Written by Neil Harmse

Chapter 24. A Martini Henry – Resurrecting an ‘Oldie’

A number of guns were put up for sale by a retired hunter and among these was a very rusty, badly pitted sporting Martini Henry .577/450 made by Isaac Hollis & Son, an established British gun-maker. At first glance, the gun was in terrible condition and about all it was good for was a ‘wall-hanger’. Apparently the gun had at one stage been wrapped in canvas and buried inside an anthill. The reason for this was unclear, but it might have been during the Boer War when guns were being confiscated, or perhaps during WWI or WWII, for the same reason. At one stage, it had been a beautiful sporting gun made with pride by this prestigious Birmingham gun-maker.

On examination, I found that the inner working and barrel were actually in good condition. These must have been well greased and lubricated to protect the firearm from the elements.

A friend, Glyn Dennis, mentioned to me that he was looking for an old gun to work on and restore as a project. When I showed him this Martini, he thought I was mad! I said that it was mechanically sound and that once the ‘cosmetics’ had been restored, it would be worthwhile as a shooter. Rather hesitantly, he took my word for it and applied for a licence. We took the gun to Hennie Mulder, a competent gunsmith who I knew could do justice to this project.

The first order of business was to dismantle the gun and start removing all surface pitting from the action, barrel and external parts. The gun in its original state was embellished with tasteful engraving in typical ‘English’ style. Removal of the pitting on the surfaces and polishing would also remove a lot of this engraving, so we carefully took clear, close-up photos of the engraving before sanding and polishing began. Hennie had an engraver, Whitey Loggenberg, whose work was excellent and who would be able to re-cut the engraving the same way it had originally been. (Sadly, Whitey passed away a few months after he had worked on this gun – another great loss to the gun industry.)

With a lot of careful polishing on the flats of the action, the barrel and other parts were cleaned of all pitting and blemishes, after which all traces of oils and grease were removed.

The Martini action before restoration.

The gun parts were now ready for preparation for the blueing process. Hennie decided to use his special ‘Rust Blue’ process to give the action and barrel an attractive, deep blue finish, similar to the one it had originally had. This is a fairly long procedure, as the parts must be coated with the blueing chemicals and placed in a humidity cabinet for about 12 hours to allow the chemicals to start the rust process. These are then removed and the parts placed in boiling water. The excess oxidation is ‘carded’ or rubbed down and then the process is repeated. This is done over and over for a few days, until the desired deep blue finish is acceptable.

Once ready, the parts receive a final polish with very fine steel wool and are then oiled to retain the blue finish. Hennie’s able assistant, Sam, is excellent at this polishing and manages to get the metalwork to a mirror-smooth finish.

While the metalwork was being attended to, it was time to tackle the woodwork, stock and fore-end. The stock was not in good condition and required quite a lot of sanding and filling of the grain. The scratches, dents and dings were removed by steaming and more sanding. Once the stock was almost completed, the final rub-down was done with fine water-paper and then fine steel wool to smooth the wood. The gun was then ready for staining. The checkering then had to be carefully re-cut and a final oil finish applied.

The fore-end had to be repaired, as there were a few places where wood had been chipped off. To fill these, pieces of matching wood had to be shaped and glued into place, then sanded and smoothed, before staining and oiling. The front of the fore-end had originally had a piece of buffalo horn tip and this had to be remade and fitted. The plates for the wedge pin that held the fore-end to the barrel also had to be fitted flush with the wood.

The gun had originally come with a ramrod which fitted under the barrel. This had disappeared and an original one could not be found, so Hennie made one from a hardwood rod which he turned on the lathe. He also made brass fittings for jag and brush attachments and fitted these to the ends of the rod.

When Glyn collected his gun, he could hardly believe his eyes. The old Martini Henry had been transformed from a piece of rusty scrap into a gun to be proud of, worthy of a place in any collector’s armoury.

Many of these fine sporting Martini Henry guns made their way to Africa and India in the battery of guns of ‘gentlemen adventurers’ who came to hunt in areas of the British occupied colonies. Who knows where this gun had travelled to and what game had fallen to its shots? If only it could talk!

It is an immense pleasure to see a gun that left the gun-maker’s bench about 150 years ago being brought back to life and again taking its rightful place on the hunting field.

The Martini rifle after restoration.

Written by Neil Harmse

Chapter 23. The Ultimate Big Bore

For those big-bore shooters who always claim they are addicted to back pull, I have come across the ultimate rifle which should satisfy their every craving for brain rattling, shoulder-thumping RECOIL!

The rifle I have found is in a private collection, carefully and jealously guarded by the owner, so it is unlikely anyone will actually get the chance to experience a shot with this behemoth.

The gun referred to is a double rifle in four-bore calibre made by Rodda & Co almost 150 years ago. Rodda breech-loading double rifles in the monstrous four-bore calibre are extremely rare. It is rumoured that Rodda only made five of these four-bores and that these were made for an Indian maharajah’s private collection. Only four of these can be traced today, giving one an idea of how rare these guns are. Truly a collector’s dream.

The Rodda rifle in this chapter was manufactured circa the 1870s, having Birmingham

Proof House marks for view and proof dating to about 1868. Given the vintage, it is in very good condition, but then, because of the calibre and massive weight, these guns saw very limited use, especially in Africa. At a weight of about 25lb (approximately 11,4kg), these guns were not really meant to be carried by the hunter, but lugged along by a team of gun bearers until needed in an extreme case of last-hope survival. Any bearer on a safari used to carrying a 70-80lb (32-36kg) tusk or similar load would not have a problem carrying a 25lb rifle, but handing this heavy, unwieldy gun over to a hunter in an emergency would be awkward, as it would not be easy bringing these two weighty barrels to bear onto a fast approaching target. This could well compromise the hunter’s safety. Most ivory-hunters during this period preferred either a single-barrel four-bore or a lighter double rifle in eight-bore calibre.

The Rodda four-bore double rifle.

The majority of these four-bore doubles saw use in India for hunting tigers and elephant from a howdah mounted on the back of a trained elephant, but even this use was rather limited. This is also the reason that any of these guns found today are in remarkably good condition.

The gun in this collection is a back-action hammer gun with a Jones large grip underlever and the trigger guard extending along the pistol grip to the ebony grip-cap. Between the hammers along the top of the action, the long tang extends to the top of the pistol grip. The action still retains about 80-85% of original case-hardened finish. The browned Damascus barrels are attractive and show very little sign of wear and use. Having an extended doll’s head lock-up, the action is still as tight as the day it left the factory. The action detail has fine English scroll engraving, with gold inlay reading “RB Rodda & Co” in English script on the side plates. Along the barrels, also in gold inlaid English script, are the words: “RB Rodda & Co. Makers by appointment to HE the Viceroy & HRH the Duke of Edinburgh. London & Calcutta”. In front of each hammer is a safety lock which engages when the hammer is brought to the half-cock position. The broad rib is finely filed and has a standing express sight for 50 yards (46m), with two fold-down leaves marked ‘100’ and ‘150’ (yards?), while the front sight has a fine bead dovetailed into the rib.

The fore-end is a typical ‘splinter’ type and is fixed onto the barrels with a wedge key or locking pin and lug. The four-bore was the ultimate ‘stopping rifle’ which fired a ¼lb (1,750 grain) lead bullet in front of a 14- to 16-dram load of black powder. A conical moulded bullet of about 1 880-2 000 grain was normally loaded with 380-430 grains of black powder to give about 1 500fps and a muzzle energy approaching 6,000 foot-pounds!

Later, Kynoch four-bore loads for Nitro-proofed rifles were loaded with 70 grain cordite, but these should not be fired in Damascus barrelled guns made for black powder. Holland & Holland’s last four-bore was made for the Maharajah of Rewa in 1922. This was a Nitrofor-black load of 70 grain cordite firing a conical 2 000 grain bullet generating in excess of 8,000 foot-pounds of energy!

The Rodda double rifle, showing a four-bore cartridge compared witha .458 Lott.

Written by Neil Harmse

Chapter 22. Useful Equipment for Shotgunners

The long-awaited day has finally arrived. You have your licence for your new shotgun and have collected it from the gun shop – and the season is open! You cannot wait to get out into the field and hunt game birds. You also have a cleaning kit, a game licence, a letter of permission to hunt and a supply of ammo, as well as the necessary eye and hearing protection. What else do you need?

Before we look at the basic needs for most wingshooters, just a reminder: buy the best you can afford and if you look after it, it should last a lifetime.

It is assumed that all potential hunters have a good supply of old denim or khaki trousers and shirts that can serve as “hunting clothes”. If not, there are many styles of outdoor hunting clothes available at shops and stores throughout the country. Camouflage patterns are not obligatory for game bird-hunting, except perhaps for pigeon and waterfowl (especially when the hunter is concealed and shooting from a hide).

Firstly, a good shooting vest or waistcoat is essential. Look for a practical and well-designed one, which should be available from most shops specialising in shotgun equipment and accessories. This should be a light waistcoat with enough room in large box pockets to hold numerous bits and pieces, such as a pocketknife, cord, a few snacks and energy bars, perhaps a pair of gloves, a few shotgun shells, a small torch and other items that may come in handy. It should also have a spacious inside pocket with a zip closure to hold your game licence, gun licence, car keys and smaller items such as earplugs. In addition, the shooting vest or waistcoat should have a large ‘game pocket’ at the back, with a blood-proof lining to hold a few game birds that you may have to carry back to your vehicle or camp. This will leave your hands free to handle your shotgun.

The next important thing to consider is footwear. Invest in a pair of comfortable and durable boots, just high enough to give some ankle support, especially when crossing uneven terrain or ploughed farmlands. Leather boots with durable soles and a good tread are ideal. Cared for with waterproofing leather treatment, saddle soap or Neatsfoot oil, these should give years of good service. When walking across the veld, you often get grass seeds, blackjacks, khakibos and other weeds and burrs sticking to your socks or entering your boots. The solution is to invest in a pair of gaiters which fit around and over your boots and ankles, helping to keep out all these irritating seeds and debris. These gaiters can be made of canvas, corduroy, leather or oilskin material. I find that gaiters which fold over the boots around the ankles and legs, and fasten at the back with a strip of Velcro and press studs, are a good option. They can be fitted or removed without having to take the boots off.

A cartridge belt.

If you are hunting in areas where there are wetlands or marshes, or perhaps doing waterfowl hunting around dams and rivers, a good pair of waterproof ‘wellies’ or even gumboots is worthwhile purchasing. Imported wellies, if available, are very expensive. A good option is a pair of polyurethane boots that are lighter and softer than normal PVC gumboot. These are supple and comfortable, reducing fatigue and providing excellent insulation because of their neoprene lining.

A comfortable, warm and waterproof jacket is a must for cold winter mornings, but this should also have spacious pockets and should be large enough to fit over a light pullover and shooting vest, as well as being comfortable enough to swing your arms when gunmounting without catching in your armpits.

Now, heading out into the field, you realise that you need more than just your pockets to store and carry your shotgun cartridges. The ubiquitous cartridge belt, which is designed to hold about 25 cartridges strapped around your waist, is one option. This seems to be an age-old tradition, but it has its drawbacks. Firstly, when loaded with 25 cartridges, it is quite heavy around the waist, somewhat uncomfortable and always seems to pull your pants down. What is more, the rims of the cartridges are always knocking against the stock of your gun and soon the wood begins showing numerous dents and dings, making it rather unsightly. A Payne-Gallwey-style cartridge bag with a hinged lid or cover that folds back, allowing easy access to the ammo, is a good choice. These are made in either leather or canvas and designed to hold 50-100 rounds. They hang over the shoulder from a strap and are quite comfortable for a day in the field. Another option is an ammo pouch, which also hangs from your belt and allows easy and fast access to ammo when needed. If you feel like only carrying a few cartridges for a short walk, you can get a small pouch which holds 15-20 rounds and slides onto your belt. This can be made from leather or canvas and rides flush against the waist, so that it is comfortable.

The next consideration is what to do with birds you have shot. As mentioned before, you cancarry a few in the back pouch of your shooting vest, but this also has some disadvantages.

One, two or three francolin, or one or two guinea fowl, are not a big problem, but if you start carrying more than that, you start to look and feel like the hunchback of Notre Dame! It is definitely not comfortable – and don’t even try to climb through a fence with this ‘hump’ on your back!

So what other options are there? There is a bird-hanger that fits onto your belt and has several clips or thongs from which to suspend the birds by either their necks or feet, so that they dangle from your waist. However, birds carried in this way are inclined to thump against your legs when walking and your trouser legs are always blood-spattered. The hanging birds also tend to hook and drag on bushes and undergrowth as you walk, causing you to stumble. Trying to cross a fence with birds dangling from this hanger is also difficult.

A belt attached bird-hanger.

I find that a game bag is the easiest and most convenient way to carry birds, leaving my hands free to handle my shotgun. My favourite is an old, well-worn leather bag with are movable blood-proof lining (a large, strong plastic bag will also do) which holds about four guinea fowls or six francolins. The weight distribution is more comfortable when carrying birds this way, as the bag has a broad strap that hangs over the shoulder and if you are traversing fences and obstacles, it can easily be slipped off and passed over or under the fence or obstacle. Game bags are available on order in the traditional classic style, made of canvas and leather, which are hard-wearing, comfortable and have a bloodproof inner lining that can be removed for cleaning.

A cartridge bag.

If you plan to do a fair amount of waterfowl – or pigeon-shooting, you might consider buying a camo bird hide to keep yourself out of sight. There are a number of good hides on the market. Some of them are rather heavy and awkward to transport and erect. I suggest a lightweight, pop-up hide which is easy to carry and get into the field.

If the hunting of waterfowl and pigeons appeals to you, you could eventually consider investing in a selection of decoys to bring the birds into shotgun range. The easiest ones to transport and set up are shell-type decoys for pigeons and geese. There are also decoys which stand on stakes pushed into the ground. Floating ducks and geese are great attractors for open water. If your budget will allow, there is a rotary pigeon device (‘pigeon magnet’) which works off a drive unit. It is battery-operated, with flexible rods on which the decoys are mounted and which rotate the decoys, making them look as if they are birds coming in to land and feed. This works well and brings birds from far out. Flapping shell decoys with extended wings and rotary wing decoys are also good attractors to bring birds into range.

You will have to transport your gun from home to and from the shooting field and may have to carry it in the field as well. A good choice for protecting and transporting a gun in a vehicle is a gun case or travel case. This can be purchased as a standard, lockable case made of durable ABS plastic with a foam lining, which is ideal for rough handling – especially when the gun shares space in a vehicle with hunting dogs and other equipment. Another alternative is a good aluminium case, which is also very strong and durable, although more expensive. If your budget will allow, you can have a handmade custom gun case in canvas and leather, or oak and leather. This is a rather expensive investment, and you may not want to subject such a gun case to the harsh conditions of hunting, but it does add considerable value to your shotgun.

Once the gun is assembled for hunting, you may have to transport it from one area to another. For this, a good gun-slip is ideal. These are normally made of canvas or leather and have lightweight padding to protect the gun. A broad strap allows easy carrying over the shoulder.

Over the years, you may find more items and equipment which will make your shooting more successful and enjoyable. There are many reputable dealers around the country who are hunters at heart and salesmen only by vocation, and can offer sound advice based on experience. They will not try to make a quick buck by selling ‘gizmos’ that you will never use.

I would also recommend joining a shooting association or club where novices can interact with like-minded members and obtain access to shooting opportunities.

Written by Neil Harmse

Chapter 21. Shotgun Cartridges and Their Development Over the Years

Today most wing and clay target-shooters using modern shot cartridges show very little interest in the ammunition they use, apart from what they feel is their favourite brand and the ideal load for their specific sport.

To gain a better understanding of the development of centre-fire ammunition, we need to go back in time to the year 1850 and onwards, after the first breech-loading centre-fire guns became available.

Prior to then, from 1815-1835, gunsmiths were competing to get away from the flintlock. In 1830 the percussion cap, which was the intermediate stage on muzzle loaders, led to the development of pin-fire guns and subsequently opened the way for breech-loading centre-fire cartridges and guns. Thanks must go to Mr JV Needham, who invented and produced the ‘hammerless’ or internal hammer action that started the revolution in the development of the ‘modern’ style of ammunition. The centre-fire cartridge was designed.

In 1875, William Anson and John Deeley – who were both employed and associated with Westley Richards – developed and introduced the Anson and Deeley box-lock action, which was so successful in design that it has seen very little improvement up to the present day. This action was ideally adapted for the modern centre-fire cartridge. The action was less expensive and easier to produce than the traditional side-lock action, which was carried over from the days of the hammer and percussion actions. The Anson and Deeley action helped place guns in the hands of general shooters who were neither nobility nor landed gentry and could not afford expensive, handmade side-lock guns from top-name gunsmiths, but also wanted to get involved in the sport of ‘shooting flying’.

Side-locks were, and remain, more complicated to produce and are today sought after mostly for more expensive handmade top-grade guns.

The first breech-loading centre-fire ammunition was carried over from the days of muzzle loaders and used the traditional black powder propellant. When fired, these cartridges produced clouds of white smoke which sometimes obscured visibility for follow-up shots or even seeing the hits on targets. It was not unusual to see a shooter smartly dodge to one side to get past the cloud of white smoke in order to see the hit on his target. Soon there were calls for cleaner-burning propellant, which led to the development of Schultz powder. This burnt a lot more cleanly, producing less smoke and recoil, and was not as noisy as the old black powder loads. It became popular for its advantages to shooters. Further developments in modern smokeless Nitro powders led to more efficient and faster ignition, with more regular ballistics, less pressure and the absence of fouling, which also meant less corrosion in gun barrels.

Today cartridge manufacturers are continually striving to develop and improve the quality of their cartridges, with a view to more environmentally friendly components and consistent results. This is true of all the components which make up the modern cartridge.

The first step in the ignition process is the primer. Percussion ignition was first invented in 1807 by Rev Alexander Forsyth, a Scottish clergyman, but required a lot of refining. The early primers were very corrosive and could be unstable. Modern primers have vastly improved and have standardised on a 209-boxer type for shotguns which are largely non-corrosive, give quick and reliable ignition, and are well sealed and protected from contamination by moisture and oils, which are the cause of many misfires.

The following is a basic explanation of the firing procedure and sequence:

When struck by the firing pin of the gun, the primer should ignite, causing the propellant powder to burn and form a gas. This creates pressure, driving the wad and shot load up the barrel and, on exiting, causes the shot to spread into a pattern given by the choke selection, then on to the target.

Briefly, the modern shotgun cartridge consists of a brass or metal base, rimmed to fit onto the extractor or ejector rim of the action and chamber of the gun. The primer fits into this brass base. The body or case of the cartridge, which was traditionally made of varnished paper or card, is today usually plastic. The length of the cartridge body depends on the requirements of the gun chamber. This can range from 2½” (65mm) to 2,6” (67mm), 2¾” (70mm) and 3” (76mm). These are nominal lengths of factory cartridges, but exceptions are a shorter 2” (50mm) and a magnum 3½” (89mm), which are sometimes called for. The 67mm case was designed to allow the use of this cartridge length in either 65mm or 70mm chambers, allowing a slightly heavier load than normal for 65mm chambers.

Cut-away cartridge and wads.

Early cartridges all had fibre or compressed paper or card wads. Today the wad can consist of either formed or moulded plastic or biodegradable fibre. The plastic wad normally has a cup-shaped fore section with segmented ‘petals’ which hold the pellets in place and peel back and open as the shot column leaves the muzzle, releasing the shot in its forward motion to start spreading. This allows for a more controlled spread and pattern.

The fibre wad remains behind the shot load, acting as a gas seal and pushes it forward, with the shot column spreading faster on exiting the muzzle to create a more open pattern. The fibre wad is mainly used on game loads.

Most modern cartridges are enclosed with a segmented ‘star’ crimp at the mouth. Some cartridges can still be found with a ‘rolled’ crimp, but these are normally older or traditional loads.

As previously mentioned, with the trend towards environmental awareness, cartridge manufacturers have made great strides in the development and use of components that are ‘greener’ than in the past.

As a result of concerns about pollution of the environment (especially wetlands) caused by lead from shot pellets, cartridge manufacturers are now producing non-toxic shot using Bismuth, copper-coated or annealed steel pellets. These have a number of drawbacks, but research is ongoing. There is also a marked controversy in the claim that pollution from lead pellets causes problems. To date, no proof of this has been forthcoming, but it

is nevertheless wise to be proactive in this regard. For many years, lead shot had a 0,5% antimony added for hardness and this is now also treated by electroplating with either copper for hunting loads or nickel for clay target, small birds and pigeons. This reduces pellet deformation, keeping the pellets spherical to allow consistent patterns.

Pollution from wads has also been problematic, mainly in areas where high-volume shooting takes place. A number of game loads are now loaded with biodegradable fibre wads, which have a short lifespan once exposed to outdoor conditions. These wads are made from compressed wood materials, with paraffin wax as a binder to give added strength. Plastic wads are also a problem, especially in areas where they could be ingested by livestock. Research into the use of photodegradable wads, which have a limited lifespan when exposed to outdoor elements and sunlight, is ongoing. Plastic wads have a UV light stabiliser to give longevity, but photodegradable wads have this stabiliser removed or reduced, which allows them to break down into smaller pieces within a few weeks when exposed to sunlight.

Non-corrosive primers and progressive burning propellants are also the subject of continuing research in striving for more efficient and cleaner performance. Numerous overseas manufacturers, particularly in the UK, regularly select random cartridge samples from batches on their production lines and submit these for chronograph, pressure and velocity testing sometimes twice a day (morning and afternoon). Some have their own testing tunnels, but also send check samples to various proof houses. Some do tests of the loading machines for dosage rates of both powder and shot on an hourly basis. Velocity is measured at 2,5m and 10m from the muzzle and a ballistic analyser is used to calculate velocities. In this way, the quality of cartridges can be monitored and improved on an ongoing basis. Based on this research, UK and other manufacturers have a preference for single-base nitrocellulose powders in which the burn rate is determined by the surface area of the flake. For example, a larger flake area burns faster for light weight charges, whereas a smaller flake gives a slow burn used for heavier weight charges or smaller calibres where pressure build-up is rapid.

American propellants mainly use double-base nitrocellulose powder with an element of nitroglycerine added to it. This allows for a more energetic burn, but a dirty one, leaving residue in the barrel. An advantage of this propellant is that it is more stable in extreme temperatures.

The next time you load a couple of cartridges into the chambers of your favourite shotgun, spare a thought for the difficulties faced by early-day shooters and give thanks for the hard work, research and innovation that make our shooting today easier, safer and trouble-free.