I have a small Martini Rifle in 218 Masburn Bee. This is a small Martini-Henry style action and not the more common Francotte Cadet style Martini.

Since this is a Martini it is a top load, top eject rifle. Right now it is equiped with a tang peep sight with a gold bead. This combo works just fine and would be adequate if my eye weren't 55 years old.

I want to scope mount it. In order to keep the Scope out of the way I need to mount the scope far enough forward that I will have room to load the rifle. I need 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 inches of eye relief.

Since this is a small light varmint rifle rifle I want at least a 6X power. An AO would be nice but no mandatory.

Anybody got any ideas or suggestions?

DD

I have a Burris 6xHBR/PA that is just outstanding!

It's compact, with parallax adjustment, target turrets, and great optics.

George

George, what kind of Eye relief does the Burris have?

DD

Shotgun and pistol scopes both have extra eye relief.

Shotgun scopes and EER scope have to much eye relief.

I need 6x or more and 7 to 9 inches of relief.

DD

The only scopes I know of, that have that eye relief, the Scout Scopes. Unfortunately, they are all 2.5-2.7X Both burris and Leupold make them. E

Try a variable pistol scope.

Pistol scopes have to much eye relief.

A couple of months ago I found a scope that had the right eye relief, but can't rmemeber which it was. I have been wandering the Scope makers websites trying to find it again. No luck yet.

Thanks George,I'll check those TC scopes. It's for my African big Game rifle.



DD

[ 12-03-2002, 02:44: Message edited by: Double D ]

Double D

Great sounding gun.

I have one and no one I have talked to around here is conversant in the type of rifle to tell me if it is the Francotte or Martini Henry.
Any helpful hints for the ignorant.

To top it off I got it in trade for some Martini parts from a friend of the builder who only knew that it was built with the stub of a barrel from the gunsmiths 308 high-power competition gun once the chamber (throat) was shot out.

Caliber is best described as 300X221 Rimmed Long.

Took me a while to figure out how to make the brass for this one!

I can lad mine with regular scope on it, not fast, but fast enough.

How about using a regular scope with HIGH rings?

LouisB

I have a Martini Cadet I rebarreled to 17 Ackley Bee and it being a faster round also had to figure out how to scope it. I ended up designing a one-piece mount that attached to the barrel ahead of the action and came back to just in front of the breech face. A friend machined it out for me to fit Warne rings, and with a Monte Carlo type stock, it aligns with the eye perfectly using a standard scope, and allows enough room between the scope tube and the action to load and eject rounds. I'll probably mount a 6X on this one. If your interested I can email you a picture of the completed mount to give you an idea. It really turned out great in my opinion, but I still have to finish the stockwork on it. There's a stockmaker in CO, (Ed Shulin) that has a blank for this rifle, and I got the semi-finished stock from him. It is a classic design and real nice wood at a great price.

This is the Martini Henry style action.


This is a Francotte style Martini Cadet.



The Francotte style is usually found in the smaller action. It is noteable because all the innards come out attached to the trigger guard. The MH style is usually found in just the large action. In my case I have the MH in both the large and the small action. I also have the Francotte style in the both the large and small action.

The rifle I am looking for a scope for is the top one.

DD

DD,

That Hollis is gorgeous! I don't usually like Martinis, but that one is changing my mind.

George

George,

Here is my fancy large martini.



I looked over the TC scopes those will work, I think. Thanks for pointing me there.

DD

My pleasure!

Where can I find a nice Martini like the ones you have?

George

The Burris 10X AO Handgun scope is listed as having an intermediate eye relief of 9 to 12 inches. This would seem to meet your requirements.

Bingo! the Burris 10X that is the scope I was looking for.

For fancy Martini's try Jemtrek or Martini Belgium or Thad Scott

You could also post to Martini Henry Collectors Forum or British Militaria and ask If any one has one to sell.

You could also send a email to Ray and Peter Jansa at jansa@geko.net.au and see what they have. I got both of the Martini's that I posted here from them.

DD