New to me a 442 Martini Rook Rifle

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Well it came into my local gunshop from an estate sale and I just cant resist a new toy, particularly one I've not seen before. This is a Issac Hollis & Sons 442 rook rifle and the bore is rust free which I would rat 8+/10, shiny with no blemishes from one end to the other. I have two original cartridges from my collection.

Action is a scaled down Martini Henry
https://i.imgur.com/pVaWvxV.jpg

2 original cartridges with a 44 Russian case for comparason
https://i.imgur.com/aYXUnyT.jpg

I have found a reference to a 442 Webley on the CH4D website and I think the 44 Russian cases can be reformed.

https://tecmagex.com/en/ch4d-die-set-442-webley.html

[blackbahart]

well thats a nice find !
had a webly revolver ,44 Russian cases did work but had to thin the rims and cut the cases shorter to work in it

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Been looking at running a 44 Special reamer into the chamber so I can load with standard dies and just need to use a 38/40 FLS to grip the boolit. Bertram brass is selling locally for $4.00 each.

[Stephen Cohen]

Been looking at running a 44 Special reamer into the chamber so I can load with standard dies and just need to use a 38/40 FLS to grip the boolit. Bertram brass is selling locally for $4.00 each.

Nice find there Mate. I think I have a hand full of 38/40 and some 44/40 from a death estate and may know for a few more if you go that route. Regards Stephen

[barrabruce]

I’m moving to BAW country so I can get on some of these deals.
If I could beat him to it that is.
I don’t think I have the knack or the luck thou.

[Jedman]

I have really admired a lot of your single shots you find . We seldom see the other martinis not made by BSA or Greener much. That seems to be a large caliber for shooting rooks ? I like your idea to ream to 44 special, I would do the same myself.

Jedman

[barrabruce]

I think sometimes "rooks" was a generic term for poaching anything from pheasants to red deer.
But I may have just read into it wrong.

[Drm50]

Some years ago I had a British Bulldog type revolver 442. Gun was in very nice shape, nickeled. Never shot it, no ammo. Was of the quality of H&R revolvers of the day.

[uscra112]

I think sometimes "rooks" was a generic term for poaching anything from pheasants to red deer.
But I may have just read into it wrong.

Rook was an English word for a crow's nest. Rook rifles used a fairly heavy bullet at low velocity, because farmers wanted to stand under the tree and shoot up the nests, incidentally killing the young, without having the bullet travel very far. Crows were very much hated for the damage they did to emerging crops. They still do. Ever seen crows following a farmer's seed drill?

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I have a liking for the unusual. Picked up this Gemnar Martini a while back. A 44/40 with an exposed hammer.

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

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

[barrabruce]

Beautifully.
Looks along the lines of a vickers with that one piece stock.
I like things made when people still made things with skills.

When I win the lottery!

[iomskp]

You can buy my pair of cased custom 12 bore Greeners if you like Bruce I'm sure you would admire the workmanship.

[TCLouis]

Exposed hammer Martini . . .

NOW we're talking a proper single shot.

[Makizushi]

Very nice rifle! I have a cousin of your gun there, an Issac Hollis Martini in .380 long. Buying that gun is actually what got me into reloading, since there wasn’t another way I was going to be able to shoot the gun without buying super expensive ammo from custom loaders.

As it turns out, I have probably spent an order of magnitude more on reloading gear and extra stuff to trick out my press than a whole case of custom loaded rook ammo, but I had lots of fun doing it, and I have a whole new aspect of my shooting hobby to enjoy.

[GARD72977]

Very intresting guns. I have never owened a Rook rifle. Looks like a lot of fun to get one shooting again.