British P-1864 Snider type Breech Loading Infantry Rifle

[RogerH]

I've just ordered my birthday present an untouched British P-1864 Snider type Breech Loading Infantry Rifle from IMA.

Has anyone else ordered one of these from IMA?

I was also wondering about import duty. My wife seems to think there is no import duty on antiques just a bit of VAT to pay.

Should keep be busy during the winter evenings.

[loiner1965]

i was charged vat on my antique parts from japan but i could reclaim it back but didnt.....love to see pics when it arrives mate

[RogerH]

i was charged vat on my antique parts from japan but i could reclaim it back but didnt.....love to see pics when it arrives mate

Thanks Stephen I'll post some pictures when it arrives, prob in 3-4 weeks.
Roger

[markH]

When you say untouched, are these the ones that came from Nepal? If so they are available over here from these people:

http://www.uk-militaria.com/shop/shop.php

The price shown is £930.00 but their sales gimmick is you only pay 30% of the price so actual cost is £279.00 (plus £20.00 carriage).

I bought one of the Martini Henrys, which was just £130.00, excellent value.

[TA6319]

When you say untouched, are these the ones that came from Nepal? If so they are available over here from these people:

http://www.uk-militaria.com/shop/shop.php

The price shown is £930.00 but their sales gimmick is you only pay 30% of the price so actual cost is £279.00 (plus £20.00 carriage).

I bought one of the Martini Henrys, which was just £130.00, excellent value.

I have purchased a gahendra and a snider from them, the snider has a cracked stock. But in all fairness this only came to light when I stripped off the dirt etc. It had been repaired in the distant past. I think the nepalese guns are excellent value if you dont mind getting your hands dirty.

[RogerH]

When you say untouched, are these the ones that came from Nepal? If so they are available over here from these people:

http://www.uk-militaria.com/shop/shop.php

The price shown is £930.00 but their sales gimmick is you only pay 30% of the price so actual cost is £279.00 (plus £20.00 carriage).

I bought one of the Martini Henrys, which was just £130.00, excellent value.

No such offer on at the moment price is £930. Yes mine is from the Nepal cache. Works out including postage at about £290. The price of a basic Ruger. Nice little restoration project.

[RogerH]

I have purchased a gahendra and a snider from them, the snider has a cracked stock. But in all fairness this only came to light when I stripped off the dirt etc. It had been repaired in the distant past. I think the nepalese guns are excellent value if you dont mind getting your hands dirty.

Thats why I've bought it. I've never attempted anything like this and I like a challenge. At £290 whats there to lose.

[markH]

If you click on the home page you'll find that it says 70% off........ it's pretty much a permanent sales gimmick. I don't know why they do it as to me it smacks of a con trick but it isn't.

http://www.uk-militaria.com/home.php

[RogerH]

If you click on the home page you'll find that it says 70% off........ it's pretty much a permanent sales gimmick. I don't know why they do it as to me it smacks of a con trick but it isn't.

http://www.uk-militaria.com/home.php

Like the old saying if its too good to be true it usually is. Judging the condition of the rifle by the photos its nowhere near worth the price quoted. Its states "RECENTLY FOUND AFTER OVER 100 YEARS STORAGE. So Its probobly from the Nepalise Cache the same as mine. Mine works out £20 more and I'm not authorising a £930 payment on my card. You wouldn't have a leg to stand on if you got charged the full amount and the company went tits up. I don't like gimics. Might order an Enfield bayonet from them though.

[markH]

You wouldn't have a leg to stand on if you got charged the full amount and the company went tits up. I don't like gimics. Might order an Enfield bayonet from them though.

Actually you would. One of the major advantages of buying with a credit card, is that any underhand dealings by the retailer are covered by the credit card company.

I only found out about UK Militaria from another thread on here http://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=431068
It appears that lots of forum members have bought from them and been very happy. So I went along with their recommendation and was well pleased with my Martini.

[RogerH]

Actually you would. One of the major advantages of buying with a credit card, is that any underhand dealings by the retailer are covered by the credit card company.

I only found out about UK Militaria from another thread on here http://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=431068
It appears that lots of forum members have bought from them and been very happy. So I went along with their recommendation and was well pleased with my Martini.

The one on that site looks no better or worse than the one I have ordered so theres no advantage. As you said you are covered but I don't fancy going through all the potential hassle of trying to get over £900 refunded if anything goes wrong. I've been through all that before, it's not that straightforward. First you have to wait 30 days then you have to prove you have made every effort to contact the merchant supplying evidence and then in the meantime you have to pay the bill. It can take up to 45 days to get your money back. Believe me its one hell of a hastle.

Have you got any pics of your Martini Henry? Is it a shooter or wall hanger.

[markH]

When it arrived the action was siezed (they had described it as such). Half an hour with WD40 sorted that and this is how it looked partly stripped.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...r/martini1.jpg

That gave me a bit of a shock because it was nothing like the exploded diagram I had off the net, and I'm thinking "where do all these bits go???

More research and apparently the Nepalese couldn't make coil springs so their action is based around the leaf spring you can see in the pic.

That was the next problem because the bolt which anchored the leaf spring was well rusted and stripped. I found that a standard 6mm bolt was a perfect substitute but I only had hex head bolts and no lathe. I have a De-Walt radial arm saw which will take a chuck on the end of the shaft so the only option was to put the bolt in the chuck, turn the saw on and "file" the hex head into a round head. Then a hacksaw'd slot and problem solved.

As usual playing around with the parts and seeing what fits where sorted out the assembly problems.

[markH]

As you can see here there was a bit of wood rot around the top strap so I had to build that up a bit. I've had a small block of english walnut for about 30 years but couldn't find it. So I decided to use mahogany and make the repair obvious for all to see........ it's a military rifle anyway, not a purdey, so repairs should be utilitarian (my excuse anyway).

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...r/martini2.jpg

[markH]

Here's the back handle cleaned up a bit with repairs in mahogany.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...r/martini3.jpg

[markH]

I used more WD40 and a PB brush on the bore and just scrubbed for about 20 mins. I don't quite know what to expect from a 110 year old gun, the rifling does look a bit worn, but it's still definately there and there's no real pitting visible inside.

There is pitting down the outside of the barrel in a line where it meets the fore-stock, but it isn't that deep, even at the muzzle where the barrels thinnest there's still about 75% meat.

I don't have a FAC any more but I think I'd shoot it with moderate loads. This is as far as I got before boredom set in.

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d6...r/martini4.jpg