Took a chance...

[OKSaddletramp]

On a Martini-Enfield from Southern Ohio Gun. Pretty sure it's a Khyber Pass knock-off. However, it's in much better condition than I thought possible. Very little rust, almost no pitting. Wood was not completely rotted out and seems to fit reasonable well, but definitely not original to gun. There were really only a couple of "issues" for me to clear up and I might just try to shoot it, at least with black powder and lighter, cat sneeze loads.

Issue #1: the firing pin is bent and was stuck in the breech block.

Issue #2: barrel (a converted Lee-Enfield) was loose, I unthreaded it by hand. I didn't intend to remove the barrel originally but when pulling the forestock to check for pitting/rot/stamps (there aren't any), the barrel rattled.

If I can get these issues cleared up on reassembly after getting it cleaned up, I ma just try it with some black.

Pics will have to wait, my computer's not cooperating today.

[OKSaddletramp]

Let's try this now. Pics:

This is before dis-assembly/cleaning: 134134Better than I was expecting.

Note uneven lines and changing font in the Enfield and date stamps. I have no idea what the cartouche at the bottom signifies. At least none of the letters are reversed or canted. The left side of the receiver has no markings other than the two (indexing?) arrows at the front of the receiver.134135

Note hand checking on the thumb rest: 134138


Here's the bent firing pin. Also looks like it's extended too long (maybe why it bent?) After reassembly, I''l check and maybe bob it a few thousanths. 134136

Note the lack of keeper screw on the rear of the breech block: 134140

While the exterior of the barrel was pretty clean, the interior looks like a sewer pipe, and there's not much rifling left. When I tried to slug it, my 314SWC just rattled down the bore and poured back out. I don't have a large enough slug to try this. Maybe beagling an old 311 boolit will work, but even then I doubt this barrel will be a shooter. Would a JES rebore be worth while?


A last note; before teardown, the rifle did function. Lever cocked the striker and ejected a spent shell. I only tried it with a used shell. But the trigger pull was horrendous. Was that normal for Martinis? Is there some way to lighten it up (just a little)?