Home Login Sign Up My Account Browse Links Logout How to Consign   Ward's Bid Sheet   Rules

Winning Bid US $1103 First bid $400 Quantity 1 # of bids 16 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-07-28 00:00:00 Ended 2025-11-21 22:35:25

British- Unknown Firm, Model: ZAR martini-Henry Carbine, Cal: .577/.450 Martini-Henry, MFG: 1870s-90s, S/N: 3883 (ZAR applied), Lever action single shot breech loading rifle, 21 1/2'' barrel.



HISTORY: The Boers would field a large amount of single shot Martini-Henry rifles in both their wars with the British during the 1st Anglo-Boer war (1880-1881), & even during the 2nd Anglo-Boer war (1899-1902). By the 2nd war the Boers would switch to modern Smokeless powder Mauser rifles, but still fielded large numbers of Martinis, usually in non-direct combat roles. The Boers acquired Martini rifles in many ways, buying old British surplus rifles, new made commercial rifles, & buying surplus parts & assembling their own rifles. Ron Bester talks about a couple of batches of unmarked Martini rifles made from surplus military parts bought buy the ZAR Government, in his books about the Boer War. This carbine appearing to be one of those rifles. The Boer fighting force mainly consisted of Commandoes who wore Civilian clothing & fought in a gorilla war style. They also has three other Organized ''uniformed'' units, the state presidents guard, the Zuid Afrikaasns Republic Police (ZARPS), & the Staates Artillery. This carbine likely saw use with one of these units with the ZAR added number being a rack, or armory number.



CONDITION: The two-piece wood stock is very good as being lightly sanded & re-finished. Stock still has some nicks, dings, dents, & scratches from use/age. Metal is slightly proud to the wood around the toe. 1 1/4'' wood chip repair on the top of the wrist, where the wood meets the receiver, repair is professional & tight. The left cheek of the stock stamped ''H''. The blued metal finish rates 40% overall & is a mic of the blue & rust brown patina. spots of roughness/pitting. the left side of the receiver is stamped ''Z.A.R.'', ''3883''. The bottom of the receiver, under the lever, is marked with a couple British proofs, two have punch marks defacing the stamp. the upper receiver band is marked with one British proof on the left side. Left side of the barrel marked with two British proofs & the ''52'' gauge bore measurement, converts to .45 cal. The bore is very good. Its bright with strong rifling & light roughness throughout the grooves. The barrel holds a barleycorn front sight with a stepped base/ladder, notch cut into base, & a V-notch rear sight. The base is marked 100 to 300, & the ladder is marked 4 to 10. The stock carries a steel buttplate, worn to a mix of gun metal gray & rust brown patina. Rifle has both bottom sling loops & has the cleaning/clearing rod. Antique no FFL Req - Value: 800 to 2000

(Move around the image by clicking and dragging. Zoom with your scroll wheel)

Payment Details See Payment Instructions and item description, or contact seller for more information.

Payment Instructions See item description or contact seller for more information.

Price

British- Unknown Firm, Model: ZAR martini-Henry Carbine, Cal: .5... Item # 4472 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $1103

How to Pay If you would like to expedite your payment, please send us an email or give us a call informing us that you would like your invoice emailed to you. If we do not hear from you one of two things will happen: A.) If you signed up and asked us to bill your credit card & ship all items ASAP then that is what we will do. No further notice will be sent. B.) If you signed up and wanted to send us a check, then your invoice will be mailed to you after we figure the shipping. (Please note: If you want to speed this up just send us an email after the auction)

Return to Home Page