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Winning Bid US $650 First bid $400 Quantity 1 # of bids 9 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-07-28 00:00:00 Ended 2025-11-21 22:35:25

Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield/ Henry Rifled Barrel Co., Mark. II Martini-Enfield Artillery Carbine, New Zealand marked, Cal: .303 British, MFG: 1881, Converted 1898, S/N: 6003E, Lever action single shot breech loading rifle, 21'' barrel.

HISTORY: This rifle started its life as a I.C.1 Martini-Henry (Interchangeable Carbine Mk. I) in .577/450 MH, being made at Enfield in 1881. The Interchangeable means it was made for both artillery & cavalry use, instead of having separate designs. It was later converted to a Mk. II Martini-Enfield Artillery Carbine by HRB Co. in 1898. This model of rifle was approved in December of 1897 after the Lee-Metford & Lee-Enfield rifles were adopted. These were made to use up obsolete older rifles as a cheaper alternative for rear line support troops who don't need a state of the art infantry rifle. Chambering them in the same caliber made it easier on logistics for ammo manufacturer & issue as you only have to make & issue one type of ammo & not two. Enfield would convert 20,185 rifles to .303 in 1899-1900, HRB Co. converted 6,000 in 1898. The HRB Company ceased operations in 1900. Many of these would be sold off quickly as surplus to Britian's allies after more Lee-Enfield's were made & available. This rifle is interesting as the Mk. I Martini-Enfield's were the older converted rifles & the Mk. II rifles were generally made from new production never used parts, however this rifle is marked as a Mk. II but is a converted rifle. This Rifle was sold to New Zealand in 1899, just shortly after being converted.

CONDITION: The two-piece wood stock is very good. The buttstock has a old sand & re-finish job, likely done in military service. Forend does not match buttstock & has darkened from added oils over time. Metal is proud to the wood around the heel & toe of buttplate. the bottom of the forend, next to the lower forend tang is marked in white paint ''G-10-F''. Unmarked brass unit disc in right cheek of the stock, to the right of that are the faint remains of the original British stock markings, they read ''II'' over ''I''. The metal has mostly toned to a chocolate brown patina with scratches & wear showing gun metal gray. Scattered roughness, dings, & tool marks around the receiver & chamber. The right-side receiver markings are faded but read, a crown over ''V.R'', ''ENFIELD'', ''1881.'', small crown with arrow proof, ''I.C.1'', a lined out ''2''. The S/N, & British proofs. Left side of the receiver is marked with some worn British proofs, British sold out of service double broad arrow stamp (SOS), crown over ''V.R.'', ''H.R.B. Co.'', ''1898'', ''ME 303'', ''A.C.II''. more British proofs, & two dates of ''2/89'', & ''91''. The receiver band is marked ''NZ'' over ''99'' (New Zealand property mark), oversampled with a ''S'' over ''S'' in between two broad arrows (another British sold out of service stamp, New Zealand copied British military markings). The rear of the receiver is stamped with the New Zealand applied number ''2710''. The bottom of the receiver, under the lever is marked with more British proofs. Left side of the chamber marked with many British proofs & the British SOS broad arrow stamp, right side marked with the S/N. The top chamber flat is marked ''E'', ''S'' over ''S'' in between two broad arrows stamp. The trigger guard, forearm tang, lever arm, barrel band, & buttplate are marked with more proofs. S/N matching rear sight. The bore is good. Bright with spots of roughness. The barrel holds a Barleycorn front sigh, & a tangent ladder V-notch rear sight marked 200 to 500 on the base, & 6 to 20 on the ladder. The buttstock carries a steel buttplate, toning to a brown patina. The rifle has both bottom sling loops. Rifle is missing the cleaning rod. A rare & sought after Martini Carbine. Antique, No FFL Req. - Value: 800 to 1600

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Price

Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield/ Henry Rifled Barrel Co., Mark.... Item # 4470 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $650

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