Guns International #: 101970226
Seller's Inventory #: 217081

Category - Military Rifles - Antique - Antique Rifles - Cartridge

Category
Military Rifles - Antique
Antique Rifles - Cartridge

1870 BRITISH Antique TOWER Marked .577 Cal. SNIDER Mk. III MILITARY Rifle With “CROWN” and “TOWER/1870” Marked Lock

Description:
1870 BRITISH Antique TOWER Marked .577 Cal. SNIDER Mk. III MILITARY Rifle 

With “CROWN” and “TOWER/1870” Marked Lock

Here we present an antique British Tower Marked Snider MK III Breech Loading Rifle, made in 1870. The British .577 Snider was the most widely used of the Snider varieties (the action invented by the American Jacob Snider) being adopted by Britain as an alteration/conversion system for its Pattern 53 rifle-musket muzzle loading arms. In trials, the Snider P/53 conversions proved both more accurate than original P/53s and much faster firing as well. From 1866 on the rifles were converted in large numbers at Enfield beginning with the initial pattern, the Mark I. New rifles started as P/53s but received a new breech block/receiver assembly. Converted rifles retained the original iron barrel, furniture, locks and hammer.

The Mark III rifles were newly made, with steel barrels which were so marked, flat nosed hammers and are the version equipped with a latch locking breech block. The Snider was the subject of substantial imitation, approved and questionable, including the near exact copy of the Nepalese Snider, the Dutch Snider, Danish Naval Snider, and the "unauthorized" adaptations of the French Tabatiere and Russian Krnka. 

This firearm saw the landscape everywhere the British had a presence in the 19th century. The list is quite significant: Ethiopia, Cape Colony, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and other British Colonies. The Enfield Snider was not only used worldwide but had a very long service life. It was adopted as the primary service weapon of the British Army in 1866, then was relegated to volunteer and militia forces beginning in 1874 after the introduction of the Martini-Henry rifle, then was pretty much solely in use by the British Indian Army into the 1890s.

The overall condition is good. The action is strong. The firing pin assembly has been replaced. The bore is in good shape with mostly smooth and reflective surfaces, sharp rifling and with some minor pitting. The stock is solid, though clearly used. Some hand-checkering was done at some point as well as a stock extension at the butt plate.

Own the original! This is a legitimate antique and not a reproduction.

Barrel is 36-3/8 inches.

Caliber: .577 Snider

Overall condition as seen in photos.

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ancestryguns

$1600

#217081
 

SOLD

Antique: Yes