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Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" (Read 626 times)

oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4383 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Mar 7^th, 2026 at 3:37pm	Print Post
	Well, everyone including the Brits call it that although it pre dates Martini and has nothing to do with him. Calling it a "Hammerless Peabody" would be much better as the internal hammer arrangement is more like Peabody's hammerless patent. Anyway, Westley Richards made these for several years changing things all the time. This one was is/was barreled in 500-450 #2 Musket which was a popular target cartridge of the time. It does have Henry rifling. Although it is stocked like a military, the sights have platinum inserts which I have wondered if it was made as a "military target" rifle for private competitions of the time. I say is/was because, back in the dark ages (like 1960) when I acquired it, 500-450 #2 Musket was pretty much unobtainable. Since I liked handling it and it is has a safety and a nice trigger, I decided I wanted to hunt with it and 45 was a legal muzzleloading caliber for deer in New Mexico. I had a smith make me a steel chamber insert that had a 45 caliber powder chamber in one end and a primer pocket for a 209 shotshell primer in the other. Did I invent the inline? He soldered it in and it worked fine. I used a Lee REAL (that's rifling engraved at loading) bullet that is shaped like a trash can and cut a beautiful circular entrance hole in several deer and exited the other side of their heart/lung area. Now that I have an Alexander Henry in 500-450 #2 Musket and the brass for it I'm considering having the false chamber removed or else selling it as it is. What say you?


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gmkmd Participating Member Offline Posts: 20 Location: Bethlehem, PA Joined: Jul 18^th, 2006	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #1 - Mar 7^th, 2026 at 6:03pm	Print Post
	I’d buy it.


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jhm Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1997 Location: georgia Joined: Sep 4^th, 2011	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #2 - Mar 7^th, 2026 at 7:13pm	Print Post
	That's a neat old piece. A bit odd but neat none the less. JMH


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craigster Oldtimer Offline Posts: 815 Location: lost coast CA Joined: Feb 20^th, 2011	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #3 - Mar 7^th, 2026 at 10:36pm	Print Post
	Shakend or stirred? Neat old rifle.


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oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4383 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #4 - Mar 9^th, 2026 at 1:16am	Print Post
	Shaken, at least that is what you would be after firing a 500 grain bullet in front of 85 or 90 grains of powder! Nah, it's a pussycat with that 34 1/2 inch barrel. It is said that Bond used to carry one of these in the boot of his steam powered Aston-Martin;-) Nowadays to make 500-450 #2 Musket brass you just run a new Starline 50-90 into the sizing die (I had a long wait to get a set from CH for my Alex Henry - almost 30 seconds, while she checked the inventory) and trim it to 2 1/4 inches (using the good old Harbor Freight mini chop saw). So here is a full pic of the rifle and another of the other side of the action showing the serial number (234) on the barrel and action and the rear sight with steps for 2, 3 and 400 and then up the ladder for a bunch more.


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craigster Oldtimer Offline Posts: 815 Location: lost coast CA Joined: Feb 20^th, 2011	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #5 - Mar 9^th, 2026 at 9:00pm	Print Post
	If it could only talk.


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Barrabruce Junior Member Offline Posts: 80 Location: Australia Joined: Mar 30^th, 2017	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #6 - Mar 10^th, 2026 at 5:10am	Print Post
	How do you extract and insert a new 209 primer? One way to get an old timer going again Nice looking piece of kit for sure


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DoubleD Oldtimer Offline Posts: 770 Location: Edmond Joined: Feb 14^th, 2006	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #7 - Mar 10^th, 2026 at 10:30am	Print Post
	I have two of these guns. One is a full stock military style carbine in 1-1/2 Carbine. The second is full sporter rifle in 500 EXP with Whitworth rifling. Both are 1871 patents. I acquired the carbine when I was working in Durban South Africa. The family history that came with this gun was that it was used by the Boers at the Battle of Majuba. While this may be true. It is commonly accepted in SA that these guns were indeed used by the Boers on Majuba. That this gun was there, well maybe, maybe not. I have been on Majuba how ever. The 1-1/2" carbine round can be made from 32 gauge shot gun brass or 50/90 Sharp brass. I got my dies from CH4D and made my own file trim die, This gun had a straight .464 major diameter bore. I shot mine for a while and put away. I used bulk loaded 405 grain 45/70 bullets and kept all 13 on a B-17 target in the 100 yard provincial match. I have a 464 mould but never got around to trying them in this gun. The gun came with some solid turned brass. I made my brass from 50/90 Sharps. My second gun is a very nice sporter pattern in 500 EXP. I saw it over on NE forums up for sale one August. Wife walked by and saw it on the computer screen, and said it was pretty, and asked what it was. I told her it was a nice Christmas gift. It showed up under the tree in December. I have shot it, but only to shoot it. I slugged the bore and it is .523 major diameter. I haven't worked with it yet. But have dies, brass and some bullets to paper patch. These so called Improved Martini's are no more Martini's or Peabody's than a Marlin lever gun is a Winchester. They are all hinge block single shots. There is a case to be made saying the Martini is an improved Peabody. But Martini's work wasn't with the Peabody, rather he modified the lock and firing mechanisms of other European hinged block single shots similar to the American Peabody. If you need brass for 450 Musket No. 2 contact Martyn at X-ring services. He makes obsolete brass from solid head and shotgun cases. If you have a need, I have 450 Musket no.2 reamer I will loan. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)
	« Last Edit: Mar 10^th, 2026 at 1:38pm by DoubleD »
	Douglas, Ret.
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oneatatime Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 4383 Location: Rocky Mountains Joined: Oct 30^th, 2011	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #8 - Mar 10^th, 2026 at 12:57pm	Print Post
	Very nice 71s, Douglas. All the vintages of the sporting rifles are very nice looking. If I decide to remove the ML adapter the reamer could come in handy to clean up the chamber. Thanks for offering. As far as the brass, the Starline 50-90 Sharps just runs right in to the die and comes out #2 and just needs a little length trim. It is really good brass and will last forever. Barrabruce, there is a slot above the 209 receptacle. I had a little screwdriver that I kept attached to the action with a cord that flipped the fired primer right out. The fresh primer just hand pressed right in.
	« Last Edit: Mar 10^th, 2026 at 2:38pm by oneatatime »

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Barrabruce Junior Member Offline Posts: 80 Location: Australia Joined: Mar 30^th, 2017	Re: Westley Richards 1869 "Improved Martini" Reply #9 - Mar 12^th, 2026 at 6:09am	Print Post
	Thankyou oneatatime. Much appreciated.


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