Martini–Enfield

Martini–Enfield Mk I & Mk II
Martini-Enfield carbine. From the Swedish Army Museum.
Type	Service rifle
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1878–1902
Used by	United Kingdom & Colonies
Wars	British colonial wars, Second Boer War (Limited) World War I (Limited)
Production history
Designer	RSAF Enfield
Designed	1878
Manufacturer	RSAF Enfield
Produced	1878–1903
No. built	approx. 250,000–500,000
Variants	Martini–Enfield Carbine
Specifications
Weight	8 lb 9 oz (3.8 kg) (unloaded)
Length	49.25 in (1250 mm)
Cartridge	.303 Mk IIC SAA Ball
Calibre	.303 British
Action	Martini Falling Block
Rate of fire	10 rounds/minute
Muzzle velocity	2200 ft/s (700 m/s)
Effective firing range	1000 yds (900 m)
Maximum firing range	2000 yds (1800 m)
Feed system	Single shot
Sights	Sliding ramp rear sights, Fixed-post front sights

Martini–Enfield rifles were, by and large, conversions of the Zulu War era .577/450 Martini–Henry, rechambering the rifle for use with the newly introduced .303 British cartridge. Whilst most Martini–Enfields were converted rifles, a number were newly manufactured as well.

The Martini–Enfield Mk I was a Martini–Henry Mk III rebarrelled to .303 and with a new extractor installed, whilst the Martini–Enfield Mk II rifles were generally of new manufacture, although there are examples of converted Mk II rifles.

Originally (from 1889) Martini–Henry conversions used Metford rifled barrels (and were known as Martini–Metford rifles), which were more than suitable for the first .303 cartridges, which used black powder as a propellant but wore out very quickly when fired with cordite/nitrocellulose cartridges (introduced in 1895). In 1895, the Enfield rifled barrel was introduced, which was much more suitable for use with "modern" (smokeless) ammunition.

The Martini–Enfield was in service from 1895–1918 (Lawrence of Arabia's Arab Irregulars were known to have used them during the Arab Revolt of 1916–1918, along with any other firearms they could acquire) and it remained a Reserve Arm in places like India and New Zealand until well into World War II.

Martini–Enfield rifles were manufactured/converted by:

Martini–Enfield rifles were very well made and are more than capable of handling modern commercial .303 British ammunition, but, as with all second hand firearms, they should always be checked by a competent gunsmith before attempting to fire them.

The Khyber Pass region between Pakistan and Afghanistan has long had a reputation for producing unlicensed, home-made copies of firearms using whatever materials are available- more often than not, railway sleepers, junked motor vehicles, and scrap metal.

During the various British military expeditions in the North-West Frontier, the locals acquired examples of the Martini–Henry, Martini–Enfield, and later, Lee–Enfield rifles and began to make their own copies.