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Brithunter
.300 member


Reged: 17/03/10
Posts: 184
Loc: Lincolnshire, England
A light .303 Martini "Muscat"
      #157160 - 22/03/10 11:29 PM

This is a little tame compared with some on the forums but I thought I would share it just the same. Of Belgian manufacture it's a .303 Bore Martini marked Muscat and it seems it was made for the Omanis. Anyway it looks like a light sporting carbine to me which is what attracted me to it:-












Complete with silver shield inletted into the bottom of the stock


The Muscat marking.


The bore is tight and will probably shoot .308 bullets well. However the rifling is different and appears deeper on one side of the land than the other almost like a rachet tooth? and the chamber is not quite the same as the British 303 even though they will chamber and fire the shoulder is more rounded so I keep a few cases segregated for it and have shot some GC lead 205 grain bullets through it. Interesting and I thought some of the members might like to see it.

Edited by NitroX (17/08/10 04:27 AM)

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88MauSporter
.375 member


Reged: 06/06/07
Posts: 530
Loc: Alaska / Texas
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: Brithunter]
      #157196 - 23/03/10 03:34 PM

Very nice. I love the .303 in the martini action. Nice handy sporter.
Congrats.

--------------------
"A hunter should not use a rifle that will kill an animal when everthing goes right; you should use one that will do the job when everything goes wrong." 88MauSporter

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AkMike
.416 member


Reged: 19/11/05
Posts: 2576
Loc: Anchorage, Alaska
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: 88MauSporter]
      #157201 - 23/03/10 05:22 PM

Any idea who built it? I see the Belgium marks on it.

--------------------
"When you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing; when you see that money is flowing to those who deal not in goods, but in favors; you may know that your society is doomed." Ayn Rand

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450_366
.400 member


Reged: 17/01/07
Posts: 1068
Loc: Sweden, west-coast.
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: AkMike]
      #157202 - 23/03/10 05:55 PM

Nice rifle, if i remember right i saw a similar at holts recently.

--------------------
Andreas

"Yeas it kicks like a mule he said, but always remember that its much worse standing on the other end"

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Paul
.400 member


Reged: 28/08/07
Posts: 1031
Loc: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: 450_366]
      #157207 - 23/03/10 06:51 PM

Very interesting, Brithunter.

Australia's most famous deerhunter, Arthur Bentley, used something like that to hunt sambar for many years. I think his was sporterised here and he has carved a deer into the butt-stock.

Your rifling would be a challenge to clean. I don't suppose it is the original barrel. Breech-loading military arms with full wood were sometimes designated 'muskets', though the spelling on yours suggests the maker was in the grip of the grape.

- Paul

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lancaster
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Reged: 06/05/08
Posts: 8731
Loc: There's a lighthouse in the mi...
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: Paul]
      #157208 - 23/03/10 07:30 PM

nice dandy rifle

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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kamilaroi
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Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: lancaster]
      #157219 - 23/03/10 10:25 PM

Metford rifling perhap?

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Brithunter
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Reged: 17/03/10
Posts: 184
Loc: Lincolnshire, England
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: Paul]
      #157543 - 26/03/10 08:33 PM

Quote:

Very interesting, Brithunter.

Australia's most famous deerhunter, Arthur Bentley, used something like that to hunt sambar for many years. I think his was sporterised here and he has carved a deer into the butt-stock.

Your rifling would be a challenge to clean. I don't suppose it is the original barrel. Breech-loading military arms with full wood were sometimes designated 'muskets', though the spelling on yours suggests the maker was in the grip of the grape.

- Paul



Ahhh Paul "Muscat" is in Oman and ir seems that the Sultan of Oman had these made in both Belgium and England, of course mine is Belgian, it has however been repaired in Oman at soem point as the sear is a "Local" hand made "Armours" replacment and the parts are all numbered with a number and pattern od chisel marks. I suppose to keep all the parts together when on the bench.

Dr Rhodes from the HBSA is working in Oman with the Omanis reserching and restoring a "Citidel" or fort and I understand these are documented so it's not a true sporterisation as it's believed that they were built like this. Sorry I don't know who in Belgium made it. It's not made to British Military pattern as a breech block from an Enfield AC11 would not even go into the action slot.......... Yep I tried just for the heck of it.

As for the barrle yes it's the original but I don't know anything about the rifling or it's type it's not one I have come across before. I did fire some MkV11 through it but it left a lot of copper fouling in the bore so after cleaning it out I switched to gas checked cast bullets and last time I shot it was using "The Load" on the indoor 25 M pistol range..

--------------------
Don't let the bastards grind you down!

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Paul
.400 member


Reged: 28/08/07
Posts: 1031
Loc: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: Brithunter]
      #157657 - 27/03/10 10:59 PM

Yes Syrah, I see it all now.

Obviously, Brithunter, 'twas I who was under the influence.

- Paul

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8X57
.300 member


Reged: 09/06/10
Posts: 105
Loc: UK & Sultanate of Oman
Re: A light .303 Martini "Muscat" [Re: Paul]
      #249580 - 27/06/14 12:01 AM

Hi Brithunter

I am based most of the time in Muscat/Oman

That is a very nice example of an "Omani" Martini Action Rifle. In fact probably the nicest I have seen.

If one visits the Souks in the interior there are many Martini Action Rifles for sale. Most of these will, of course have been
"Arabicised" ie wound with wire etc by way of decoration.

I have seen many in the .577/.450 configuration and a few in .303 . One in fair condition will cost (after a fair bit of haggling) around 50 Omani Riyals (that's about 78 GBP) Whether they would be shootable is another question.!!!

They make excellent wallhangers though.

Also for sale are the original brass rolled .577/.450 cartridges (a real collectable) along with the later drawn brass ammo

I have resisted purchase of any of the above simply because should I wish to export back to the UK this will be difficult as the removal of "antiquities" from the country is nigh on impossible and I would hate to own one only to have to give it away eventually.

I see from your post you have shot it. Do you shoot it much/hunt with it?

Ade

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