Gahendra Martini untouched sale

[craig61a]

Got an email from IMA - Gahendra Martini's untouched for $195.00. I figured the parts alone are worth the price. Ordered two - I'll see what I get...

http://www.ima-usa.com/original-nepalese-gahendra-martini-rifle-untouched-condition.html

[hendere]

I did that once. It was an interesting experience. I ended up with a cool gun, but it took a loooooooooooooooot of work.

[salpal48]

I have 2 also . One ok , One good. Lots of work cleaning. Don't clean them too good some inside parts are very crude and need a lot of grease but both work well and shoot somewhat reasonable

[craig61a]

I've already got a Gahendra in excellent condition, so I figured I'd get these if for nothing else a set of spare parts - I know that they're handmade, and it might take some work, but that's the fun of it...

[EDG]

First stop is the car wash when the EPA is not looking.

[Bulldogger]

I wanted to make a present for a British friend of mine, and so bought two of the "incomplete but intact" versions, intending to end up with one complete one. I was able to end up with two. The one I kept has some pitting under the chamber, and I've lost the urge to shoot it. I decided since she's 138 years old, she can retire above the mantle. Nice conversation piece, though I did make her serviceable because that's what I do.
Bulldogger

[Tackleberry41]

I bought 2 several years ago, they were advertised as 'may be missing parts'. So figured 2 would give me one. One didnt have a sling so qualified as missing parts?

They were a pain to clean thats for sure.

[craig61a]

107003

They came today. They are in pretty rough shape. Soaked with liquid wrench and got most of one apart. Got the parts I freed soaking in 10w-40. The cleaning rods are pretty much rusted in two. Lots of rust on the underside of the barrel and pretty deep. Heavy to moderate pitting on other metal. Innards have gobs of rust, but look to be workable. Was hoping for something in a little better shape - these are expensive decorations...

[Suo Gan]

The price is affordable; the history is priceless. IMA is proud to offer this rare sturdy gun as an affordable clean it yourself untouched rifle!

Not so much...a lot o hype.

[NVScouter]

They also say to not shoot them. Good detailed pictures with close up capability. Then they say if you want to shoot it take it to a gunsmith and still dont shoot it. To top that off they give conditions to include "likely stock damage, possible missing parts, rust and pitting definately.

I looked at the offered rifles and passed....dont see the hype.

[craig61a]

Luck of the draw... looks like this guy did OK:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-NMd3ELWYU

I gave it a shot... won't be buying any more.

[Tackleberry41]

They vary in condition. I think it works out the same with everything surplus. The cream is gotten thru 'handpicks', they work their way down until all thats left is the near junk. The Gahendras have been out a while, all the good ones gone, so now its clunkers. $195.00 is what I paid for mine thru Sportsman guide. Looked bad but nothing that would make them unsafe to use. Shoot both of them.

[TheGrimReaper]

Heck they are $289.95 now.

[Tackleberry41]

So even tho might only be clunkers left in the pile, since the supply is drying up they can raise the price.

As for cases, I have some 577/450 Bertrams I bought, but hate paying for them at $5 an empty. Its AUS guess everything is just expensive there. The 24ga arent hard to make, bit of a learning curve tho to prevent mangling more than a few out of ea box. Got it down to losing maybe 3 or 4 out of 25.

[craig61a]

I called Jamison several weeks ago - they're not doing a run of 577 Snider or 577/450 till some time next year. As for the 24 Ga. Magtech that's all but disappeared.

Anywho, I got the first of the two completely disassembled this evening after soaking overnight in PB Blaster and the help of an impact driver...

107207107208107209107210

This one may be a shooter - but I would have to rebarrel it to something like 45-70 and get the extractor redone. I'll see - got enough old rifles to play with for now.

[Tackleberry41]

Yea thats some pretty ugly rust.

[craig61a]

I worked on the wood today. I had it sitting overnight covered with Citristrip. Hosed it off w/hot water and brushed; Sprayed w/a mild degreaser. Looks good, need attention in some spots. Found this scrawled in the left hand side of buttstock after lifting the 100+ years of black/brown crud off the surface...

107302

[Hooker53]

Info needed. Not real familiar with this Martini. I'm assuming the action on this is larger than the cadet, right or wrong? Can't find a good 310 cadet action so wondering if this one would do for a .357 mag rebarrel.

[Tackleberry41]

Info needed. Not real familiar with this Martini. I'm assuming the action on this is larger than the cadet, right or wrong? Can't find a good 310 cadet action so wondering if this one would do for a .357 mag rebarrel.

The gahendras are sort of different animals. Use an internal hammer vs the striker in the British martini. Another issue is parts, you can get parts for a British martini, I have never seen any available for the gahendras. There essentially handmade so limited interchangability anyways. Most will say they are not as strong as the British made rifles. Stuff I read was they were made from what ever available, like railroad tracks or similar. I wouldn't trust a gahendra running something like a 357mag. I considered rebarreling one of mine, 45-70 as I already have ammo, and not much pressure. But the parts issue was a problem, break something, well your gonna probably have to MAKE another one.

[Hooker53]

Hey Tackle, thats darn good info and I thank you for your response. I guess that sums it up. Go on looking for a cadet or the larger action. Ha. Funny thing is, the IMA site list them under their British heading. If they won't hold up to a .357 or at least a 38 Sp, I don't want it. Also, thanks to the thread starter (Craig) for letting me come in here and ask this!!



Roy.

[Crank]

Hello,
My $0.02 worth. I bought one of these about 2 years ago to see if would clean up, what I received was pathetic. Being an open minded and forgiving type, I decided to make due with what I had. The pitting was extensive, but I could always TIG weld it, the wood was splintered at the wrist, but the stock did not want to come off. I clamped the barrel and used my huge screwdriver to try and get the stock bolt out. I started applying pressure and it "gave" or did it? I looked and the receiver had spun, so I figured the barrel slipped in the leather jaws. WRONG! The barrel had "unwound" and I don't mean from the receiver. Guess what, the barrel is a damascus type wound barrel! I looked at the separated area and could see fresh steel, but in the center of the failure was a black corroded patch that had never fully fused during the forging process. My warning to anyone is that these are a great piece of history, but NVScouter makes the best call

They also say to not shoot them. Good detailed pictures with close up capability. Then they say if you want to shoot it take it to a gunsmith and still dont shoot it. To top that off they give conditions to include "likely stock damage, possible missing parts, rust and pitting definately.

I looked at the offered rifles and passed....dont see the hype.


I don't hesitate to shoot many old guns, even the sketchy designs, but the metallurgy and construction on these are spooky. Please excercise the utmost caution if you truly feel that you must shoot one of these with the original barrel. The failure that I uncovered would never have been seen until it was too late. If you choose to rebarrel one, I won't question your choice, but please assess the condition of the remaining components for safety sake. I don't mean to bash IMA or anyone that enjoys the one they have, just be cautious. After all these years gunsmithing, I know how much we all love to keep an old piece of iron shooting, but this is one of those examples better left for display and discussion.

BTW, the reason this struck a nerve is because I just cleaned up my work area and found the forward part of the barrel sitting in my junk metal drawer and promptly pitched it, so it wouldn't be recycled for another project. I gave the action to my friend so he could study it, but with the warning I would kick his rear end if he tried to put a barrel on it.

Mark

[Red River Rick]

Save your money and buy an original M-E.

You'll be farther ahead and less head aches than having to deal with those pieces of junk sold by IMA.

RRR

[Hooker53]

Mark. This is dang good info you wrote here and thank you for doi g so. I was trying to talk myself into one of those messes but like you, I'v gunsmithed for years but getting to the Age or Wisdom of trying to stay away from stuff like this. I think I'm gonna pass on this Ganendra and keep looking for a little more sure bet here.

I'v been thinking Cadet but don't want to get into a extractor problem with them as I want to re barrel and chamber for .357 Mag. Want to find out a little more of what RRR was talking about on the M-E??? Is there an E model with a little more room to get around the Ext problem with straight wall cases??? Thanks again for your concise report. Just plain good stuff.

Roy.

[Boz330]

Mark. This is dang good info you wrote here and thank you for doi g so. I was trying to talk myself into one of those messes but like you, I'v gunsmithed for years but getting to the Age or Wisdom of trying to stay away from stuff like this. I think I'm gonna pass on this Ganendra and keep looking for a little more sure bet here.

I'v been thinking Cadet but don't want to get into a extractor problem with them as I want to re barrel and chamber for .357 Mag. Want to find out a little more of what RRR was talking about on the M-E??? Is there an E model with a little more room to get around the Ext problem with straight wall cases??? Thanks again for your concise report. Just plain good stuff.

Roy.

M-E is a Martini Enfield and the Nepal M-Es are well made. Many of the Brit M-Es were converted to 303. To do a higher pressure round you would need to bush the firing pin since the original 577-450 had a large firing pin. The extractor would also need to be modified or get a 303 extractor. They are a neat rifle.
Finding a small Martini action may be a problem since they are getting fewer all the time. I have 3, 1 in .310 the original caliber, 1 in 357 mag and it is a fun shooter, and a 7MM Waters for deer hunting. I also have a 22RF. All are tack drivers of the first order.

Bob

Correction Martini Enfields are 303 and have had the smaller firing pin installed. It was the Martini Henry's that were converted to MEs.

[Tackleberry41]

I think the problem some run into with these weapons is the copies. There British ones, then the Gahandras, others made them to at various points, some were even made in the US at one point. If you go look in the martini forums there are certain ones that are only good for wall hangers. The Gahnedras are generally safe, maybe the bottom of the barrel stuff isnt, but they have the Kyber pass junk people bring back. And then some where they copied the British markings, to get better prices, but are unsafe to use at all. I have never found any safety issues with the 2 I have. But you have to keep the brass separate. I bought 2 of the McAce inserts to use 45-70, but now that they have been used in one wont chamber in the other. Its not some flaw in them, there really werent much in way of uniform chamber specs back then. Basically the British were satisfied if you could chamber, fire, and extract a round. Doubt reloading was a concern, or even possible with some of the ammo issued for them.

A 357 is going to be over pressure for something like a Gahendra, a 38spcl shouldn't be. I considered doing something with one of mine, but would have been mad going to the effort of lathing a barrel to fit so some internal part could break after 2 rds.

[Ragnarok]

The British made Martini Henry's International Military Antiques and Atlanta Cutlery sell are the bargains....The Gehendra and Francotte Martini style rifles are a ****-shoot.

There are some nice guns came out of the 'Nepal Cache' but a lot of rotted-down junk too.

I have bought 2 Martini Henry Mk.II rifles and a Mk.IV...one of the Mk.II rifles and the Mk.IV were pre-cleaned...one of the Mk.II rifles was an 'untouched'....it was way cleaner mechanicaly than it's pricier Mk.II sister which was cleaned..but had bad rust under the wood, plus some pretty rotten spots in the wood. My Mk.IV rifle I paid for hand select and got a really slick one. All three of the british guns had serviceable bores.