What is this?
- Thread starter D_TROS
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Well it doesn't look 100% the same but it's very similar to a breechloading firearm variously referred to as a Model 1857, Model 1867, Model 1857/67, Belgian 1857, French 1857, Zulu, Belgian 1857/67 Zulu, or just "Zulu Shotgun". These were French muzzle-loading percussion muskets reamed out and converted into breechloading shotguns by the Belgians. Here's a few links to similar guns:
www.thefirearmblog.com
gunlab.net
Identify My Guns - Breechloading 12 Gauge Zulu Shotgun
On this segment of 'Identify My Guns' we examine a rather peculiar breechloading firearm that once blackpowder then converted to centerfire then converted to accept shotgun shells in the Zulu Shotgun.
www.thefirearmblog.com
Zulu Shotgun | GunLab (KnownHost)
gunlab.net
That is a Snider patent action. I collect them.
That is a bad belgian copy... probably no safe to shoot. I have one. Terribly crude. Made for trade in the Congo. If the Zulu's had them.. they got them from a long way off. Belgian made guns were generally further north in their 'turf.'
I also have Snider Patent guns by Enfield (They used the patent action to convert Enfield caplocks to breechloaders before the advent of the small-bore Martini). And a number of companies also made commerical rifles on the patent action. The nicest ones I have are Rook Rifles by Greener and Rigby and they are rather stunning. That and a Mahout rifle by, I think, H&H.
But the African guns are best used as lamps or, in my case, because it is an example of a really 'bad' Snider action... that contrasts with my good one.
Cheers,
Sirhr
That is a bad belgian copy... probably no safe to shoot. I have one. Terribly crude. Made for trade in the Congo. If the Zulu's had them.. they got them from a long way off. Belgian made guns were generally further north in their 'turf.'
I also have Snider Patent guns by Enfield (They used the patent action to convert Enfield caplocks to breechloaders before the advent of the small-bore Martini). And a number of companies also made commerical rifles on the patent action. The nicest ones I have are Rook Rifles by Greener and Rigby and they are rather stunning. That and a Mahout rifle by, I think, H&H.
But the African guns are best used as lamps or, in my case, because it is an example of a really 'bad' Snider action... that contrasts with my good one.
Cheers,
Sirhr
A old man gave me two of those... one had severely cracked from firing. I wouldn't shoot one of those crude belgians even with BP. Oddly, my daughter in northern IN found one boarded up in a wall inside an old house they were restoring. Would love to know the story on that one.
Wall decorations at best.
Wall decorations at best.
Snider pattern rifles are also very common in Nepal and the Khyber Pass region. The locals have been reproducing them well into World War II. Back in 2008, I remember one of the curio shops offering "as found condition" Nepalese Sniders for $50.00 each. You can also buy them by a crate load. Condition of these guns range from "submerged in Atlantic saltwater for 20 years" to about "missing a few parts, outside looks like shit but bore and rifling intact".
One can always get a reproduction Euroarms or Chiappa 2-band or 3-band Enfield and turn it into a conversion project. If you got the tooling and skills, that would make one hell of an awesome project...
You can get sniders by the pound from International Military Antiques. They bought 50,000 from Nepal. So many that they are making a comeback in USA. The Enfield’s are great shooters! And totally safe.
They still shoot them every year at matches in Connaught near Ottawa Canada out to 1000 and maybe Even 1500 yards.
You can get from IMA restores or unrestored.
https://www.ima-usa.com/pages/search-results?q=snider
cheers, Sirhr
They still shoot them every year at matches in Connaught near Ottawa Canada out to 1000 and maybe Even 1500 yards.
You can get from IMA restores or unrestored.
https://www.ima-usa.com/pages/search-results?q=snider
cheers, Sirhr
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The Enfields and Martini-Henry's from the Gurkha armories have been cared for VERY well. A number of Martini's have been converted into less-lethal projectile launchers and deployed by Nepalese riot police.
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