MARTINI-HENRY SPORTING RIFLE BY FAMED LONDON MAKER F. BEESLEY,  577/450 CALIBER

Description:
CLASSIC BRITISH VICTORIAN AGE MARTINI-HENRY SINGLE SHOT SPORTING RIFLE BY FAMED LONDON MAKER F. BEESLEY,  577/450 CALIBER, #1XXX.  This high grade sporter is marked “F. BEESLEY  2 St. JAMES STREET, LONDON SW”.  Frederick Beesley was founded in 1879 and held a number of patents. He was known for high grade sporting shotguns and rifles. Many of these Martini-Henry Sporting rifles chambered in the British service cartridge of the time, 577/450, were sold to British officers stationed in India and Africa etc. for them to use for hunting while in the service. This fine rifle shows border engraving on the receiver, has a 28” fairly stout round barrel with a flat matted top. It is fitted with a sporting ladder rear sight and a small blade/bead front sight. The barrel retains most of the lightly aged blue as does the receiver. The safety works correctly and the walnut stock shows well above average grain structure with some nice fiddleback. The stock features checkering at the wrist and a smooth steel butt plate with trap for cleaning rods etc. and an oval silver initial plate. The forearm is also checkered and has a black horn forend tip. The wood shows only light handling and is solid. The bore is excellent with sharp rifling all the way through. It is also fitted with a correct hook-eye sling swivel mounted on the barrel bottom and on the butt stock. At last look, Buffalo Arms in Idaho has 577/450 brass in stock. I’m sure this one had lots of adventures! Classic British workmanship by a master gunmaker in London. 
 

Antique: Yes
Rifle Caliber: .577/450 Martini-Henry
Manufacturer: F. Beesley
Model: MARTINI-HENRY
Serial Number: 1XXX
Barrel Length: 28
Condition: FINE+
Bore Condition: EXCELLENT

Price: $1,695.00