Which calibre for a Martini Henry project?

Looks like I might be able get my hands on a box of Martini Henry parts, in said box looks like two receivers with just enough parts between them to make a complete action, maybe missing a couple of screws/pins. If I get it I will need to get a gunsmith to make up some of the missing screws before fitting a barrel. Might be a good project but I'm wondering which calibre to go with, I'm guessing that a rimmed cartridge is best for this style of action, so I was thinking .45-70, .30-30 (or AI), 7.62x54R, 7x57R or .303 (or AI). I reckon if I can sort the action for next to nothing it could be a fun project, but I'm trying to be frugal at the moment. Any suggestions?

45/70 😎

What are you hunting?
Do you load your own?
If you can get the barrels try 8x57r used one on boar in France:cool:

Boxer Henry short chamber in 450 cal, should do

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Originally Posted by Sideshow

What are you hunting?
Do you load your own?
If you can get the barrels try 8x57r used one on boar in France:cool:

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Haven't made up my mind, part of me wants a short, light barrel in .30-30 or 7x57R for bush hunting, another wants a long, heavy, maybe octagonal barrel like a poor man's Sharps, you know, so I can shoot "a mite further"

gotta be 45-70 don't it

7.62x54.
plenty of ammo. Big hitting round.

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Originally Posted by clickbang

45/70 ��

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YEP +1 on that :thumbsup:

577/450 much fun but a bitch to load, 45/70 is a great cartridge to load and cast rounds for and you grow to enjoy the recoil:cool:

Still got a Martini Enfield action laying around somewhere. Was going to be a 45/70 or 38/55. One day.....

Bear in mind that the Matini-Henry action needs to have the firing pin diameter and protrusion reduced and a hardened steel firing pin bush fitted into the face of the breech block before they are safe to use with high-pressure modern cartridges (eg. in excess of 40,000 psi) or the cartridge pressure can force the large diameter firing pin backwards when fired. This results in a ruptured primer, severe gas erosion of the breech face, and hot gases in the face of the shooter. The .303 Martini-Enfield actions usually have had this modification done in the 1890's when converted at Enfield. Personally, I believe that your best ruults will be with the .45/70 and leave the hotter cartridges to more modern actions.

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Originally Posted by zimmer

Still got a Martini Enfield action laying around somewhere. Was going to be a 45/70 or 38/55. One day.....

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38/55 is a nice calibre

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Originally Posted by Maca49

38/55 is a nice calibre

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or 375Winchester (30/30 necked up to 375. I have brass for that)

Really interesting thanks gundoc :thumbsup:

If 303 improved,itis not the AI but Epps.
6.5x57R could be sweet candidate.
9.3x72 would be a gentle cartridge as well.

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Originally Posted by gundoc

Bear in mind that the Matini-Henry action needs to have the firing pin diameter and protrusion reduced and a hardened steel firing pin bush fitted into the face of the breech block before they are safe to use with high-pressure modern cartridges (eg. in excess of 40,000 psi) or the cartridge pressure can force the large diameter firing pin backwards when fired. This results in a ruptured primer, severe gas erosion of the breech face, and hot gases in the face of the shooter. The .303 Martini-Enfield actions usually have had this modification done in the 1890's when converted at Enfield. Personally, I believe that your best ruults will be with the .45/70 and leave the hotter cartridges to more modern actions.

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Thanks, I'm unsure if either of the actions were from .303s or 577-450, that may dictate what I do with it, but there's something very cool about a .45/70, even if I only use cast bullets over Trail Boss

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Originally Posted by tommygun

Thanks, I'm unsure if either of the actions were from .303s or 577-450, that may dictate what I do with it, but there's something very cool about a .45/70, even if I only use cast bullets over Trail Boss

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Nothing wrong with that. Or you could do a cowboy action load from the ADI book which is a little faster than the trail boss loads.
Once I shoot all the trail boss loads I have I will do the cowboy action loads. Only have about 100+ to shoot.

45/70 :thumbsup:

Anyone know where I might find a cheap .45 calibre barrel then?

If the block was converted to .303 it will have a dovetail machined into it's face and a wedge fitted in with the smaller firing pin hole.

9.3x74r

Looks like one of the receivers has the dove-tailed bolt face and the other doesn't, also it turns out the guy looking to sell it already has a 7x57R barrel destined for it but is missing a part from the action. Could still be a cool project maybe sell the 7mm barrel and get a .45-70 =)

Hopefully you have a 303 ejector in your glory box, much easier to adapt than a 577/450 one.