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I did something similar with the Greener Single shot I acquired via this board from Caspar50, Mike Harrell.

I went on Greener's website, and paid the required fee. I followed that up with the required photo's and with 8 hours I had a response from Graham Greener.

Dear Mr Dickens,

Thank you for your order, photos of your rifle and payment for information.

W W Greener single barrel Martini actioned rifle, no 46543 was made in 1898.

Our company made Martini .577 large bore military rifles and so it was logical to produce Express rifles for big game hunting using the same martini action in .577 and other calibres. From 1872 onwards W W Greener made two types of Martini action sporting rifles. The ‘S’ model had a round barrel with either pistol grip or straight hand stock and it cost 10 guineas when sold. A special ‘S1’ grade with octagonal barrel, superior finish, hand or machine engraving on the action and better quality walnut stock was also made. This cost 15 guineas when sold originally. One guinea was one pound and one shilling in old English money, or £15.75 in today’s money. Both ‘S’ and ‘S1’ models were made in .360, .400, .500 and .577 calibres.

Your rifle is the better quality ‘S1’ model, a .500 Express rifle with a full pistol grip stock of ‘fiddle back’ walnut. At some time past the front sight has been replaced by a non- standard type. We no longer make sights for rifles but it should be possible to source one at one of the many gun auctions in UK and your own country. Holt’s auctioneers in UK hold quarterly auctions and frequently have sights and parts in their sales. Your rifle is based on the Martini rifle and I attach a diagram of the action which I hope will be helpful. I also attach a page from one of our period gun catalogues showing fore sights. Your rifle was probably fitted with a bead or barleycorn sight as at the top of the page. The stock has also been modified at some time past and fitted with a modern rubber recoil pad. Originally it would have been fitted with a steel butt plate.

Your rifle was proved by the Birmingham Gun Barrel Proof House in 1898 and it bears the marks of that establishment in use form 1896 to 1904. It also bears the registered trade mark ‘elephant’ of W W Greener so from the photos the rifle appears to be genuine.

I regret our records of Martini rifles do not contain much information and the name or the original owner or person ordering the rifle are not recorded.

Kind regards,

Graham N Greener
Director

W W Greener (Sporting Guns) Limited
Telegraph House, 59 Wolverhampton Road,
Stafford, ST17 4AW, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0)1666-510351

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DD, Ret.

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