1869 3 band Snider mark 3 rifle

[Huttles94]

Condition wise I think it looks good.
I got an Albini Brandaelin that looked like a piece of rusty tubing stuck to a lump of wood! It cleaned up enough to make it good enough to be a wallhanger, but it had had a hard life. The forend was split and the front barrel band is missing and the backsight sight has been ripped off.

If you want to clean the bore get a length of aluminium tubing and cut a slot in the end, about 1/4" in, so you can put a strip of emery cloth in and wrap it around so it fits the bore. At the other end rivet a piece of aluminium or brass bar in so it will fit in a drill chuck.
All you have to do is keep going up and down with the drill running and change the emery cloth as it wears. The barrel will come up looking reasonable eventually.

If you cannot fix the crack in the stock with epoxy resin and the piece can be detached from the wood, knock a couple of panel pins in part way and snip the heads off. Then press to two halves together. This will mark where the pins are and then you pull out the panel pins and drill holes where the marks are and you can epoxy a piece of dowel in. If you do that put a slot in the side of the dowel so it wont air-lock.

I have managed to glue the stock together. It is pretty solid right now. All i have to do to the crack now is smarten it up. I was originally thinking about sending it off for a repair but its a pretty clean break. Someone in the past has hammered some nails into the break to "fix" it. Nails look to be over 50 years old so not a recent repair. Still, gotta get them out or at least cut the heads off the nails to make it look a bit neat.

I also found that the screw that holds the breech pin in on mine has been replaced with a nail that has had its pin bent over! Probably the same bloke who worked on the stock.

I have a cleaning rod and screw coming, thank god parts are somewhat easy to get.

[tacfoley]

I have managed to glue the stock together. It is pretty solid right now. All i have to do to the crack now is smarten it up. I was originally thinking about sending it off for a repair but its a pretty clean break. Someone in the past has hammered some nails into the break to "fix" it. Nails look to be over 50 years old so not a recent repair. Still, gotta get them out or at least cut the heads off the nails to make it look a bit neat.

I also found that the screw that holds the breech pin in on mine has been replaced with a nail that has had its pin bent over! Probably the same bloke who worked on the stock.

I have a cleaning rod and screw coming, thank god parts are somewhat easy to get.

Nice to know that Bubba is alive and well and operating in the UK.

[Huttles94]

I have managed to strip the rifle down and have cleaned it all up. Does not look too bad now. No bluing left of course but pitting is minimal (less than my Martini). Extractor works great, hammer half and full cocks fine now. Trigger is smooth and all looks good. The rear barrel band is still seized, I have that soaking in WD40 at the moment. Tried a heat gun but the screw will not budge.

All thats left (apart from the rear band) is to sort the bore out. I have some caustic soda arriving tomorrow. Fingers crossed it turn out ok. Really pleased with it now.

Also does anyone know what the x means on the inspection markings? I know if it was E (like the markings on the lock) it would mean Enfield, B would be Birmingham ect but I have no idea what X is for.

Im also missing the front sling mount but that does not bother me too much.

I also cleaned the lock plate up somewhat and I can just see that it says 1869 Enfield.

Well wish me luck with the bore! Not bad for what could of been considered as a lost cause at first.

[loiner1965]

is the barrel band on the rifle still ?
as some you need to squeeze the 2 ends together to take the pressure off then unscrew.
i would use heat from a pencil flame torch and add 50 / 50 mix acetone and atf.....keep doing this daily and it will come loose.....of course try to tighten first to break the rust

[Huttles94]

is the barrel band on the rifle still ?
as some you need to squeeze the 2 ends together to take the pressure off then unscrew.
i would use heat from a pencil flame torch and add 50 / 50 mix acetone and atf.....keep doing this daily and it will come loose.....of course try to tighten first to break the rust

The band is not on the rifle at the moment. I will be leaving it to soak for a few days/week and then try the heat again. Will get it eventually. I had the same problem on my Martini Henry. It will come loose eventually Though of course I do not want to damage the screw head. Thanks for the tips anyway.

[loiner1965]

cannot remember if its the martini or snider that as baderley screws on the bands as a slight compression first then unscrew works best.....
patience is the best medicine here....i have a quite rare EIC fusil carbine which only 5000 were ever made and as always the nipple was seized in badly and also broken....if you go at them hammer and fist you will strip the threads and its a wall hanger etc....took 2 weeks of heat and oil every night then a good fitting pair of small mole grips loosened it with no damage to the threads

[Huttles94]

Oh man i actually managed to get the butt plate off the damn thing!

The top screw came off easy and is in good condition, the bottom screw was non existent and some cork was in its place. But the top rear screw, the top blood rear screw (the one that goes in at an angle). By heck that was a pain in the rectum. But the almighty hammer and punch came to save the day! I had no intention of saving this screw since it was kaput, fubar. Thank god it is off.

But now I have come to see that the bottom of the stock, while not bad, aint pretty. Thankfully I can send it off to get professionally repaired by our own Nath92 on here

So I need to source some replacement butt screws....Anyone any ideas? Dont recall Peter Dyson's having any.

Here are a couple of photos of the feat!

https://imgur.com/gallery/TG2A3Fk

[Huttles94]

I have also found what the X view marks meant.

Apparently my Snider was built by the London Small Arms company. Again, apparently not a lot were made by them so thats kind of neat. The lock is a Enfield lock though. So must have been replaced at some point. I cant see a date marking on the barrel, though after cleaning there is pitting but not as much as I have on my other rifles.

I have also cleaned up under the breech and the marking are more clear now. I think the serial number is either 0290 or O290. Also got M16 markings as well?

https://imgur.com/gallery/HNbomTN