[Tiledude]

A few years ago I picked-up an Martini .303 Carbine marked Citadel 1907. I think that it is Egyptian?

What is the story on this?

Thanks!

Tiledude

 

[DoubleD]

I beleive it was just after the turn of the 20th century that large quantities of surplus Martini Parts were shipped to the Citadel in Egypt and the guns were assembled there. They don't necessarily comform to sealed pattens, but are real. There are some also marked Khartoum.

 

[ftr53]

I've got two sorta like that:

One says Khartoum 1909 under the crescent/star on the R/H side, with no original date. L/H side is a V.R. cypher 1896 Enfield conversion to M.E. 303 I. It now looks like the M.E. Cavalry Carbine II, with a 21" barrel and the winged front sight. The barrel has Edwardian Enfield proofs and is marked '09 on the Nock's form. Has the Mk III hooked forend. Shoots okay; kicks more than the No 5 MkI.

The other actually says Citadel 1903 under the cresent/star on the L/H action body. The R/H side names it an 1880 N A & A Co Ld Mk II. The buttplate is checkered. The forend is pinned, and the lower (rear) band has a pin to retain it. The upper (fwd) band has the sword bar. The forend itself has no clearing rod channel, and was apparently made that way since the forend is solid and not filled-in. This one is easy to shoot, since it is a Greener ('Entirely British') .22 conversion. Trigger pull is extremely heavy, but crisp.

This doesn't help with the history of the Citadel arsenal per se, but these pieces add an interesting dimension to my accumulection.

 

[richardwv]

As I recall, Enfield shipped the equipment, arms, spares, etc to the Citadel in 1903, so a 1903 example would be one of the earliest.

 

[ftr53]

Cool. Skennerton doesn't mention Citadel or Khartoum in his 'Treatise,' so all I know is what I see on the pieces themselves. Are there any recommendations for a source of info on C and K Martinis?

 

[Tiledude]

Thanks for the info gang!

Tiledude