My latest

[Beekeeper]

Several weeks ago I posted about a Gahendra Martini Henry that I had rebuilt using a 43 Mauser barrel.
Today I would like to post about a second Gahendra Martini Henry.
It started out as a parts rifle.
If you do not know what that is go to the IMA web site and get a glimpse of one and its description.
I bought 2 of them for parts,( famous last words).
The parts are not interchangeable and the parts I wanted ( striker and mainspring ) were broken any way.
The barrel was toast, after cleaning a flashlight shining on the outside made twinkle, twinkle little stars on the inside and a needle sharp scribe would go all the way through in a couple of places.

Between the 2 that I have built I have about 200 hours of hand work.
Buckshot cut ,crown and dovetailed the last barrel to 24 inches
The front sight is a lyman and the rear sight is off of aPedersoli Sharps.
The bracket to hold it is hand made(I copied it from Buckshots sight which I built also ) and the home made sight and the Pedersoli are interchangeable if I want to use it for hunting.

I have sworn to high heaven to SWMBO that this is the last one (couldn't even keep my fingers crossed as she looked) and I think 54 weapons is enough anyway.

Anyway here are a couple of photos of the last one

I am using 45/90 brass to get away from the "A" head on the 43 mauser brass and it works quite well
It requires trimming and sizing , and must be fireformed to fit the 43 Mauser chamber.

70 grains of FFG Goex
a card wad
A340 grain lyman 446110 cast boolit
Mild recoil and will take forever for me to sight in as I have never used a BPCR sight before, but that is the fun of it right?

[Olevern]

very nice, I wish I was as talented.

[littlejack]

Very nice, I like it.

[leadman]

Nice job. Just a comment about the rear sight. It appears to be mounted very high, have you fired the rifle and where is the poi?
If you want to get away from black powder 20 grs of 2400 or SR4759 shoot well in my Mauser 71. I use the same boolit as you. These group pretty decent without filler but I am working with filler and these do seem to group better.
I am also sizing the Lee 300gr pistol boolit to .450" and shooting these with the GC on and they do real well.

Post some results after you take your new rifle to the range.

[Hang Fire]

Nice Beekeepr, very nice.

[Beekeeper]

Leadman you are right about the sight.
I was hopefull it would work but not gonna happen.
I made a sight (a copy of the one Buckshot has on his rifle) Hopefully I did not disgrace him too much with my attempt.
Will always use BP with it as am not sure the Gahendra action can withstand smokeless pressures!
Any way It will hold all shots in a 3 inch circle at 100 yards.
Did not try to go any higher as it is the 26 th of December and every body is playing with their new toys.
Took a hot one down the collar and left.

Now comes the part I do not enjoy.
Doing a complete take down and inspection of the internals that I had to build to ensure they are in good working order.

By the way Buckshot that is a great sight and worked very good on my Gahendra.

Happy New Year everyone!!!


beekeeper

[DHB]

God, that is a beautiful rifle. Very impressive.
DHB

[Buckshot]

................Hey Beekeeper, how come you didn't tell me you'd finished it and posted photo's? Was it supposed to be a secret :shock:[smilie=l: Finished up nice. If I ever need a stock whittled up I know where to go!

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

[Beekeeper]

Granddaughters finally left so I got my camera back.
Here are pics of the sight I copied from Buckshot. Hopefully I haven't embarresed him too much by my feeble attempt.
I did follow his design as much as possible and all parts are hand made ( no Machinery other than a drill press)
The sight itself is off of a#5 Lee Enfield, I just made the brackets to hold it.


beekeeper

[Ed in North Texas]

snip
Will always use BP with it as am not sure the Gahendra action can withstand smokeless pressures!
snip
Took a hot one down the collar and left.
snip
beekeeper

The idea with smokeless in a BP cartridge is not to try and create a high velocity, high pressure round, but to duplicate the pressures and velocities of the BP load. As they used to term them, they are "smokeless for black" loads.

There are those who will state that BP is all that should ever be loaded in these weapons, and it is their right to use only BP. With smokeless, safe reloading practices are a must, particularly with respect to multiple charging. But appropriate smokeless loads, in a weapon in a condition which is safe for firing BP loads, are not dangerous.

Been many years since I "took a hot one down the collar" (1961 or 2 IIRC). .375 H&H makes a real impression fresh from the chamber and down your back.

Nice Job.

Ed

[leadman]

Took many down the front in basic. I had a m-16 with no deflector bump or forward assist. sure makes a lefty get distracted!

It was made by GM Hydramatic Division. Make terrible noises when shot. Had about 6" of the rifling burned away in the chamber end.

That sight looks like a good choice for your rifle. Always liked it on the Enfields as it adjusts well.