"1916 Mk IV Carbine" Is there such a thing?

[ClaudeH]

I'm attending an auction tomorrow and came upon this when I went to the preview:

http://tumblesonauction.hibid.com/lot/22761860/1916-mark-iv-carbine--303-cal-sn-a98811--31-4-/?sort=2&ref=catalog

It looks nice, but is there such a thing?

[smlemk111]

no

[JB White]

Agreed. It's one of those "tanker" conversions or similar. Probably done to move excess, or buggered, surplus rifles out of a commercial distributors warehouse.
If you can get it cheap there's something to play with and maybe modify further, but its for the general off-the-shelf population inside the safe. Not for the historical collection

[ClaudeH]

Thanks, guys! If there really was such a thing I knew I couldn't afford it anyway. And I'm certainly no British rifle collector (although people do keep giving me No. 4s) but I thought I kind of knew the lay of the land.

There is a .22 version of one of those big, military Martini-Henrys, too. I didn't look at it very hard because I knew if it was worth anything I couldn't afford it.

[ClaudeH]

Thanks, guys. I didn't look at it very close because I figured if it was real I couldn't afford it. But it wasn't ringing any bells as anything I'd ever heard of.

The .22 caliber military-dress full-size Martini-Henry seemed like such a thing might exist but, again, I didn't look too close because I knew it would be beyond my means.

But the carbine bugged me because it was too good looking to be real.

[ClaudeH]

Oops. My browser is not getting along with the 'edit post' function.

[JB White]

I don't know what your means are, but if you're interested in small bore Martini's I may be able to help you out. Of course an FOID and all rules need to apply...

[joem]

Very Nice JB!

[ClaudeH]

JB, Please don't tempt me with guns! Actually my gun budget is pretty slim these days as we try to get out of debt so we can retire. The small bore Martini's that tempt me the most are Cadets, but I've never stumbled upon a loose one when I could afford it.

[JB White]

Thanks Joe

C'mon Claude...I'm trying to stay retired!!
You Will County guys never give us Cook County guys a break..sheesh!

[John Sukey]

Cook County? When I lived in Chicago, we called it "Crook CountY"!
Every cemetary in the Chicago area voted straight Democrat!

[Scott from Indiana]

JB, what are those? The small bore Martini actions have always intrigued me.

Scott

[JB White]

Scott, the large frame is a WW Greener relined to .22LR with an AG Parker tube and fitted with AG Parker sights. Probably sometime around WW1.
The small frame is an original BSA, NSW issue in .310. I use modified 32-20 brass sized in 30 carbine dies and crimped with a Lee Factory Crimp 32-20 die. (crimped for transportation) That die has been shortened and chamfered to avoid scraping the heeled bullet in the crimp process. If I run out of 310 ammo, then I simply I use cheaper Aguilla 32 S&W longs. The brass stretches making it a one-time use, but the fun and accuracy is there.

[Hecklerusp45]

I don't know what your means are, but if you're interested in small bore Martini's I may be able to help you out. Of course an FOID and all rules need to apply...

I am not a Martini guy, but man those are beautiful!!!

[JB White]

I have some not-so-beautiful ones too. This one is a shooter in 577/450. Note the Sutherland adjustable sight from a Canadian Ross rifle. Fits like a glove with no modifications and allows me to make windage adjustments.