Martini Zeller rook rifle

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Went to the local gunshop today and was shown a very old British Martini rook rifle from a deceased estate. Very unusual with an external hammer that rises and falls with the breech block. That it was chambered in my favourite cartridge 44WCF, sealed the purchase. Barrel is 28" and in perfect condition.

https://i.imgur.com/lY5kJWd.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/TQpdkmJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/vYj4hBM.jpg

[LawrenceA]

Awesome find!!!!

[Shawlerbrook]

That is a beauty!!!! Congratulations!

[762 shooter]

I need a drool proof keyboard.

762

[Texas by God]

Y'all sure have neat old guns Down Under.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[barrabruce]

Where’s this local gun shop?

I have to travel @100 kms and they never have anything remotely enticingly interesting.

[iomskp]

Where’s this local gun shop?

I have to travel @100 kms and they never have anything remotely enticingly interesting.

I feel your pain

[skeettx]

Good on ya !
Well done
Thank you for sharing
Mike

[Jack Stanley]

What a classy rifle !!

Jack

[blackbahart]

nice one

[Outpost75]

I note from the markings that its original caliber was .360, so expect it was rebored and rechambered to .44-40 after importation. A good move for a more useful cartridge. The old .360 Rook cartridge was strictly a small game number resembling the .38 Short Colt or .38 S&W.

[rking22]

Beautiful rifle, wish I could stumble on one like that! That would be a perfect walking around rifle :)

[dverna]

Very nice find. I would cut the barrel back 10” and mount a peep sight with a large aperture.

Let us know how the old girl shoots!

[Eddie Southgate]

very nice find. I would cut the barrel back 10”

Why ! It's perfect as it is , just needs shooting .

[Outpost75]

Very nice find. I would cut the barrel back 10” and mount a peep sight with a large aperture.

Let us know how the old girl shoots!

Cutting off the barrel would reduce its value by about $100 per inch. That is a valuable piece.

[rking22]

Those long slim lines along with the Long sight radius and “quiet” factor are a big part of the appeal, speaking for myself of course.

[BigEyeBob]

Nice ,unusual in that the action has an external hammer .The action being encased in wood was a feature of the Vickers Martini actioned rifles .Notice the number above the Martini -Zeller name stamp it says 380 or 360 . Is that the serial number or the chambering ? I ask because it could be 360No5Rook or 380Rook.
I have a TAndrews Martini marked 380Rook , but the bore and groove Diameter ssay that its a 360No5 I have loaded cartridges for it and it shoots well .
Any way you are an experienced Martini owner and I know you will provide a good home for the Zeller.


Kev.

[richhodg66]

Very nice. The older I get, the more I seem to enjoy hunting and poking around with an interesting, vintage rifle or shotgun than a practical, newer one.

Please post some results when you get around to shooting it.

[45workhorse]

When you get tired of that dang ugly gun, pm me, and I take it off you hands! :kidding:

Jealous I am, mighty fine looking rifle, hopefully it shoot as good as it looks.

762, get a tablet, it was easy for me to wipe the drool off.

[sharps4590]

The majority of "interesting, vintage" rifles and shotguns are also just as practical. They just ain't new.

[Traffer]

An absolute work of art. Congratulations on the purchase.

[John Taylor]

Nice!

[TCLouis]

That is the sort of thing that gets my attention and makes me drool!

Congrats, appears to be a GREAT find!

[Boss577]

I think some one made a small mistake here & put wrong photos up, as I saw this same rifle on British Militaria Forums from 2009 with the same photos ?

It is in .360 No5 from the reports !

[Jedman]

I have a Zeller martini action and a 1 piece stock project gun. I bought it about 6 years ago as a 22 K hornet rifle but didn’t like the barrel that was on it and wanted to rebarrel it to 256 Win. Mag. I have a 26” Green Mountain barrel blank in 1-14 twist for it but it seems to be low priority as I have built dozens of other guns since and haven’t got back to finish this one.
The action is quite massive and weighs 2 lbs. 12 oz. and very well made. As you can see it is made for a 1 piece stock and just the top and bottom of the action are out of the stock.

Jedman

[Tatume]

I'm still stopping to admire this rifle every time I see the thread.