Flints and Besses and other stuff!

[Zonie]

I just finished reading the latest AMERICAN RIFLEMAN(August issue) and it has a story about a cache of old guns and stuff found in Napal which was bought by IMA and shipped to the USA.
430 tons of Enfields, Martini's, Sharps, cannons, morters, bayonets, swords, tools, and original Bess parts. The Besses are in such bad shape they figure to part them out.
Also a bunch of Bess Flints and bullets.

Most of this stuff was made in India during the 1800s and is in varying condition.
It is being marketed by Atlanta Cutlery www.atlantacutlery.com
They have an ad in the magazine showing several cartridge guns such as the Sharps Slant Breach type 1853 Rifle (not made by Sharps?), 1871 Short Lever Rifle (The type used in the Zulu conflict), 1885 Long Lever Rifle and .577 Caliber 1864 Snider Breech conversion of the Enfield.
Prices go from $495 for the Snider to $1499 for the Sharps.

The ad doesn't mention some of the Real Guns which they have like the Pattern 1839(conversion to precussion) and Pattern 1842 muskets in .577 caliber but I'm sure they will be available. Remember, these guns were apparantly made in India so many of the locks don't have the English markings. Also, after 150 years of collecting dirt they may not be in the greatest shape.

They don't mention the flints in the ad, but the story does so maybe these will be for sale at a reasonable price?

 

I saw that same 2 page ad in some other catalog about 6 monthes ago,,they found them all as a "caschet" under the floor tile of some old palace,,lot's of original bullets too,,,,,and knifes,,
The true treasures of the "India"/pakistan market are the old "Jezail" or jezel type arms,lot's of mother of pearl and silver diamond shaped in-lay flint locks,these pistoles and musket/rifle harkin to the 17th century.

Thanks for the heads-up zonie,but, my guess is if all that stuff had any real value,,it wouldn't be in an ad in some gun magazine.then again if a guy needs parts??,,,,

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

I get the Atlanta Cutlery catalog in the mail every month or two. They first had them advertised in their catalog several months ago. Without actually saying so (probably because it would hurt sales), the description made it pretty obvious that they're too corroded to try shooting them. It was clear that these guns are for display only.

As long as we're on the subject, does anyone make replicas of guns like the .577 Martini-Henry (real ones for shooting, not wall decorations)?

 

[robinghewitt]

Descriptions can vary. These guns used to be on another site, I will quote Bill Curtiss, and there ain't no point arguing with Bill ::

"As I am looking for an Ordnance P'42, I rushed to this site and found 2 items described as P'42s with mention of the great fire in the Ordnance Storehouse etc., but examination of the pictures show these to be not P'42s but HEIC 'F' Pattern Models of 1845-51. Very reasonably priced nevertheless".