Just thought I'd share some photos of my Hammerli Martini I've finished refinishing. I have actually placed an add on usedguns.com.au to ask for expressions of interest (offers). Some say that I'm crazy to even consider selling the piece, but since the time I acquired it more and more detail has been emerging regarding what I would need to shoot in her.
So it's a Hammerli Martini, smithed by a J.U.Banziger of St.Gallen, Switzerland. He died in 1906 so the rifle was obviously made before then. 33" Hex barrel, 4 groove, 1-10 twist, 7.5x55 cal, apparently should only shoot paper patched lead bullets.
Any thoughts would be appreciated, though I expect this being a collectors section everyone is going to say KEEP IT.

Stu

Hello Stuart,

Nice job, the wood  has cleaned up nicely in comparison to that shown  in your Dec. post. Have you slugged the bore to see if you have the smaller bore 1890  7.5 x 53-1/2 or the 1911 7.5 x 55 bore ? You don't need to paper patch the cast lead bullets if you have the 1890 smaller bore; just size the 30 cal bullets down or get a custom mold.

Cheers,
Des in Sacramento 

DesBon wrote on Jan 17^th, 2010 at 9:29pm:

Hello again Des,
Yes I slugger the bore and since talking with you last found a lovely fellow not far from me that had an exact Hammerli years ago. Absolute wealth of information and right on my door step!! Go figure!
Have not loaded anything as yet, but should I decide to keep it this guy has said he will show me the ropes as such and get the ol' girls running again. I'll keep you updated.
In the mean time, any idea on value for such an item?

Cheers mate,
Stu

Singleshotlover wrote on Jan 18^th, 2010 at 12:32am:


Hello Frank,
Interesting that you suggest the Swiss Rifle Forum, Des had already recommended looking for help there. Can't say that I got very much, in fact I find it very difficult to believe that they didn't share very much at all. I met another Aussie on there and he was a wealth of information as he had experience with the very same rifle. Irony is that he lives just one hour away!
The smith was J.U. Banziger, he and or the family had a lot to do with developing the 9.3x53 Banziger and the 10.3x65R Banziger. Since these cartridges are listed in the old cartridge books, you'd think more people of the Swiss forum would have knowledge. Whoops, maybe I should say 'share the knowledge'!
In any case I have found a lot of information by just persevering. 

Cheers,
Stu

Hex barrel?

Hey Frank,
I slugged the bore with a 308 cast bullet. The rifling is actually 3 groove. Slug measures .297" to .304", difference being that it's 3 groove.
Frank, the Cerrosafe is for doing a cast of the chamber right? Have never heard of it before. Will check around here and see what I can find.

Cheers,
Stu

Before you get carried away with the Cerrosafe, be sure to use modeling clay or chewing gum, etc. to cover the extractor slots and anywhere else the Cerrosafe can migrate.  Plug the bore at a point far enough down bore so that your cast shows all the details of the throat and leade.