C.J. Chivers/The New York Times
A Martini-Henry rifle, collected by Marines in Marja, Afghanistan, had fallen into neglect.
Posted on 12/12/2010 8:12:54 PM PST by Pan_Yan
Earlier this year, as part of the tools of war series, At War published photographs of Taliban small arms from Helmand province, along with data on the types of firearms in insurgent use. The photographs included images of bolt-action rifles, including one, a Lee-Enfield rifle, that dated to 1915.
In spite of their advanced age, Lee-Enfield rifles, along with Soviet Mosin-Nagant bolt-action arms, have seen continued service in Afghanistan for two reasons: they offer greater range and accuracy than the assault rifles in more common circulation, and their ammunition remains available on Afghan black markets.
Many readers wrote with questions about that old Lee-Enfield. Some asked what else we might be seeing. Today we return to the collection with the publication of an even older rifle seized from the Taliban.
The rifle in question, also collected by Marines in Marja, is a standard-issue Martini-Henry rifle. The Martini-Henry predates the Lee-Enfield by a more than generation. It was first fielded in the 1870s and was carried by British colonial troops to far-flung corners of the world. Like the Lee-Enfield line, and like well-made infantry rifles generally, the Martini-Henry rifles proved sturdy and have lasted, when well-cared for, for more than a century.
C.J. Chivers/The New York Times
A Martini-Henry rifle, collected by Marines in Marja, Afghanistan, had fallen into neglect.
C.J. Chivers
The factory stampings on a Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifle made by the British in 1915.
(Excerpt) Read more at atwar.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Interesting. I remember reading an article in a gun magazine back in the 1970s where the author stated that many tribesmen in Afghanistan were still using flintlocks at that time.
I really regret parting company with that Lee Enfield. As I recall, the serial number was in the 4,000 range. My younger brother and I bought it for $30 at a neighbors garage sale. Bore looked like brand new. A couple of years later, I bought out my brothers interest in it for $15. Years later, I gave it to my older brother. Recently I wondered if I might get it back so, I contacted him but he said he had given it away years ago.
See that green duct tape in the photo? Looks like ‘100 Mile an hour’ tape - Army issue. How did the Taliban get it? Makes me imagine our ‘friends’ there are funneling all sorts of supplies to them.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Those are beautiful weapons. I wonder how many times those triggers have been pulled.
My rifle is still covered in cosmoline from the 50’s or 60’s when the guy bought it. A couple years ago he just wanted the $60 he paid for it originally. I have bullets and new cases to reload for it and can hardly wait. It has a light and smooth trigger pull also. It also has a post front sight, which works a lot better for me. The blade sight bleeds into the bull and I have a hard time replicating the sight picture.
I could shoot straighter if I had scopes, but I just can't move away from original configuration. Vintage scopes are just too expensive when I want to save up for a mil spec scope for my M1A.
Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a Ukrainian Soviet sniper during World War II. Her recruiter urged her to become a nurse, but she insisted on becoming a soldier. Pavlichenko had a shooting certificate from a gun club in Kiev that she earned at age 14.
That reminds me of something else I try to forget. My dad bought a new Remington 1911 for $25, and not knowing I wanted it sold the pistol for $50, because he could double his money.
On the bright side, I guy at work convinced me in late 70’s to buy an M-1 Garand from the CMP for $125. I got a rebuilt rifle with a late production Winchester receiver and a beautiful walnut stock.
I think he said he paid about $250 for it. I wanted one.
Does that picture look reversed? Or maybe its a made-up Soviet propaganda pic?
The scope mount is on the same side as the bolt...I don’t recollect seeing anything like that. Also it appears that the bolt is missing from the back of the action by the thumbpiece.
Not that the Soviets would stage anything.... ;)
Interesting photo of the dashing Lyudmila.
K.
Interesting. It appears the rifles were just a prop given to her for the photos.
On the second one you posted, she can’t even get a cheek-to-stock look for it, and the scope mount is still on the wrong side (I had to blow it up to see that - and it almost looks like there is a magazine protruding under her left wrist).
I’m something of a Mosin aficionado. If there is a scope mount like the one in the pictures, I’d like some more info about it from the experts on the forum.
Meanwhile, I appreciate you posting these pics.
If I understand correctly, Lyudmila survived the war and thought young Vasily had been killed. It wasn’t until about the 1960s that she read something about him and realized he was still alive. Fascinating story of the snipers and their tools.
She’s kinda hot, but if she’s mad at me, I think I would stay at least a mile away from her.
The “ghost ring” aperture sights on the Mark Four Lee-Enfield have to be among the best iron sights ever put on a rifle.
Did they think he was the reincarnated Alexander?
re: “The Man who would be King”.
Well...maybe two miles, just to be sure. Maybe three miles....
“
One Way to Retire an Old Rifle
“
Uh, send it to me.
I’ll clean it up and mount it over the fireplace.
Maybe that’s become an ancient and unknown practice in most of the
“civilized” world.
Obama sent it to “Captain Crunch”.
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