Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Navy Arms martini

Back in the 1970s there was an article in Shooting Times (I think) about a replica rolling block and a Martini action rifles, both in 45/70. I think a friend of mine has one of the rolling blocks but I never saw one of the Martinis. Does anyone know if thses were ever made?

I'm not sure if they had new actions built, but I know they imported a bunch of rifles that were built on original large frame Martini actions. If you search "Navy Arms Martini" on the web, you'll find photos and some descriptions.

Weren't they actually a medium frame, smaller than the military .577/450's and larger than the small Cadets and .22 target guns? Navy Arms also sold 14 gauge Martini shotgun (maybe the same gun?), ex-police guns from somewhere in the British Empire, that had an odd double firing pin that stymied a lot of Bubbas who wanted to convert them to sporting rifles.

Navy Arms had their operation in WVA down the road from where I lived back in the day. Lots of neat stuff was sold in their storefront that was uncataloged. I remember a big bin of those Martini actions in varying states of usefulness.

IIRC, that firing pin required a special shell with a recess around the primer, otherwise the primer wouldn’t be whacked.

Leave it to the Brits to find clever ways to keep their subjects well-in-hand.