Product Details
A .577/.450 NEPALESE GAHENDRA VARIANT OF THE MARTINI HENRY RIFLE, CIRCA 1880, serial no. 2142,
having a 33in. barrel with Henry rifling, block and blade front-sight, ladder rear-sight graduated with Nepalese characters, action body plain and unmarked, the action tang engraved with Nepalese script the top line is believed to read 'SRI TEEN CHANDRA SHAMSHER JANG BAHADUR RANA', this refers to Prime Minister Rana Chandra Rana, the 5th Prime Minister of the Rana dynasty, who became Prime Minister in 1905, next line reads a date 1962 but the Nepalese calendar is 57 years ahead of the Western calendar so the year is 1905, below this is the gun number, the markings on the under-lever are believed to be the identity of the unit or regiment to whom this rifle was issued, iron mounted two piece walnut stock, missing rod
Provenance: This unique and rare breech-loading rifle is based on the Pattern 1869 Westley Richards Improved Martini design with forward hinged operating lever. Rifles of this type were produced in the Nepal Arsenal by local craftsmen under the direction of General Gahendra Rana from the 1880's but there is some dispute about this date and it might have been later. A quantity of these rifles were discovered in the hugh arsenal within the Palace of Lagan Silekana in Kathmandu
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Estimate £150-300
Sold as an exempt item under Section 58 (2) of the 1968 Firearms Act, to be held as a curiosity or ornament