Forums.NitroExpress.com

Sarg:

Sorry again for the poor quality photos. I will try to remember to bring my tripod back with me in the fall.

I haven't taken photos of the Lee Speed carbine yet.

Ash:
Not sure what you are looking for, but here goes:

The small-frame Martini was retailed by George Bate of Birmingham. (I'm trying to find one of their catalogues that show it) An email to the firm last year resulted in the information that the rook rifle was, in fact, bought in, from an un-named firm in Belgium, but all of Bates' records were destroyed in the Blitz in the Second World War. The barrel is a file-cut flat-topped ovate shape, 26" in length. Rear sight is a W.W.Greener cadet pattern sight. It is simply a joy to carry in the woods. It feels like you have a long well-balanced screwdriver in your hand, and mounts & points wonderfully. The cartridge reminds me of a miniature .43 Mauser, or baby .450 B.P.E. It is chambered for the .298 Minex caliber. (0.295 lands, 0.300" grooves) with Pre-1904 Birmingham proof marks. I use sized down .32-20 Star-line brass to hand-load for it. I designed an Accurate Molds RNFPPBTL 5 gang mould for it. Water quenched wheel weight bullets come out at 0.30095" so they are only lubed, with mineral spirits diluted liquid alox. I use a neck-sizing button to initially size down the necks, but thereafter do not have to do anything other than to crimp the bullets in after being seated as there is not enough pressure to expand the cases. Other than working up a load for it (8.0 gr. Nobel Magnum 6 in front of RWS SP primers in the above-mentioned Starline brass), I get to shoot it very seldom as my wife has taken it as her own. (I get to load for it & clean it after range time!) It is one of very few of my rifles she likes & can use. The other is a Francotte-Patent small-frame Martini that was retailed by Robert Hughes & Sons, Birmingham, which has been sleeved for .22 Long sometime in its life. The barrel carries Post-1904 Birmingham proof marks. An email to the firm last year resulted in the information that the rook rifle was also bought in, from Francotte in Belgium, but all of their records were destroyed in the Blitz in the Second World War.

The second is a J. Burrow #3B (Trade-Pattern) Farquharson in .375 Flanged Nitro Express 2 1/2" that I picked up a few years ago, along with dies, 2 boxes of original ammunition, 200 bullets, & 50 new brass, in trade for a new Browning Citori Hunter, a Stephan Grant L.S.A.Co.Ld. carbine, a Ruger #1A in .30-06, a Ruger #1A in .303 & a Kahles ZF84 scope. It is just so much nicer to hold & carry than a Ruger #1 & I daresay, has a whole lot more history to it! I've turned some of the old Hornady .375 275 grain RNSP IL bullets into the old Soft-nose split type using my trusty dremel tool with a cut-off wheel. Boy, do they expand on whitetail!!! When it's at the range on a hot day (+37 C with 90% humidity), I think it most fitting that I wear my old pith helmet with it.

;-)

The third is my Holland & Holland rifle.

Time for dinner!

If I missed any information or specific details you would like, just let me know & I will provide them, if I can.

Post Extras