[TheDoubleD]

Trade pending...

 

[TheDoubleD]

Trade completed.

Here is what I got. The bottom one.

These are "Made for ZAR by Westley Richards" Francotte pattern Martini rifles.

The top one is a standard infantry rifle made 1896. I got this rifle in 2002 when I was in South Africa on Safari. It is 577/450 Martini. I took two Kudu with it.

I did not know much about these rifles when I got that one. I have since learned there were 20,000 of these rifles made for the Boer South African Republic from 1896 to 1899.

I also learned that 2000 of these rifles were made for the ZAR Mounted troops. Called a carbine it is actually a short rifle. It is also 577/450. I have tried for 21 years to acquire one of these short rifle/carbines.

Five years ago a young fellow on Oklahoma Shooters Board was looking for information on a Martini rifle he had found. I helped him identify it. It was a "Made for ZAR by Westley Richards" Carbine. I told him if he didn't buy it I wanted it. He bought it. I then told him I wanted first right of refusal if he ever sold it. He said okay.

About a month ago he contacted me and offered me the gun. I put the unused Ruger No.1 45/70 up for sale here to fund this deal. He asked me if I would trade him the No 1. A deal was made,

The lower gun in the picture is this carbine that I waited 21 years to add to my collection.