Thomas Bland Martini Sporting rifle in 577-450

Hello All,

Here's my most recent acquisition from when I attended this weekend's Great Northern Side-by-Side Classic in Medford, Wisconsin. Although I don't participate in the competition, I always attend the event because they have lots of interesting guns for sale. And I bought this one within the first minute of getting there.

Here are the specs of this rifle ....

28-3/4" Bbl - 14-1/4" LOP - 7 lbs 6 oz - Trap Butt - 2-Leaf Express Sight - Moon Flip-Over Front Sight - Birmingham & Belgium Proofs.

It came with a vintage box of factory Kynoch ammo, a 577-450 to 45 Long Colt Chamber insert, and a box of factory Buffalo Bore Heavy 45 long colt +P ammo w/ 325g lead bullets. Muzzle cast shows 7-groove Henry rifling.

If the rain stops, I'll be shooting it today - Father's Day.

I don't know a lot about these, so as always, your comments are welcome.

You have a great eye for interesting rifles...so how did it shoot?

Good looking piece. I like that 45 insert as well,neat idea.

Well, I finally got some dies and brass. I bought Lee dies because they were a bargain. Midway had them at $88 for a 3-die set and they came with a shell holder. I'm not usually fond of Lee, but RCBS dies were $490 plus $15 for a shell holder, and C4 dies were $260 plus $20 for a shell holder.

I loaded AR5744 and I'm very pleased with the results.

Well that certainly does the job! Looks like a candidate for your next deer hunt.

I love that 5744 powder although I primarily use it in my cast rifle calibres.

I don't know much about them but it looks nice and shots good.

Hello All,

Thanks for the reply.

Well, today I received a Letter of authenticity for my Thomas Bland - Martini Sporting rifle. Looks like its all original, built by Bland, and that it went on Safari in 1886. Now all that's left to do is to research Mr. Rothman to see if he was anyone of notoriety, and if I can find any reference to his 1886 Safari..

Awesome!

Awesome indeed!

Hello Rusty,

Hello NormanConquest,

Thanks for the reply.

When I first got this, several members on various forums doubted its authenticity. I'm glad the Factory letter put an end to those doubts.

Now I'm researching Mr. Rothman to see if I can find his history. It may have belonged to Louis Rothman of London. Louis Rothman was the founder of Rothmans International, one of the United Kingdom's largest tobacco businesses. It might also have belonged to his son Sidney Rothman, who became a partner in the company in 1919.

An interesting bit of history.

Hello NormanConquest,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm finding a lot of information about Louis Rothman and his tobacco business, but can't find any personal information about his hunting adventures.

Please post any info you come up with. History is grand, but it's only enemy are those that don't pass on the knowledge. I for one am interested in reading your findings. Be well, Randy.

quote:

Originally posted by NormanConquest:
Please post any info you come up with. History is grand, but it's only enemy are those that don't pass on the knowledge. I for one am interested in reading your findings. Be well, Randy.

Thanks for the reply.

As I'm sure you are aware, I love guns with History and Stories to tell. I've posted a lot of those Stories and History about my guns over the years.

I have compiled them all and will be publishing them in a book; "(if) THESE GUNS COULD TALK - from the Buck Stix Collection"
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quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:
... I have compiled them all and will be publishing them in a book; "(if) THESE GUNS COULD TALK - from the Buck Stix Collection"
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.
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Should be a great book.
Sign me up for a copy, please.

Rip ...

Hello RIP,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm hoping to have it published by year's end.

Rip ...

That has range fun and woods adventure written all over it!
Very nice and congratulations on the find!
I'm assuming we will hear here about the book when it is published?

quote:

Originally posted by TCLouis:
That has range fun and woods adventure written all over it!
Very nice and congratulations on the find!
I'm assuming we will hear here about the book when it is published?

Hello TCLouis
Thanks for the reply.

The book project is coming along much slower than expected.

Did you ever try the .45 colt insert?

quote:

Originally posted by degoins:
Did you ever try the .45 colt insert?

Hello degoins,
Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I tried it, and it took an hour to get it out of the chamber because it was stuck after firing the first shot. Never used it again.

WOW!!!
well so much for that "solution".

Glad you got it shooting with the real stuff.

quote:

Originally posted by degoins:
WOW!!!
well so much for that "solution".

Glad you got it shooting with the real stuff.

Hello degoins,
Thanks for the reply.

I've never had problems with other chamber inserts, but this one was a nightmare.