Boer War Firearms

**Steven001** · 13-09-2019, 09:20

This thread will be the reason I get fired... How awesome are these old rifles!!

**Defender** · 13-09-2019, 10:49

Love this. What amazing rifles!

**pegasusdion** · 13-09-2019, 10:54

Thanks for the feedback gents. I will continue to post as time allows. How awesome to see an original Plezier Mauser front sight windage adjustment tool.

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**Luker** · 13-09-2019, 12:58

Fantastic thread.

**KK20** · 13-09-2019, 14:26

Thank you Pegasus. Amazing.

**High Power** · 13-09-2019, 19:19

Originally Posted by pegasusdion

OVS Martini Rifle type 1 It also seems as if P Webley and Son produced very few rifles and instead chose to focus on producing revolvers ( If any Webley collectors could shed some light on this it would be appreciated).

Anything but! In 1869 P Webley & Son produced 75000 Chassepot breech loading rifles for the French Government. Armed with these the French declared war on Prussia with predictable results - they lost [ “The French; a warlike people very good at loosing wars” 1066 and All That ].

The 1888 Webley trade catalogue has pages of rifles: Rook, Rabbit & Kangaroo Rifles of several patterns; Double barrel ditto Rifles; several patterns of Martini action Mid-Range Sporting Rifles including the military pattern; single and double barrel Express Rifles of several patterns; and 4 and 8 Bore Black Powder rifles.

However, some 90 % of these rifles never had Webley’s name on them. Webley’s policy was to supply the quality trade with rifles engraved and marked as their trade customers required. London, Provincial and Empire “gunmakers” were mostly supplying rifles made with Webley actions and barrels. This policy continued until 1938.

Incidentally, I have a very nice military Mark II pattern Martini-Henry purchased here in SA and which is not marked to the OVS.

Peter

**pegasusdion** · 13-09-2019, 19:51

Hi Peter,

Thank you so much for that information. It is really helpful and gives me a much better appreciation of Webleys production.

Do you know if there any truth to Webley having shared a factory floor with the Breadlin Armoury or a partnership of some sort? I was aware that Webley often supplied barrels to other " manufacturers " but was not aware that they were such big players in the manufacture of complete rifles.

Please post pics of your MK11.

Best wishes
Dion

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**High Power** · 13-09-2019, 20:31

And I didn't even mention the pages and pages of all sorts and qualities of shotgun. Nor the implements, reloading tools, hancuffs, etc etc. Definitely not a minor gunmaker!

Peter

**Terrylee** · 13-09-2019, 21:27

Attachment 30953
My grandfather, Thomas Savory, center, during the Boer War. He is equipped with a Magazine Lee Wefield Mk I.

Attachment 30954
Magazine Lee Enfield