Originally Posted By: lagopus
Looks like you have spent some time on research; excellent work. Ever thought of putting it all in to book form? Reilly guns were sometimes forged as I acquired one once. I knew what was and was given it. Totally un-restorable and nothing like the work turned out by Reilly himself although it might have fooled a blind man. I de-activated it as a wall-piece for someone. May have a photo somewhere on file.

Still slightly in shock about the pump action at a game shoot. Welcome to the board. Lagopus.....


Lagopus. I've spent about 12 years on the sub-continent, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan.. If it's a forgery and it rusts, I'd bet it was made by Pashtuns in their arms factories north of the Kohat Pass (traditionally an Adam Khel, Afridi area but now simply business). Except that their forgeries are so good that ATF can't tell their copies of a Snider-Enfield or a Martini-Henry from a real one.

The Civil War reenactor crowd discovered Pashtun copies of the 1853 Enfield. In 2004 you could buy one in Kabul for $100. But the Pashtuns are above all businessmen when they aren't killing someone in a blood-feud, and they rapidly figured out the market. Sniders and Martinis stayed pretty much the same price..but by 2012 Classic percussion gun 1853 Enfields would cost you near $500 in Kabul. You'll find them over here with Confederate Army stamps...but with sub-continent serial numbers. I've had to disabuse several dealers in Confederate memorabilia about the provenance of their gun.




Last edited by Argo44; 03/19/16 10:27 PM.

Baluch are not Brahui, Brahui are Baluch