Needing advice on Gahendra Martini

[jdgabbard]

Ok, my fellow Cast Booliteers, I have a question to bring up to the lot of you! Some of you may or may not know, but I'm currently overseas doing the grunt work of Uncle Sam. And since I'm looking at being home in a few months, I decided what better than to get a project going when I hit the ground running. So I pulled the trigger on three (3) Untouched Gahendra Martini from Atlanta Cutlery. I figured for the $189, if nothing else they'd make decent wall hangers I could possibly pawn off once given some TLC.

Now the purpose behind buying these, is plain. I've always want a real Martini Shooter. I have Two Mark II rifles, A MK IV Afghan Contract Rifle in .303 (actual year of production is 1921). And a Kypher Pass copy in .303, but in the fashion of a pistol with about a 5" barrel. The only one that is worthy of firing is the .303, and frankly thats not what I really want.

What I really want is a Medium/Small cartridge to fire away with. Looking at something in the realm of .38spl, or 7.62x25, etc... No a super hot catridge, just something plain fun to shoot out of a full size falling block rifle. Basically I want something I can take to the range, and just have fun with marksmanship. And that I'm not afraid to take a small game animal with from time to time.

Now I have read and paid attention to the warnings on the internet. I am aware that the Francotte (spelling correct?) was made of anything they though MIGHT be iron... And the Gahendra wasn't any better. However, I've not been able to actually find any documentation of this. And honestly I know how most internet rumors are. They are worth every bit of the paper they are written on...(oh wait. They're not written on paper at all...).

I have seen where in Shotgun News where they converted one to .303, without hesitating. And I believe that the .577/.450 was a pretty potent round. So if the action can handle that amount of energy (notice I didnt say pressure). I don't see why it wouldnt be able to handle something in the realm of .38spl or 7.62x25.

Now I'm not a professional gunsmith. I'm more of a hobbier. And I have enough knowledge to know when to seek out advice. What do you wise Booliteers think?

[RwBeV]

I have built several guns on the action your talking about for different folks. All Martinis are fun to play with they make a nice gun when your done. The biggest thing I have found is that the ones I have run across all needed to have the firring pin hole bushed even the ones that where converted over to 303. If the action is in good shape, no heavy rust, no cracks you should have no trouble barreling them to the cartridges you are talking about, I'm not sure about the 7.62x25 as it is rimless that could be a bugger, unless you make your own brass out of 38spl. then just leave the rim on you might have the only 7.62x25R on a Martini in the world.

Have fun
Bob

[jdgabbard]

RwBeV, the 7.62x25R is an interesting idea. And would be easy enough...

Are you talking about Martini actions in general? Or specifically the Gahendras? They're technically not a martini, just look like one.

[John Taylor]

Had one in a while back that was chambered in 303. Some of the studies I have done seem to point out that the 303 in a Martini type action was loaded with black powder or cordite and did not generate the 49,000 psi of modern ammo. Your Martini action would be suited to almost any black powder cartridge that will fit and many of the smokeless pistol cartridges that have the bolt thrust below the original cartridge. Bolt thrust is figured by taking the area of the cartridge just in front of the rim and multiplying it by the pressure. Some like to take into account the friction of the brass on the chamber wall but I never figure this in as a head separation would throw it out.

[curator]

Francotte Gahendra

[curator]

JdGabbard, Forget the Francotte and the Gahendra for serious shooters. Both were made from poor quality metal and by Nepalise craftsmen under primative circumstances. There are good Martini actions to be had. The Cadet action is fantastic in its original .310 Greener caliber but even more fun in .357 Magnum. The full size Martini makes a fine rifle in .444 Marlin or .45-70 Gov't. I have one in .303 British and also .40-65 Winchester. Bothe are fun guns to shoot and when a firing pin broke I could get a replacement no problem.