RARE**MINT BORE**C1880 Imperial British Enfield Afghanistan Mashin Khana Kabul Arsenal Martini Henry .577x 450 Obsolete Calibre Infantry Rifle Single Shot .577 Rifles

**RARE**MINT BORE**C1880 Imperial British Enfield Afghanistan Mashin Khana Kabul Arsenal Martini Henry .577x 450 Obsolete Calibre Infantry Rifle. Sn 20636 - 20636

By 1880, the so-called Great Game between the Russian Empire and Great Britain over Central-Asia entered one of its final phases after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880). In the web of diplomatic and political maneuvers so apparent during this turbulent period, it was of paramount importance for the British Crown to keep the Russians at bay and reduce their influence on Afghanistan as much as possible. After the second Anglo Afghan war Great Britain installed a new, far more cooperative Emir, Abdur Rahman. He is considered to be the father of the modern state of Afghanistan & with a modern State, you need a modern Army with modern Small Arms to defend against the threat from Russia & the capability to produce them indigenously, all of which, the Emir was far too aware of. The British crown with the help of the British arms maker Enfield & Emir Abdur Rahman set up a modern arms and munitions factory in Kabul. Called, Mashin Khana by the locals. Today, we know it as the Kabul arsenal. The Kabul machine works is a little-known and often very misunderstood producer of small arms. However, period products of this Armoury are now making their way to the collectors market. It is estimated that, between 5 and 8000 of each type of Martini-Henry variants may have been produced using Enfield machinery & parts. 7 types of Enfield quality Martinis made at the Kabul armoury have been identified and classified. Extrapolating from there puts production figures between 35 and around 56,000 pieces, not many survived. This is an excellent, rare, example of an Enfield quality Martini Henry .577x 450 Service Rifle made at the Mashin Khana Kabul Arsenal. The metal work is undamaged and is in the white. It is stamped on its right side with the Kabul Arsenal ‘towers with flags’ device & Perso-Arabic script. The rifle has other Perso-Arabic script markings. The 33” barrel’s rifled bore is near mint, clean with crisp multi groove rifling. The rifle’s cocking and firing actions are crisp. It has sling swivels, steel butt plate, steel ram rod, bayonet lug, rear graduated ladder sight and block & blade fore sight. It has all original woodwork. The wood is undamaged with just light bumps and bruises consistent with age. The price for this rare Martini includes UK delivery. NB As an obsolete calibre, antique weapon no licence is required to own this item in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 20636

£1,695.00