Blackpowder in Afghainstan (new additons)

Combat Diver

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More even older British history. These all appear to be original guns and locks.
Left P1853 Enfield 3 band .65 cal smoothbore, date on lock is 1860. Also used by both sides during the War of Northern Aggression
Martini-Henry Mk III in .577/450 rifled, made by London Small Arms Co. in 1876
Center P1856 Calvary Carbine .58 cal rifled. Has swinging ram rod so it wouldn't get lost on horseback, side ring used to hook to bar on leather strap over shoulder (single point system used 150 yrs ago) Made by Enfield in 1861. Notice 3 leaf express sights. Used by both sides during WNA.
Not sure of the original model but sporterized 1858 carbine in .65 cal smoothbore, made by Tower in 1860. Patch box added to stock, modified trigger guard and bands missing.
Far right: Snider conversion Mk III, lock dated Enfield 1858. Snider was an American who designed a breech system for existing muzzleloading rifles. Same concept to reduce cost using exist stocks of rifles instead of new rifles. Just cut a section of rear barrel out and add breach block. The US did the same after the Civil War with the trap door rifles in 50-70 and 45-70. The Mk III here used a new steel barrel and lock over the conversions of the older guns. Adjustable sights on bbl.

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CD
 
What happens to these?

Are they confiscated/captured?
 
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I also have the same question, how do these end up on your bench? Thanks for sharing all these pieces of history.
 
More history with another set of rifles.

Far left Afghani/Arab pattern using a 1800 Baker flintlock lock converted to percussion. This is the traditional guised local flair using a local barrel .625 bore (possibly rifled), trigger, stock and engravings. Lock made between 1800-1839 and converted sometime around 1860 due to the P53 nipple pattern. In front of the hammer you can make out the British Crown with G.R. underneath (official acceptance mark). The Baker rifle was used by Duke of Wellingtons troops at Waterloo (against the French troops under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815) and also by the Mexican Army at the Alamo in 1836. Disregard the disassembled Mk47 40mm automatic grenade launcher !

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CD
 
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Continuing from the left:
1856 Cavalry Carbine Indian Service. .65 smoothbore (.577 rifling drilled away) for foreign service. Missing ram rod toggle link as in previous 1856. Rear sight is missing two of the folding leaves. Saddle ring and bar missing from left side. Enfield made with date of 1858, stock also has a dated cartouche of Enfield 1858. British proofs all over rifle.

Next two are similar P58 Indian Service Short Rifles (2 band). Both .65 smoothbore, left one has bayonet lug on right side of barrel. 3 band long rifles were issued to troops and 2 band short rifles NCOs and Artillery. Both made by Enfield, left dated 1861 and right 1863. Right stock also has stock cartouche.

Right is a Snider MK III .577 Carbine. This one is rifled unlike the previous one posted earlier. This was a new full production gun hence "STEEL" marked on left side by rear sight. Mk I and II were converted P53 guns. This one made at Enfield in the last year of production of 1871 (Martini Henry Mk I started that year). Hard to get a good picture in the dark wood but there is a stock cartouche present.

The locks...........

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Stock cartouches..........
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CD
 
Amazing condition on those arms! The tacks set into the stock on the Martini-Henry took me back to my youth. I was dragooned by the owner of the local gun shop to help process and import stamp hundreds of single shot 12 ga shotguns imported from Iran. This was in the early 70s. The guns were all decorated with carpet tacks and ribbons, a lot like the guns done by native Americans back in the 19th century. The shotguns were allegedly confiscated from the Kurds living in the border regions of Iran. I had never heard of the Kurds until then. Looks like the Kurds are a lot better armed these days!
 
CD, I enjoy coming into this thread to see what you are working on now.
Thanks for sharing with us.
Stay safe.
 
Well, thats certainly seen somethings. Its always interesting to see such things, and its insane to imagine how long some have been in use.....

I wonder, in 150-200 years will people be looking at our contemporary arms and having similar thoughts to what we have for these arms now?

Imagine a clapped out m16a4, trudging along for a century and some change.
 
Am interesting question.... but then again, people are still running blackpowder now, so I suppose "primitive smokless powder and metal cased ammo" could end up being the next black powder....
 
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