope and mount for a hunting rifle. I did the stock work and while I don't remember all the costs involved it was at least a grand. Both of these rifles were built 14 years ago. Both were also built on Small frame Martini actions which were built for the 22LR cartridge. That says a lot for the strength of the action. I would venture to say that a shot out small frame for donor partrs would probably cost you north of 500 bucks. You guys in Australia and Canada live where this stuff is easier to come by so you can build something reasonable.
Sharps rifles were $17 new but even the Italian imports now are near $2000 and get an American made rifle and it will run you more than that and close to $3000 if you put any upgrades on it.
As someone pointed out, limited production guns cost money to produce and these have actual steel and wood in them. Don't get me wrong I wish they were $900 and I would be all over one but quality costs money.

Bob

[Gunlaker]

I'm happy when anyone brings back a nice copy of an old single shot rifle. I'd want mine to be in .303 British.

Chris.

[skeettx]

watching

[blackbahart]

its nice to see the improvements but 1700 for the base model might seem steep in canadian dollars is 2130 But its blue and wood too so it will really be how it feels in the hand to be a final decision

[JoeJames]

Very nice to see someone bring back a classic. The price is about what I would expect from a quality reproduction, think Sharps and Hi Walls. I wish them the best, but what would part me from my money would be a small frame in 327Federal at about 5 lbs. My No1s satisfy the calibers currently offered.

Agreed, but 32-20 would be mighty cool too.

[pertnear]

I feel like a lot of these new products with high MSRP are part of a fishing expedition. Put a product out there & see if there is any interest. Depending on how things go, the Mfg can then sell through various outlets for 20% off & the buyer revels in his bargain.

The old horse trader adage, "The more you pay, the more it's worth."

[Jack Stanley]

I'm thinking the 30-30 would be fun to try out .

Jack

[Jedman]

Attachment 235158One thing that would be kinda nice is on smaller calibers is to have one side of the receiver cut down so a cartridge could be loaded more easily if you have a scope mounted.
Frank De Haas mentioned that he made a 22 rimfire rifle for target competition with the right sidewall cut down for that reason. The breech thrust on a martini is mainly transferred to the rear pivot so as long as the sides of the receiver were not weakened a lot it would be plenty strong for many cartridges. Not having a easy way of mounting a scope on a martini is the main complaint I have with them. This is a cadet action rebarreled to 357 max and scoped with a old steel tube Weaver K 2.5.

Jedman

[historicfirearms]

In the real world, that MSRP will probably mean something like $1300-$1400 on the shelf. On the scale of "getting what you pay for", this is probably not out of line - it's an all-steel rifle that somebody actually took the time to polish and blue (not a rust-when-you-look-at-it-sideways 870 Express), put in real walnut, and provide with the really nice side benefit of an easily removable lockwork.

I am pretty darn sick of the new gun market being driven solely by price point, as it has given us a race to see who can sell something that - on paper - does a job for as little as possible. Those that ask for this get what they deserve - plastic, aluminum, stampings, castings, roll-pins, and solid-state sub-assemblies that you can't service at the owner level or only do so with great difficulty.

I've been having too much fun with several examples of the real thing, and will need to give this a serious look. Unfortunately, I feel that the aforementioned market that wants it for $399 with a detachable 30 round mag will be the death of them.

Spot on post. Just look at all the comments here with probably the highest percentage of gun buyers that might be interested in a new martini. See what a new Ruger #1 coats and this is priced similarly. It wouldn't be hard to beat the Ruger in quality if they had the mind to.

[Bigslug]

Looks like they're in the process of adding .357 Mag and .303 Brit.

[Jedman]

I have been waiting to hear about or see one of these for sale. Has anybody heard about or seen one listed anywhere ?
Martinis are still just about my favorite single shot.
I know it will not happen but would like to see someone make a reproduction of a miniature Comblain action, It too is a very simple design that has few parts and does everything efficiently.
Trying to find a original in good condition is near impossible and prices are whatever the seller wants to ask as they are rare and desirable.

Jedman

[nekshot]

for the money I would rather buy one of those Brown single actions, in some neat cartridges to boot! I feel 650 to 750 bucks would entice me to start selling some stale stock.

[BigEyeBob]

Agreed, but 32-20 would be mighty cool too.

Ive a BSA Martini (commercial sporter,not a converted cadet) original factory chambered in 32-20 , The bore was trashed from lack of care .I had it relined as I wanted to keep the original barrel with its factory marks .Been loading up some Berrys cast 115gn and my own 115gn cast boolits from a CBE mould . Next is to take it out bush and shoot it . I have shot it with some 90gn jwords and it is goodly accurate with those .Prefer castboolits t
hough as I can have fun making them.