IMA Nepal cache Snider

[craig61a]

While I've bought a few things in the past from IMA, never bought a rifle. And I remember all the hype several years ago when the cache was first announced. My thoughts were 'What a bunch of overpriced junk'.

Well fast forward a few years... I had been looking into Sniders lately. Watched the YouTube vids, read the posts, etc.

I decided to order one of the cleaned Sniders and here's what I got.

Overall I'm pretty happy with it. The bluing is pretty much all there - I could have sworn it was a reblue when I took it out of the box. Barrel is mirror and the rifling looks sharp. I took it apart and wiped it down with a cloth soaked with RemOil - cloth got filthy pretty quick. There are a few very minor issues, but I'm impressed with what I got.

[Nobade]

Pretty neat! That should provide you some entertainment getting it up and running. That is indeed nicer than I would have expected from them.

-Nobade

[Goatwhiskers]

Just be careful with what you have. A lot of stuff from that cache has been proven to be good quality, however, since that time there have been a number of rifles, particularly Martinis, that have turned up on the market that have been proven to be "Khyber Pass gunsmith" copies. Those guys can take a pile of junk and working mainly with hand tools make a copy of almost any gun made, beautiful work, but unsafe to shoot. Again, enjoy your "new" gun, just stick to low end loads. GW

[salpal48]

I purchased several Sniders From IMA & Atlanta cutlery. ! cleaned like yours also several untouched Rifles and short rifles. All shot well with no problems . The untouched took a while to clean and the stocks were well worn. .all shot well. No collector pieces. shooting all with smokeless powder
Even the untouched 577/450 were shootable

[fouronesix]

That looks like a good one- especially with a fine bore! Hard to imagine a bore surviving through the muzzleloader era and into the early cartridge era.. not to mention surviving in a forgotten Nepalese cache. First thing I noticed in the photo was the correct Tower Enfield lock and other furniture. Should be an educational and enjoyable project.

[Ed in North Texas]

Just be careful with what you have. A lot of stuff from that cache has been proven to be good quality, however, since that time there have been a number of rifles, particularly Martinis, that have turned up on the market that have been proven to be "Khyber Pass gunsmith" copies. Those guys can take a pile of junk and working mainly with hand tools make a copy of almost any gun made, beautiful work, but unsafe to shoot. Again, enjoy your "new" gun, just stick to low end loads. GW

He's not buying from Joe Blow selling a single rifle. IMA (and Atlanta Cutlery) is a company which has been in business for some years. The items which came from the Nepal purchase are not what we would call Khyber Pass copies (though I'm sure all the Brit made rifles have been sold by now, and only Nepalese Armory produced rifles are left). My IMA British issued Martini has the correct stock cartouche numbering it in the 9,000s of the 10,000 Martini-Henry rifles the Brits sent to Nepal.