Gurkha made Martini-Henry

Bookie

Bookie

Joined
Mar 25, 2014
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I do enjoy the khukuris I have and hope to have. Enjoy reading about the Gurkhas, too. After getting a small catalog in the mail, I decided I couldn't live without the Nepalese made Martini-Henry Francotte pattern rifle advertised by Humongus Guns R Us. It would make a swell companion piece for the kuks, eh? Crikey! Was it a dirt ball when it came! You ain't ever seen the likes. Making a long story short, I disassembled it, cleaned it up best I know how, worked a few magic repairs (and some that weren't so magical & swore a lot) got'er back together and it looks like it's worth more'n the buck fifty-eight I paid for it. Had a lot of fun working on it, too. Taking the action apart and then trying to figure out how to reassemble it with no drawing--well (I swore some more) call me Houdini. Folks, out of that pile of crap, I got me a shooter! Here are 17 photos depicting some of the highlights.
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[/URL][/IMG] Took it out of the box and choked.
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[/URL][/IMG] No butt plate and wooden shims affecting a hundred year old skuzzy repair. See the dirt?
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[/URL][/IMG] The butt plate they sent as a replacement. See the number on the band? All match.
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[/URL][/IMG] The bayonet that came with it. More numbers.
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[/URL][/IMG] Trying to take the forearm off. The parts seem to be a tad rusty....
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[/URL][/IMG] Finally got the action out after offering a human sacrifice. More rust.
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[/URL][/IMG] Hole for the firing pin & extractor..hmmm...what did I do with that rust?
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[/URL][/IMG] Degunker on the butt stock. It was just a mist. It grew into this glob of goop!
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[/URL][/IMG] Metal parts after cleaning.
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[/URL][/IMG] Butt's been chewed up, but it's starting to come clean.
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[/URL][/IMG] Butt plate is clean and has a nice even patina. No mustard or vinegar, either.
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[/URL][/IMG] Had to graft a piece of walnut on the toe. Not nails. Accraglass.
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[/URL][/IMG] They must have been hurting for metal. I've never, ever seen a two-piece front panel of a nose cap before. The front panel is so tiny!
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[/URL][/IMG] The first bayonet was almsot broken, so they sent a free replacement. Different arsenal markings.
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[/URL][/IMG] It's a number three or perhaps 30.
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[/URL][/IMG] Took forever it seemed like, but the butt finally was mounted in the correct position. It's numbered, too.
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[/URL][/IMG] And here she is, my pride and joy. She looks much better than when she arrived. I enjoyed the project and feel that it ended up being worth the money paid for it.
 
Wow, now that is a transformation. I was kind of expecting more profanity and less satisfaction, but that's a nice conversation piece and historical artifact.
 
Man alive that thing was nasty nasty nasty. You did a super job cleaning her up. Really cool an something to look at now. It will go great with your khuks an future khuks.

Heck of a major project but well worth the effort. Well done.
 
Thanks for posting, I like happy endings. This makes it pretty clear what to expect with one of those "as found" and "untouched" rifles. Kudos for saving that piece of Gurkha history.
 
What kind of round did that rifle usu? 303? I understand that they are sold as wall hangers and are considered dangerous to fire, is that statement correct?
 
The ammo is 577 X .450. Many people reload this. The "As Found" guns may or may not be safe to shoot. It depends on the rust & corrosion used. The hand welded barrels (just like I make them) are not guaranteed to be totally perfect either, but my barrel "rings" solid and rusting is a minimum. The bore is dern near perfect. Worn parts were replaced with new ones I made (some are superior to the original) and I now feel the rifle is sound. Learned a lot of tricks while refurbishing/repairing the old girl and got to know her quite well. As such, the old wood stocks being the limiting factor, would cause me to reload any ammo with a reduced charge--to err on Safety's side being preferable to moi. Put the bayonet on this and it looks like a million dollars on the wall. All BS aside, this has been a satisfying project and I'm glad I bought it.
 
Awesome job Bookie! I considered buying one of those for a project before they disappeared but it probably wouldnt get done for ten years with all my other projects. Cool that you could make the missing parts and put her back together. I have heard of some people being able to fire them practically out of the box and then some having to buy several of them to get one complete piece. IMA had them for about the same price and just for the history alone makes it worth having one with a Khukri collection. Cool that you got the bayonet too. I have a book by John Walters ("Guns of the Gurkhas") that describes all the markings and old rifles of that era. If you dont have it Ill send you mine for a while if your interested in reading it.
 
Does it have a lot of big words? I'm a picture book guy myself.
 
Bookie, that is amazing. I looked at that first picture and thought, that is going to be a LOT of work. The last picture is something to be proud of and is going to look great with your khuk collection. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to see the transformation and some of the key in between pictures. It sure does as Steve says "makes it clear what to expect" should someone want to buy one of these. Great job, Hopefully Cutie Curls wasn't the human sacrifice? Bawanna might never forgive you ifn it was... :D
 
That is one beautiful piece there Bookie, I had considered one once but it kinda fell away, yours looks incredible and I can only imagine the hours you put in to make it serviceable again. Those rifles had been stored in the worst condition possible and mostly were in the dirt and mud floor. I remember when I forget the company's name who purchased all the weapons from the armory in nepal, but they got everything in there including cannons and such, most of the longleaf's alot of guy here have came from that purchase as well.
 
I bought the book Treasure Is Where You Find It and the companion DVD. You must see the photos of rifles literally piled higgy-piggly and guys standing on top of them. When a pile of antiqueCivil War era rifles is as high as a one story house and still growing, you just gotta take notice....and there's more. Chest high pile of unfired Confederate Sharps carbines, countless bayonets, swords, khukuries, Bren guns.....
 
I just looked at the IMA site and they had these "untouched". Your originally look pristine compared to the one they have a picture of now. The stock is virtually rotted off the thing.

Sad seeing a pile of historic guns piled and stored like that. A real heartbreaker to me. I cringe when I bang two together putting them in the safe let alone tossing em in the mud and walking on em. Sacriledge......................
 
You get better guns if you pay the premium for "hand Picked". I'll loan you the DVD. Your eyes'll bug out.
 
DVD? That's one of them little flat records you put in the cup holder and it plays movies and stuff right?

I'm pretty up on most of this technology stuff. My son got me and the wife a Blue Ray player for Christmas, ain't been able to play a movie since. Looks the same to me but I gotta read the notes to make it work.

I was just getting good at VHS Please be kind, rewind and then they throw me this DVD BS. Frustrating sometimes I tell ya.
 
I don't think I got the serious mechanical skills you got Steve. I love that kind of project though. I've dolled up a few clunkers for sure.

That was a serious makeover you done on that one. Me bonnets off to ya lad!

I'm debating now weather to work on design of my triangle box chandelier or some sort of labeling system so I remember what my knifes are called and who made them while I still have 20% memory capacity and a semi functional brain.

Or option three, plop into the recliner and call it a day.
 
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