Westley Richards vs Martini-Henry. Weapons of the First Boer War, 1880-1881

The author with a Martini-Henry rifle, model 1871, in a pith helmet from the times of Isandlwana and the First Boer War. Personal impressions: comfortable to hold, not heavy, nothing more, recharges easily and quickly. Here to shoot, unfortunately, it was not possible to shoot from it

“Paul Potter was loading his gun. The work is not quick: it is necessary to fill the gunpowder into the muzzle, lower a bullet wrapped in a fat-soaked wad with the help of a ramrod, then put a copper piston on the priming rod ... This procedure took a good half a minute, while the Mausers managed to make a dozen shots in the same time. But the young drill valued not so much the quantity as the quality of the shots.
"Captain Rip-Head". L. Bussenard

Unknown Wars. Before we go further in our acquaintance with the First Boer War, we should dwell on such an important aspect of it as the armament of the warring parties. And first of all, we will talk about that mass, that is, small arms weaponswho fought in Africa, the Boers and the British. We note right away that the rifles used by both sides were very similar both in terms of the place of production, and in terms of caliber, weight and ammunition used. The British fought with the Martini-Henry rifle, but the Boers mainly used Westley Richards rifles with a "falling bolt" and also breech-loading.

"Martini-Henry" model 1871 Army Museum, Stockholm

"Martini-Henry" Mk III, (1879). Total length 1260 mm. Barrel length 845 mm. Weight 4,58 kg. Caliber .450. Royal Arsenal, Leeds

"Martini-Henry" model 1895. Produced by August Francott for the company "Westley Richards" for deliveries to the Republic of South Africa. Royal Arsenal, Leeds

And since this is the case, it becomes obvious that the victory of the Boers in this war was largely due to their skill with their rifles and excellent tactics in using them on the battlefield.

Scheme of the device of the mechanism of the rifle "Martini-Henry"

Let's start with the fact that in Cape Town, from the first days of white settlement in South Africa, there was a law that provided that every man between the ages of 16 and 60 had to have a horse, saddle, bridle, musket, 30 lead bullets and 30 charges of black powder, as well as a three-day ration, and with all this to be "where necessary" on demand. That is, be ready for military service at any time.

An oval "medallion" with a thread - under the thumb, so as not to slip when placed on the receiver. The drop-shaped "lever" on the right side is not a fuse, but an indicator of the firing pin cocking. Straight up (12 o'clock) - not cocked, back (at 7-9 o'clock) - the firing pin is cocked. Author's photo

The Boers learned to shoot from an early age. They were avid hunters, there was a lot of game, and they set off daily for prey. Therefore, they could always protect their isolated homesteads from marauding black natives. Competitions were held from time to time, which further improved their already accurate shooting, so that in the end all Boers became excellent marksmen.

The lever that lowered the shutter when reloading. Author's photo

On the other hand, the British soldier was never a good shooter, he was trained to shoot in volleys. Thus, there is no doubt that any slight advantage that the British could gain from their .450-inch Mk III Martin-Henry breech-loading rifle could easily be offset by the accuracy of the Boers.

"Martini-Henry" - the shutter is open. Author's photo

So, the standard weapon of the British infantry of that time was a breech-loading rifle, caliber .450 Martini-Henry Mk III.

TTX rifles:
Overall length: 125,2 cm
Barrel length: 84,3 cm (the carbine has a barrel up to 54,3 cm)
Weight: 3,84-4,08 kg (depending on the type of wood)
Muzzle velocity: 412 m/s
Firing range: 90-1326 m (90 - direct shot range)

Frame from the movie "Zulu" (1964). This is how the cartridge should have been loaded into it ...

The Martini-Henry rifle fired .577 / .450 cartridges, which in 1881 had brass cases, a central ignition primer and 31,1 g lead bullets with paper wrap. Load: 85 grains of black powder for a rifle and 55 grains for a carbine. To reduce recoil when firing carbines, a lighter bullet was developed for them. The cartridges differed in the color of the paper wrapper - white for a rifle and red for cartridges for a carbine. Although it was possible to shoot from a rifle and a carbine with cartridges of both types.

Martini-Henry cartridges obtained by compression of a straight case from a .577 Snyder rifle

The bayonet used with the Mk III rifle, triangular 1871-1899, which was attached to the barrel with a retaining ring. The length of the bayonet was 64 cm. The total length of the rifle with the attached bayonet was 1,75 m, which really, let's say, was a lot. In fact, a rifle with a bayonet was the height of a man! Royal Arsenal, Leeds

This is how the British fought with these rifles with bayonets. Shot from the film "Dawn of the Zulu (1979)

The cavalry and artillery units of that time were armed with the Martini-Henry carbine, which was shorter and lighter than a rifle. However, the cavalry as such did not participate in the three battles of Laingsneck, Schuinschogt and Majub in January and February 1881, although among the horsemen who participated in the battles of Laingsneck and Schuinschogt were the cavalrymen of the Royal Dragoon Guards, who were supposed to have this carbine. The rest of the mounted units, consisting mainly of soldiers from the 58th Yeomanry and 60th Rifles, are shown in most photographs with a standard infantry rifle.

Still from the film Zulu Dawn (1979). In the hands of soldiers carbines "Martini-Henry"

The officers probably also had 45-inch double-action Webley revolvers chambered for centerfire, although some officers may still have had the Adams revolvers with which they were armed earlier.

The muzzle of the barrel, the ramrod and the fastening of the bayonet of the Martini-Henry rifle. Author's photo

The rival of the Martini-Henry rifle on the battlefields of the First Anglo-Boer War was, oddly enough, also an English rifle, and also released in 1871 by Westley Richards, which produced first-class weapons for hunting. Expensive, yes, only the Boer farmer, who needed firearms for hunting and protecting his estate, bought the best weapons he could afford and which at that time were available at his place of residence. That is why Westley Richards actively sold its weapons to South Africa. It's true, she's not the only one...

Drill with a Westley Richards rifle in .500/.450 caliber

Based on the catalogs of merchants in South Africa, the following types of firearms were available in 1880: the Spencer carbine; "Winchester" model 1876; "Martini-Henry" 1871; "Westley Richards" 1871, calibers .500 and .450 (12,7 / 11,43 mm) chambered for # 1 and # 2; "Westley Richards" with a shutter "Monkey's tail" - a primer rifle (or carbine) that fired paper cartridges of 11,43 mm caliber; "Kalishe-Terry" under the paper cartridge 11,43 mm; rifles "Wetterli" with a sliding bolt model 1869, chambered for 10,4 mm rimfire cartridges, from Switzerland; rifles of the Snyder system Mk II and III (as well as carbines), caliber .577 inches (14,66 mm) centerfire.

William Westley Richards - company founder

As for the Westley Richards rifles, their story started back in 1812, when William Westley Richards (he was then 22 years old!) founded the company that bears his name and continues to thrive to this day. For more than 200 years of continuous production of weapons, the company has written many important pages in its history: first of all, we should mention the seamless brass cartridge case, the drop-action rifle, the Anson & Delay hammerless shotgun, and a number of other developments. The firm holds 115 patents and has received at least 22 special awards and medals. And today, the hunting rifles of this company are mainly made on the basis of patents of that time, although so many years have passed. No wonder the company's slogan is the phrase:British means better!».

Westley Richards .450 Cavalry Carbine, 1865 British Library, London

Interestingly, the Westley Richards system appeared before the Martini-Henry system, and did not at all become its development, as it might seem at first glance.

Westley Richards (1871) at the top and Martini-Henry (1871) at the bottom. Royal Arsenal, Leeds

Boers did not use rifles with a bayonet. The officers also had rifles, and some had revolvers of various brands. But even in the critical period after the annexation of the Transvaal in 1877, the Boers did not create either a standing army or a real high command, that is, they had everything according to the principle: "as it went, so it wandered."

Diagram of the bolt action of the Westley Richards rifle from an 1872 patent.

The Boers are accustomed to fighting in mountainous terrain. They skillfully tried on the terrain, they could confidently hit the target, even while in the saddle. It was not so with the British, who did not know how to shoot from a horse at all, about which even R. Kipling wrote in his “Poem about the West and East”:

“He fired once, and fired two, and a bullet whistled at the bushes ... Shoot like a soldier,” Kamal said, “I'll see how you ride!”

The shutter of the Westley Richards rifle, model 1868. Photo by Alain Daubresse website www.littlegun.be

The tactic used by the Boers at the Battle of Majub was to place the older and less mobile Boers, who were both more experienced and better marksmen, at the foot of the hill. They fired continuously and deadly on its crest, shooting at every British head that appeared there. The assault parties were composed of young men who moved up quickly and were hardly disturbed by the British fire from above. There was also flanking fire from two Boer assault groups, taking turns covering each other as they moved up, zigzagging from cover to cover.

Sporting rifle "Westley Richards" 1871. View from the right. Photo by Alain Daubresse website www.littlegun.be

The same rifle. View from the left. Photo by Alain Daubresse website www.littlegun.be

The height of Majuba is about 2000 feet (610 m), and this distance was easily covered by the Boers, because the Boers at the foot of the hill fired deadly fire at its top from their rifles, the effective range of which was 1000 yards (914 m).

1871 Westley Richards rifle receiver with African engraving. Photo by Alain Daubresse website www.littlegun.be

Joseph H. Lehmann, in his book The First Boer War (Jonathan Cape, London, 1972), p. 242, stated:

"The use of very high quality Westley Richards breech-loading rifles made it extremely dangerous for the British to lean out over the crest of the hill."

An exhaustive search did not turn up a single photograph of a Majuba Boer carrying an old Westley Richards rifle with a monkey tail action. It is possible that they must have been used, but in most of the photographs we see an 1871 pattern rifle that used a No. 2 cartridge with a .450/.577 caliber bullet.

Rifle "Westley Richards" 1897 - just in time for the second Transvaal War. Photo by Alain Daubresse website www.littlegun.be

Receiver rifle "Westley Richards" 1897 This was the most advanced example of a weapon with a falling bolt. Unlike the long lever of the English Martini-Henry rifle, the lever of the Westley Richards rifle went around the trigger guard, that is, it was convenient to fold it forward, practically without tearing the butt from the shoulder. The total length was 1220 mm, the barrel length was 810 mm. Caliber .450. Photo by Alain Daubresse website www.littlegun.be

The same rifle, right side view. The striker cocking indicator, which was equipped with the 1871 model, is missing. Photo by Alain Daubresse website www.littlegun.be

Thus, the British did not have the advantage in firearms and firepower that many historians have talked about over the past hundred years. In fact, the Boers had another advantage: they were consummate masters in handling and shooting their weapons, and they fired and reloaded them at such a speed that the British were often misled into thinking by the rate of fire that there were three or three of them. four times more than it actually was ...

To be continued ...

Использованная литература:
1. Lady Bellairs. The Transvaal war 1880-81. William Blackwood and sons. Edinburgh and London 1885
2. Norris-Newman, Charles L. (1882). With the Boers in the Transvaal and Orange Free State 1880-81. London: Abbott, Jones & Co., 1881
3 Ransford, Oliver. The Battle Of Majuba Hill The First Boer War (1968). John Murray 1967
4. Machanik, Felix (December 1980). "Firearms and Firepower - First War of Independence, 1880-1881". military history journal. South African Military History Society. 5(2).

Comments

[Kote Pan Kokhanka]

Great article with great illustrations! I read it in one breath!!!
Thank you!

[kalibr]

Glad you liked it. There will be another similar one very soon... About a rare weapon of a very rare country.

[Catfish]

Good afternoon, Vyacheslav.
Thanks for another great article. I remember both of these rifles from the museum, and I want to note that the Westley Richards rifles in terms of execution and quality of workmanship have always differed for the better compared to the Martini-Henry.

I wanted to upload some photos, but the whole system is buggy with terrible force.
By the way, we always called the "seed rod" the BRANDTUBE.

[kalibr]

So this is the same translation in the book. I didn't translate it.

[Catfish]

But I'm just a note, and write so shorter.

[kalibr]

Translators of foreign books are often illiterate in small things. For example, in the novel "Shogun", Blackhorn is put on a codpiece and... COAT!

[Catfish]

I would like to see such a picture!

[Korsar4]

Sometimes the principle "As it went, so it was wandering" makes sense. It's important not to stop. In general, strength breaks straw, alas. This sympathy of the audience can be distributed. And then things of those eras can caress the eye.

[3x3zsave]

Sometimes the principle "As it went, so it was wandering" makes sense.
I like the principle of "driving - it hurts" more.

[depressant]

Finally, the moment has come to eliminate part of their own ignorance - a pith helmet! Is he really what bottle caps are made of? Yes, the bark of a special tree, or "similar in mechanical properties, soft spongy wood of the marsh shrub shola (Aeschynomene aspera) from the legume family, widely growing in the humid lowlands of India."
What is it needed for? Protecting the white man's head from the fierce tropical sun. Whites are not adapted to it! They were also worn by Cossack officers from the unit guarding the Russian embassy in Beijing.
When I read about pith helmets, I was surprised how hot it was in them, overheating, heatstroke! But it turned out that the material is porous, ventilation. Now I understand - it will not work for a military man to walk under an umbrella - one hand is busy, how to hold a weapon? )))

[kalibr]

By the way, from personal experience: the helmet is very light, fits perfectly on the head and it is not hot in it! I wanted to buy him a "hunting suit" made of he-be in the style of "Captain Smash-Head", but I got a very colonial look in it. I had to refuse. It looked very cool. But I do not like such cheap show-offs.

[depressant]

I guess the wine bottle cork industry is booming. I heard something like this before, about corks either for Spanish wines, or for French ones, they even put marks on them. I will clarify. I will also find out whether pith helmets are now produced on an industrial scale or everything in the past)))

[Fat]

Hello, Lyudmila Yakovlevna. As far as one can tell, it is definitely produced in Vietnam.

[depressant]

Health to you too, Andrey Borisovich! )))
So they are producing! And why not? Well, it's like bottle caps - at least it's environmentally friendly. Indeed, why give up what has long proven itself to be the best. These are not smartphones, which it was customary to change every two years ... By the way, a friend of a deputy (Y-y-yyy, Russian!) still has a push-button mobile phone, as if looking into the water! )))

[vladcub]

"Mobile phone is still push-button" Lyudmila Yakovlevna, good health. I also have a "push-button", I use one, but just in case of a "fire case" a new one lies. I gave 5 pieces, but now I'm not afraid that it will break.
Mine got: "9C" and for a month already happy as an elephant

[lisikat2]

Dear Vladkub, are you talking about: "Redmi 9C" I understand your woman.
Great phone at an affordable price. Good processor, NFS finger unlock. Similar Samsungs are more expensive, at least half the salary, at the very "nine".

[lisikat2]

Lyudmila Yakovlevna, congratulations. "Buttons" are still common. My stepfather wears a "push button" for a friend, it's been "nokia" for 9 years, and she is younger than me! Grandmothers have a lot of push buttons, though the quality is not the best, people do not understand that the phone is cheaper and the quality is worse and as a result they pay twice. once seen this

[mihaylov]

Quote: Thick

As far as one can tell, it is definitely produced in Vietnam.

I once bought such a Vietnamese helmet, it turned out to be plastic, covered with fabric.

[Fat]

The close-fitting at the headdress is definitely not a "natural product". Such a helmet cost about 100 foreign rubles on the "wholesale" ... It was not a military military uniform, but a replica-copy of the "colonial" helmet made in Vietnam (this is what is in the 2nd photo). I remember because I bought a friend when I was at the exhibition. poked around - indeed - inside is compressed and, probably on glue, a crumb that looks like a cork. True, it was a long time ago, in the very first years of our century

[mihaylov]

Quote: Thick

The close-fitting at the headdress is definitely not a "natural product".

I once bought a green one (for inexpensive), it turned out to be plastic, covered with fabric, but perhaps this is not the original, but some kind of tourist copy.

[3x3zsave]

inside is compressed and, probably on glue, a crumb that looks like a cork
This is called cork agglomerate.
Hello Borisych!

[3x3zsave]

In the first case, we see the degradation of the classic "capelina", in the second - the degradation of the classic "morion" with an admixture of "salad".

[Fat]

Maybe it's just an improved Asian hat Spaniards have already called her Salakot

Philippine variant

[3x3zsave]

Borisych, what you posted looks more like a chapel, and the salad was not even close here!

[Fat]

Perhaps, but I didn’t call it that - the Spanish colonialists. Salacco, salakot - pith helmet and is now often called that
filipino hats:

[depressant]

And you, Vyacheslav Olegovich, look like a colonialist, feel free to put it on! Walk down the street, people will immediately recognize you and say: "Oh, look, the colonialist!"
Will serve as a visual aid for schoolchildren )))
Good morning, Vyacheslav Olegovich, good morning, friends! )))

[kalibr]

Quote: depressant

Will serve as a visual aid for schoolchildren

Yeah ... Good morning to you too!

[depressant]

Yes, I was joking, do not be offended! )))
So, I found out about flight helmets, I was surprised:

The thin inner crown of the helmet with a visor of the 1914-1915 model was made of cork. From the inside, they were upholstered with quilted cotton wool and pasted over with cotton fabric. The upper part of the helmet, which received the main blow in the event of an accident, was also made of cork, but thicker, and the outside was pasted over with thick cloth or leather. The void between the parts of the helmet was filled, according to various sources, with sawdust or thin iron shavings. The first flight helmets only protected the ears from loud sounds and wind - there was no connection with the sky yet. And in order not to completely deprive the pilots of their hearing, holes were made in those parts of the helmets that covered their ears. In the mid-1920s, the first means of aviation communication appeared, headphones and microphones began to be installed in pilots' helmets, and the name of the headgear changed to “headset.

And now some Western headsets for pilots cost up to 400 thousand greenbacks. I doubt they use cork.

[vladcub]

Lyudmila Yakovlevna, I read that the "cap" appeared in WWI with French pilots and meant: "pilot's hat." Before departure, they unfolded it so that it covered its ears

[lisikat2]

Vyacheslav Olegovich, and you look good in a pith helmet
PS
You don’t know: was the helmet always like this or were there other options?

[saygon66]

There are several options, slightly different from each other... type "pith helmet"

[Korsar4]

In Portugal, cork oak plantations still exist.
These pith helmets attract the eye, you can't argue.

[3x3zsave]

Of natural materials, perhaps the best sound insulator.

[Korsar4]

We have Amur velvet growing in the Far East. Its bark was used to soundproof submarines.

[depressant]

That's my eye - both! ))) - the helmet pulled, and so far it is impossible to break away. After all, how much was read in childhood! )))

[kalibr]

Quote: depressant

helmet pulled

There will be another photo of him - for your joy!

[Catfish]

Sergey, hello!
Well, why, with the words "Martini-Henry", it is not a rifle that arises in my imagination, but the image of a certain Henry, with pleasure sipping this very "Martini" right from his throat.

[Korsar4]

Hi Constantine!

I will answer with words from a joke (without geo-referencing):

“And where did you get such pictures, doctor?”

[Catfish]

Also from a joke:
"You can shave off your beard. And where will I put my thoughts, thoughts ?!" (c)

[Korsar4]

“We are changing rivers, countries, cities.
Other doors, new years.
And we can’t get away from ourselves,
And if you get away - only to nowhere ”(c).

[Catfish]

"And wore me like an autumn leaf.
I changed cities, I changed names.
I breathed the dust of overseas roads
Where the flowers did not smell, the moon did not shine.

And I threw cigarette butts overboard into the ocean,
Cursed the beauty of islands and seas
And Brazilian swamps malaria fog,
And the wine of taverns, and the longing of the camps. "(c)

[Korsar4]

"I turn to my friends,
don't think that this is delusional:
lay the steppe for me,
curtain my windows with mist,
put at the head
night star "(c).

[Catfish]

"Put down the blue curtains, please;
Nurse, do not prepare any drugs for me.
Here are my creditors at my bedside:
Silent Faith, Hope, Love." (c)

[Korsar4]

"Pure Truth will triumph in time
If he does the same as a clear Lie! "(c).

[Catfish]

"And the kingdom of truth will come?
“It will come, hegemon,” Yeshua replied with conviction.
- It will never come! Pilate suddenly shouted "(c)

[Korsar4]

“We must boldly confess, Lyra!
We gravitated towards the greats of the world:
Masts, banners, churches, kings,
Bardams, heroes, eagles and elders,
So, having sworn allegiance to the kingdoms,
They do not trust the Shatra - the winds” (c).

[Catfish]

"Past the lists, temples,
past temples and bars,
past the chic cemeteries,
past the big bazaars,
peace and grief by,
past Mecca and Rome,
the blue sun of the palima,
pilgrims walk the earth." (c)

[Korsar4]

"Road without end,
A road without beginning or end.
Always in the crowd
Always one of many.
But rather than many you
Do you like songs and flowers,
Do you like the taste of water and bread,
And look at the sky for a long time
And no one is waiting for you” (c).

[Catfish]

"Oh dear...
Dust and fog
cold, anxiety
Yes, steppe weeds
You can't know
Share your
Can you fold your wings
In the middle of the steppes.
Dust curls under boots - steppes, fields.
And the fire is raging all around
Yes, the bullets whistle. "(c)

[hohol95]

Shebutny Bekas with a guitar...
Resident error.

[Catfish]

Shebutny Bekas with a guitar...

"The enemy did not know, fool, - the one to whom he entrusted everything,
There was a security officer, an intelligence major and a wonderful family man. "(c)

[hohol95]

Soviet cartoon 1967 "Spy passions"!
Gorgeous cartoon!

[Catfish]

Gorgeous cartoon!

I agree.

[Catfish]

I did try to realize my crazy idea and "shove the unimpressible".

The "Martini-Shpakovsky" system, I believe that Vyacheslav will not be offended, everything is in order with his humor.

[Korsar4]

Remake of The Magnificent Seven: Knife or Colt. With modern variations.

[Catfish]

On the Weapon, a new article by Yuri Kudelin - "Longin's spear from the Belgian Congo. Vigneron submachine gun".
He managed to get through to us from Kyiv!

[kalibr]

Quote: Sea Cat

He's got it all right with a sense of humour.

My only regret is that I can't! And so to you +++++++++

[Catfish]

Honestly, I'm glad you liked it.

[hohol95]

"Whoever, no matter what balabolil..."
Are you Konstantin either about "hot" or about "hot" (women) !!!

[Catfish]

It's like the songs say:
"I can't live without wine under the moon" (c)
Or
"There is no life in the world without women, no!" (c)

[3x3zsave]

-Doctor, when I, bending over, lower my arms to the floor and raise my legs in turn, I feel severe pain in the lumbar region.
- Why are you doing such complex movements?
- Mmmm... Doctor, do you put on your pants in a different way?

[Fat]

Greetings, Anton.
I don’t know how the doctor did it, but it’s much more convenient to dress in trousers while sitting

[3x3zsave]

My professional specificity determines the way of putting on pants.

[hohol95]

The Boers shot accurately, but did not go "in formation" ...
There was no industry.
Purchased weapons...
And they considered themselves smarter than those who tried to help them!
The Spaniards behaved in the same way in battles with the "Francoists" and their allies.
The result is logical.

[kalibr]

Quote: hohol95

And they considered themselves smarter than those who tried to help them!

This is what I don't like about them.

[hohol95]

Usual European arrogance.
How can the descendants of the glorious "Netherlands" navigators and winners of the Spaniards, who have mastered the wild African places, listen to the advice of newcomers! Never in Africa and never been ...
And the British also announced that they were fighting against slavery - the basis of the economy of the Boer republics.
And then they found diamonds, and a little later gold ...
British colonial gold miners have already come in large numbers and
... the end...
The dominion of the Union of South Africa was formed as part of the UK!

[kalibr]

Quote: hohol95

Come in large numbers

This is the MAIN thing, Alex. We came in large numbers and started ... but we lived here under God and did not know grief. Change? No, we don't want to! We are so good! And you can't do that. You can not buy modern guns and rifles, but live like a century ago.

[hohol95]

This is how the bek from the movie "Don't be afraid, I'm with you" wanted to live!
"...
So that from now on in a new way
EVERYTHING remained the same."

[depressant]

And the Martini-Henry rifle made in 1879 is heavy, however. Indeed, 4,58 kg - try, drag this one! After all, a fighter needs to carry a lot more on himself, and a hot climate. Apparently, they changed the butt wood, over time the rifle became lighter - "only" a maximum of 4, 08 kg.
And it seemed to me at first that the contradiction according to the data. But no!

[vladcub]

"I valued not so much the quantity as the quality of shots" a reasonable decision.
But for the sake of truth, if Paul Pry had a "Mauser" he would not be very worried about quality. Mauser rifles were good.

[Catfish]

Glory, hello!

Mauser is the next generation rifle. It makes no sense to compare with those models that are given in the article.

Made for the Orange Republic Mauser with “OVS” branding Some “Chilean” Mausers also have this stamp along with the Chilean cross

[vladcub]

Kostya, hello. Who gave you a minus: Richards or Mauser?
I'm not so "dark" so as not to distinguish a "bolt" from a swinging bolt. The Mauser shutter is more perfect.
The preface compares

[Catfish]

Kostya, hello. Who gave you a minus: Richards or Mauser?

Poor inferiority, like that animal that "understands everything, but cannot say," and therefore sculpts a minus.

[vladcub]

"poor inferiority" is not about Mauser and me. Mi smart

[depressant]

Inspired by spring.

And silence ... Only, following nature,
Inappropriately, the Sun was covered with spots - for bad weather?
Around the house shine streams, puddles sparkle,
My horizon is narrowed to a minimum,
Butt, bolt, cartridge and a bullet in cupronickel,
And now the rumble of the awakened hive is heard!

[lisikat2]

Good day everyone. Vyacheslav Olegovich, I kept my word and searched for these guns, but "Richardson * did not find. I begged the book from Ratchet: "small arms", and Martini-Henry is an analogue of Berdan?

[kalibr]

Quote from lisikat2

and Martini-Henry is an analogue of Berdan?

Of course not. Martini has a "falling" shutter, and Berdan 1 has a hinged sliding lock, and Berdan 2 has a simple sliding one. Caliber - yes, the caliber is the same. And ammo...

[lisikat2]

Vyacheslav Olegovich, I just found: Henry's guns, I didn't see them, were they multi-shot?! In that case: Are Martinis Henry also multiply charged?
Let's be tough: Richards is single row. I'll take a look at Spencer.
The husband came and took the book, and then he will take the phone

[kalibr]

No. Single shot. You didn't find the gun

Quote from lisikat2

In that case: Are Martinis Henry also multiply charged?

The English Martini-Henry rifle was single-shot. See the picture and photo in the article, everything is visible there!

[lisikat2]

Vyacheslav Olegovich, Henry Winchester? And you talked about the "yellow guy".
Confused?

[kalibr]

Quote from lisikat2

Henry Winchester? And you talked about the "yellow guy".
Confused?

Yes! There was my article on VO about this 15-round rifle. Look ... "Martini-Henry" - a single shot!

[lisikat2]

The main thing for me was: Henry and "brace Henry"

[Catfish]

An exhaustive search did not turn up a single photograph of a Majuba Boer carrying an old Westley Richards rifle with a monkey tail action.

This is how this "Tail" looked like. With the shutter open, it is impossible to cock the trigger, a fairly safe system.

[Catfish]

an old Westley Richards rifle with a monkey tail action.

Here is the same "Tail".

He is ajar shutter, by the way, in this position it is impossible to cock the trigger.

And this is understandable whose store with a rich assortment.

[vladcub]

"judging by the catalogs of merchants" as they say: "any whim for your money."
The choice is wide: Spencer, Winchester, Vitorli. This is both good and bad: all these systems and cartridges are different. So it is not surprising that "capsular", we called them: "kurkas", were common. The drill itself cast a bullet of the desired caliber for itself, it's troublesome, but more reliable with ammunition

[vladcub]

Q. Oh, I forgot to say: You are popular among the Amazons, I see 2 all the time, and the third is "lost" somewhere. It is interesting to know: what did you bewitch them with?

[kalibr]

Quote: vladcub

what did you charm them with?

Perhaps they are interested in reading my materials?

[uladzimir.surko]

Correct the 45 inch Webble revolver, it is very difficult to imagine this monster knowing that Dora's caliber is only 800 mm!

[Tests]

Sea Cat (Konstantin), dear, as a lawyer of the Soviet school, I have to correct you.
GOST 17925-72 Group F01 INTERSTATE STANDARD SIGN OF RADIATION DANGER Sign of radiation danger Introduction date 1973-07-01 "2.2. The inner circle, three petals and the border of an equilateral triangle should be red; background - yellow; additional inscriptions - black. Colors of the sign must comply with the color specifications in accordance with GOST 12.4.026.2.3. Black coloring of the inner circle, three petals and border of the triangle is allowed in cases specified in clause 4.7. In this case, the background can be white. 4.7. Signs with black coloring of the circle, three petals and borders may be used on objects painted in colors similar to red and yellow, as well as for marking transport packaging. I saw TUKs at Sevmash - the head of Vyacheslav Olegovich does not look like them.

[Tests]

lisikat2 (Katerina Losina), dear, write almost correctly, but there are ... Dozens, if not hundreds of people in my native Severodvinsk use push-button phones and are glad that they were allowed to wear them. If you go to the right - you will get to the "Arktika", if you go straight - you will get to Sevmash, if you go to the left - you will get to Nyonoksa, if you cross the Nikolsky mouth of the Northern Dvina - you will get to the "Asterisk", if you turn back - you will come to the "Northern raid". Specificity, however...

[Captain45]

Vyacheslav Olegovich, but about the "Mauser" Sorvi-Heads will be?

[texneker]

Excellent material, thanks to the author for the carefully done work !!!
One would also like to recall the first Lee-Enfield model, which appeared on the basis of the Lee-Metford rifle of the 1888 model, L - Lee (the name of the inventor James Paris Lee (English), who proposed the successful design of the box magazine and bolt rifle groups) and E - Enfield (that is, Enfield is the name of the city in which The Royal Small Arms Factory, which produced the rifle, was located). When adopted, this sample received the designation Lee-Enfield Mk I. This rifle received its baptism of fire during the Second Boer War.