A handful of history
Sam Garro on what is still a sought-after classic
For years my hunting companion Alex, a veteran shooter and long-standing member of the Big Game Rifle Club of Victoria, longed to own an iconic .577/450 Martini-Henry rifle. Introduced in 1871, it has long been admired for its simplistic design and ease of operation, though he wanted one more as a prized ‘wall hanger’. As owner of .310 Cadet rifles built on small Martini falling-block actions, used periodically for club events and a spot of rabbiting, he also appreciated the strong and reliable falling-block action of the Martini-Henry on which various custom calibre rifles have been built.
Sourcing a .577/450 Martini-Henry
Recently he’d the good fortune to acquire one made in 1885 in an all-original and very good refurbished condition from Hepner Fine Guns of Geelong, with matching numbers and factory markings throughout. Apart for some superficial stock marks on the butt and slight bore pitting from use – understandable for a firearm verging on 140 years old when corrosive black powder and Berdan primers would’ve contributed – the vintage gun was pleasing to the eye and a pleasure to hold.
And while it was initially destined as that wall hanger, the more he handled it and marvelled at its design features the more he felt the urge to actually shoot it. So now the fun started, trying to replicate an old cartridge initially loaded with black powder and components no longer produced or available.
Revolutionary development
Before the invention of the first breech-loading rifle in the 1830s, muzzleloading black powder rifles used in conflict and hunting were slow to load and useful mainly for close-range shooting. But the latter years of the 1800s saw significant advancement in rifle design and development. While other countries were looking at single-shot bolt-action designs like the Prussian Dreyse and French Chassepot, Britain went its own way in adopting the Martini-Henry breech-loading, falling-block, lever operated, self-cocking, single-shot centrefire rifle.
It was developed and patented in 1862 by Henry O. Peabody of America, improved by Swiss designer Friedrich von Martini, then further incorporated polygonal rifling (reduces lead fouling and enables faster bullets) by Alexander Henry, a pre-eminent Scottish gunmaker in his own right. The simple, quick-loading rifle with improved longer range shooting capability was a gamechanger and became standard service issue for the British Army. Around 500,000 were produced at the government-owned Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield, UK between 1871 and 1889.
Service use
The rifle and its Mk.I, II, III and Mk.IV variants were used extensively by British forces throughout the British Empire in several conflicts including the Perak War of 1875-76, Second Anglo-Afghan War and Second Boer War. However its first widespread use was most notably the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879 and the battles at Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. Although Her Majesty’s troops were outnumbered 20-1 by Zulu warriors, they managed to hold their position thanks to the superior firepower of the quick-loading Martini-Henry rifles against the far more primitive weapons and muskets the Zulus were equipped with. Later, the rifles saw service throughout the Australian colonies, Canadian Confederation, New Zealand and the Caribbean and were still in British military service in World War One.
Alex’s example, a Mk.III made by Birmingham Small Arms Co. in 1885 as denoted by its markings, has a barleycorn foresight and rear graduated rail sight. Of the three main variants, the Mk.III introduced in 1879 is most commonly found carrying Australian colonial markings, as the model was used in all Australian colonies and notably also by the Royal Victorian Volunteer Artillery from 1885-1900.
Interesting cartridge
Developed as a standard British service cartridge for introduction into the British Army the .577/450 Martini-Henry, a rimmed bottleneck rifle cartridge derived from the .577 Snider for use in single-shot, falling-block Martini-Henry rifles, was originally loaded with black powder but later used cordite propellant. A casing contained 85gr of black powder behind a 480gr alloy bullet, comprising one part tin and 12 parts lead with muzzle velocity of 1350 fps and recoil comparable to a .45/70, though with a bit more knock-down power.
Back in the day, casings were made of thin coiled .074mm brass sheet attached to a metal base and only good for firing once, prior to the introduction of drawn brass which was much sturdier and suitable for reloading. Use of the more volatile black powder and corrosive Berdan primers necessitated rinsing the barrels after each firing session to rid them of corrosive elements.
Replicating the cartridge
When the cartridge was introduced, the Martini-Henry rifle was designed to shoot a 480gr bullet comprising various reloading components such as wads, wax and paper, a time-consuming process in itself. Trying to replicate that cartridge and achieve reasonable bullet grouping can be quite challenging as many a reloader will testify, though fortunately a couple of club members with similar firearms were able to provide tried and safe black powder loads which helped.
Short on drawn or modern brass cases and difficult to source as commercial production of the calibre by Kynoch in the UK ceased in the late 1950s, Bertram Brass in Victoria luckily had a supply. They’re the only known supplier who acquired machinery from Kynoch and other closing munitions plants over time, to continue production of the case and many other obsolete and wildcat calibres.
Testing for grouping
When trialling the different black powder loads at the range, bullets printed low and to the left and unacceptably wide apart. In addition, the open sights ran out of adjustment which created a bit of a dilemma, so Alex put his former toolmaking skills to use in fashioning a tiny adjustable metal foresight. He also decided to use recommended modern powder loads which, apart from burning cleaner, he hoped would bring improved results.
From three separate powder loadings of 34, 35 and 36gr of AR2207, the latter with the case void packed with tissue paper behind a 400gr hard-cast projectile, printed the tightest group at 25 yards. This is sufficiently accurate for target shooting and hunting medium to large game such as deer, scrub bull and the like. Felt recoil using the lighter 400gr projectile compared to the 480gr full black powder-loaded bullet felt comfortable enough for repeated shooting in the standing position.
To test the knock-down power, a couple of 400gr projectiles were safely fired into a 6” weathered redgum log. Travelling in excess of 1300 fps, they punched clear through and are considered more than capable of dropping large game. It’s important to note that what may work in this firearm with the loading described may not necessarily provide the same result in another Martini- Henry rifle. This is due to slight variances in bore size through rifling wear and degree of pitting, so it’s always best to start with a minimum recommended load and work up in small increments.
Customised rifles
While production of the end series Martini-Henry Mk IV ceased in 1889 to be replaced by the more versatile Lee-Metford .303 bolt-action repeating rifle using cordite smokeless powder, it continued to see service throughout Africa and its colonies. When the Zulu movie premiered in 1964, the Martini-Henry gained huge popularity among gun enthusiasts, yet due to strong demand and limited availability were difficult to source. Many were converted to sporters in England and Europe then later in Australia, the US and elsewhere.
Similarly with the reliable Mauser 98 action, after the war, Martini-Henry robust falling block actions were used by gunmakers and gunsmiths to build sporting and custom rifles in calibres such as the .444 and .45/70, which were used extensively by US frontier and buffalo hunters. On home soil in the 1930s, Asiatic water buffaloes in the Top End were shot for their hides from horseback by stockmen like Tom Cole, author of Hell West and Crooked, using a .303 British Martini-Enfield carbine modified from the .577/450 Martini-Henry.
Sporting use
Due to its widespread use by the British Army, the .577/450 also became a popular sporting cartridge among hunters all over the world for many years, particularly in Africa and India where all manner of medium to large and dangerous animals were hunted, from deer and plains game to tiger and even elephant.
Stalking game within range with this iconic rifle comes with its challenges but when successful is hugely rewarding. And while the sights may be graduated to shoot out to 400 yards, I doubt a responsible shooter would attempt to take a game animal beyond 100 yards for a humane kill. On the other hand customised rifles, scoped and fitted with quality barrels, can perform exceptionally well at various distances.
Conclusion
Well-made vintage firearms hold a certain prestigious charm and appreciation for their design, functionality and history. This is especially true of the Martini-Henry breech-loader, a significant transition from muzzleloading rifles which helped bring about change and stability during its service. Both the small Martini Cadet and large-action Martini-Henrys in original factory issue or converted calibre hold special favour and appreciation with their owners, as they continue to be used for different shooting scenarios and hunting.