Need Help IDing Guns I Bought at Estate Auction

[ETG]

I bought three guns from a local online estate auction. No make or model is visible. All said they were 22LR Unknowns. The Octagon barrel doesn't have a serial number, the other two do. The pictures show them with chamber closed and open. I gave a closeup of the top loader open and closed. It is definitely NOT a 22. 25 or 24 caliber. At first tried a 30-30 but too big. I'm thinking maybe a 25-20 but I do not have one of those in my collection. There is something missing on the front end of it and there are no sights. On the auction I couldn't see the top and all the other pics were poor and they were hung on a row of coat hooks which blocked a lot of detail. I bought it as much out of curiosity to see it more than anything else. The skelotonized rifle is a takedown. That front trigger lets you rotate the barrel to load or take apart. the lever on the side locks it from coming apart. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[armoredman]

Only thing I can say is the bottom one might be a Quackenbush, maybe?

[Winger Ed.]

The open frame one looks like a Garcia Bronco survival rifle.
They sold new for $5.oo.
It's probably worth more than that now.

[M-Tecs]

The top one is some form of Martini Cadet or Small Frame.

https://www.ssusa.org/content/310-martini-cadet-the-little-rifle-that-could/

http://www.adamsguns.com/martini.htm

the center one appears to be a Belgian Flobert .22 Single Shot Rifle

https://www.gunauction.com/buy/11131882

The bottom appears to be this.

https://gunsmagazine.com/our-experts/the-bronco-22-lr-survival-rifle/

[stubshaft]

The open frame one looks like a Garcia Bronco survival rifle.
They sold new for $5.oo.
It's probably worth more than that now.

I paid $29.95 in 1972 for mine. Great little gun.

[ETG]

Thanks guys. The Bronco and Flobert were spot on. The other is definitely modeled after the Martini but does not have any of the receiver markings, no sight mounting points and a fairly elaborate metal configuration on the front of the fore-stock - maybe a bi-pod mount? I wonder if the small diameter barrel was a rebarrel or liner. There is no discernible rifling in the barrel. May have had a barrel liner in it at some point. The receiver and lever has a real nice oil rubbed bronze color/finish to it but the barrel is blued. A very odd configuration for sure.
Thanks again.
ETG

[rondog]

I have a Garcia Bronco in .22, looks like that one. But mine must be earlier, it's not a takedown, doesn't have that lever. It's also broke, can't open it up. Not sure what to do with it, but it ain't eating any hay, so it's still here. Never was able to hit squat with it.

They also made a .410 version, my brother has one. It's a brutal kicking little s.o.b., because there's no weight to it. I bet it hasn't had a dozen shells through it, and none since the early 70's. We all shot it a couple times and said "yeah, screw that....."

[Gewehr-Guy]

I'm going to guess that the Martini is some form of harpoon gun, or a line thrower. I think Navy Arms sold some years ago, but remember them as being in a large caliber, maybe 45-70 ?

[Green Frog]

Thanks guys. The Bronco and Flobert were spot on. The other is definitely modeled after the Martini but does not have any of the receiver markings, no sight mounting points and a fairly elaborate metal configuration on the front of the fore-stock - maybe a bi-pod mount? I wonder if the small diameter barrel was a rebarrel or liner. There is no discernible rifling in the barrel. May have had a barrel liner in it at some point. The receiver and lever has a real nice oil rubbed bronze color/finish to it but the barrel is blued. A very odd configuration for sure.
Thanks again.
ETG

This is my own WAG and worth what you paid for it. The Martini type rifle may have started out as one of the common and cheap (back then) Cadet Models and was somebody’s economy project to experiment with. What is the current ID of the bore? Would it be big enough to accept a 22 liner? A 30/32 liner?

Froggie

[KCSO]

Martini, Flobert, and a Broncho survival rifle

[ETG]

The bore diameter is .240. I do not know how thick a liner is but that doesn't seem big enough for a 22 liner. A line thrower is a possibility. None of the other Martini's had that big bulge in the front stock and the configuration on the front could hold a spool. The barrel goes from a normal looking taper to a smaller diameter with no taper. Some kind of assembly could be slid onto the barrel and lock into the metal. There is a lock that holds something in a hole in the end of the stock. That would make more sense than anything I have come up with.

[Sgt H]

The Martini is a line throwing gun. I believe these were used by the Aussies and even the Japanese navy. Bulge and slot on the front of the stock is to hold the line canister.

[fastdadio]

I paid $29.95 in 1972 for mine. Great little gun.

Same here. Sold it years ago for $50.00 to buy my 10/22. I didn't really sell it just because I needed the money, Although it was simple, unique, dependable, and accurate, it felt too light and delicate. I was always afraid I was going to bend or damage it somehow. Cool rifle though. It was short and would make a great youth model.

[ETG]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all your time responding. The martini was a real puzzle for me. I knew a 22 would not have a thick recoil pad like it did. Now it all makes sense.

[Black Beard]

Top one ..

https://revivaler.com/greener-martini-harpoon-gun/


Check your local laws before you go fishing.

[Catmanran]

Nice stuff

[Jeff Michel]

1) Martini harpoon gun, made by Greener and imported by Interarms back in the early 70's.
2) Flobert "parlor rifle"
3) FIE/Garcia Bronco. Check the head space in this one before you shoot, have seen a couple with issues, vents gas right back into your
face when the rim ruptures.

[JRD]

Bear in mind that the Flobert may LOOK like it's a 22LR, but it's very likely to be chambered in 6mm Flobert, which is CB cap level in power. Floberts were not strong actions and many were made with minimally heat treated parts. I've seen some that won't stay cocked anymore where the hammer notches are worn to be very rounded over.

[CLAYPOOL]

I would LOVE to own the line throwing gun. TREE work. I can't throw worth a crap any more...

[samari46]

Line throwing martini's if I remember right used a 38 special type blank to launch the harpoon. I've been lucky over the years to have seen two. One was in a wooden case with all the goodies and the other was just like yours. pobably use google to find out more about them. Frank

[ETG]

Now the tape on the but-stock makes sense. It said cb low at 10 yd and another piece said cb or below. I only know of a bb cap that is lower than a cb cap. The breach did seem a little flimsy for 22LR.

[Jeff Michel]

If you remember the movie "Jaws" Captain Quint used one of the Greener harpoon guns to affix the yellow barrels to the shark. A little movie trivia:)