doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com A. Francotte Martini Rook Rifle PHOTO link added

I posted a link to photos of the rifle below, click on it and all the photos show up.


I am trying to date my A. Francotte Martini Rook rifle, I believe it is number 180?, as the patent was issued in 1878 and both the reciever and the action have the 180 stamped on them. The Belgian proof mark on the barrel is pre 1893 from what I am told but the other proof marks I do not know, 8.8 probly Cal. and the 30 in the middle on barrel is also stamped twice on the front of the reciever. The stock is Rosewood and the forend has two pieces that need repair and the horn front piece made. I have tried to post photos but have not figured that out yet, if you email me I can forward photos of the rifle and proof marks along with chamber cast information. I am hope to link it to the A. Francotte retail shop in London that was open at the time? Any information will help. rwiley111@sbcglobal.net

NOTE: photo's are posted on ( britishmilitariafourms.yuku.com/forums/3 ) under Francotte Martini Rook rifle [img]http://photobucket.com/albums/jj631/rwiley111[/img]

I posted a link to a photobucket album with photos of the A. Francotte Rook Rifle below. I still can not figure out how to put photo to the post.

http://www.photobucket.com/albums/jj631/rwiley111

At Photobucket at the bottom of each picture is a box with the words "IMG Code" in it. Click on the information in the box the word "Copied" will appear. Now all you have to do is right click and hit "Past" on your thread here.

Good luck,

The only way to date is that if the "ELG" proofmark has a crown over it, it is post 1893. Francotte made those Martini rook rifles from the late 1880s through the 1930s. Generally they were nicely made and the equal of British made Martini rook rifle. Its a shame Colin Greenwood elected to leave Martini rook rifles out of his otherwise fine rook and rabbit book.

Try this.First you have to get an account with a name and a password in Photobucket.
After you have got that sorted and logged into Photobucket, click on upload in the blue bar at the top of the screen.
Click on select photo's and video's.
As I have an Apple computer iphoto comes up with all the photo's I have on my computer. Click on the photo you want and then open. Bottom right hand corner on my computer.
You should then have a photo on Photobucket. Follow directions if you want to give it a title.
When you have your photo on Photobucket you will see a menu below it.
left click on the img code and the numbers on the right will turn Blue.
Right click on the numbers and on the menu that drops down, left click copy.
To transfer the photo here click on the fourth icon in the bar at the top of where you started your post.
Looks like a sheet of paper with the top right hand corner turned over.
Another menu will drop down and click on non floating image.
Right click on the next menu that drops down and then left click on Paste.
Thanks to Michael I learnt that you have to delete the [/IMG] at the end and beginning of the address.
Click on preview post and your post and photo should be there for all to see.
Nothing quite like a photo.
Regards, Roly.

I do it a little differently. I type the text I want in the 'reply' box (like I'm doing now), leaving the cursor blinking where I want the pic to show up. Then I close the entire thing by clicking on the 'reduction' icon (for lack of a better term) at the top RH corner of the screen. Then I re-open another portal by clicking on the same icon on the desktop that I used for the first one that is now hiding at the bottom of the screen. Using this second 'opening', I go to Photobucket and go through the selection process and click on 'copy' when instructed to do so. Then I pull up the original window in which I started writing the message and bingo, there's the cursor still blinking in the 'reply' window. Right click to get the prompts up, left click on 'paste', and presto, the image code appears as if by magic- which it surely is. Hit 'Preview reply' just to make sure everything is kosher, then submit. Close out the screen with Photobucket on it (the red X top RH corner) leaving you with this grand web site running, and proceed with your life!

Actually IIRC one of the first Francotte Cadet production runs was an 1880 contract with the Victoria, Australia government for training rifles. I've owned one of these early Victorian Government military contract actions (3-digit #) and also at present own 2 other early commercial Francotte Martini Cadets (4-digit #s). Interestingly, all repeat all the parts, pins, blocks, levers, etc will fully interchange between the Francottes and the BSAs except the deluxe Francottes with the rare side-mounted cocking indicator, some of their parts are different in order to accomodate the indicator. One of my Francotte Cadets has the side indicator and the other has the top-mounted one like the later BSAs. None of the commercial Francotte Cadets I've ever seen (admittedly not very many) have had the usual BSA split pin to retain the TG subassembly, all repeat all have had some variation of a solid pin with various types of lock-screw arrangements and spring detents on the left side.

I personally like the Francottes a LOT more than the BSAs even though they're visually and functionally identical. The only difference I can find is in the later BSAs' use of a split retainer pin for the TG subassembly rather than the Francottes' solid (and therefore IMO somewhat more elegant) pin.

Colin Greenwood DEFINITELY missed the boat on the Cadets IMO. I kept waiting for another volume devoted entirely to them but so far no joy. Either he couldn't find a publisher or else he musta had a brain fart (grin).
Regards, Joe

Joe I know you have some really super Martini's already done
or in progress. How about posting some pictures.?? I know I would enjoy them. Whitey

Yes, I think we could all do with some Martini-style inspiration!

This Braendlin made, Braddell retailed miniature Martini is my favorite.

[img][IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v241/joel_black/braddellm.jpg[/img]http://[/img]

Assuming Wal Winfer's health improves, he plans to follow up his hammerless rook rifle book with one devoted to swinging block rook rifles like the Martinis and Sniders.