Martini Arms

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Martini arms in British service: Martini-Henry, Martini-Enfield, Martini-Metford.

The Future Weapon of the British Soldier – on the adoption of the Martini-Henry. [1869]
The New Martini-Enfield Rifle – On the .40-inch bore rifle reissued from the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, for trial and report. [1884]

In 1886 the War Office published a confidential ‘Memorandum relating to the introduction of the Martini-Henry Rifle.’ This two page Memorandum is reprinted in full in Research Press Digest 2026. An annotated version of the Memorandum is also included, which provides context and is illustrated with documents from the Research Press library.

‘The Tyros Guide to the Art of Rifle Shooting‘ by One of The English Twenty was published in 1889, and provides much sound advice for the novice on equipment, training and shooting the Martini-Henry. The Guide is reproduced in its entirety in Research Press Digest 2026, and supplemented with photpgraphs of contemporary equipment.

Martini Arms

The Future Weapon of the British Soldier

Research Press
2017-07-17
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On the adoption of the Martini-Henry: “It is intended, before proceeding with the manufacture of the new arms on an extended scale, to issue a few hundreds to the troops for further trial, and report as to their general serviceability. If, as there is every reason to anticipate, the performances of the arm in the hands of the troops shall confirm the opinion which its experimental performances appear to warrant, the country will possess an unequalled military breech-loader.”

Martini Arms

The New Martini-Enfield Rifle

Research Press
2017-07-18
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There seems to be some difference of opinion as to the merits of the new .40-inch bore rifle lately reissued from the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, for trial and report. The arm as it now stands differs in some minor details from that issued experimentally in 1882, but the differences are of the nature of improvements which occur during the making of any new machine, and need not be noticed here. It is of more importance to consider in what respect, if in any, the new rifle is likely to prove a better infantry arm than the present service Martini-Henry rifle. The breech-loading action – namely, that invented by Martini on the falling block system – is the same in both rifles. It will be convenient in this notice to speak of the present service rifle as the Martini-Henry, and of the new experimental rifle as the Martini-Enfield.