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The Gurkhas
The Gurkhas
Now most folks outside of the Military or the United Kingdom. Have never heard of these guys at all.
But they are worthy of study as they are some REAL STAND UP GUYS! As they have been serving the British Crown now for almost 200 years. Which says a lot as the British Army
is not exactly noted for being a “Safe Space for Soft folks”.
Their Regiments have served the British Crown in India, The North West Frontier against the Afghans. Also in both World wars & the retreat from the Collapse of the British Empire.
Their reputation as fighting men is such. That when the Argentine’s heard that they were landing in The Falklands.
The Argentinians surrendered the next day. They also enjoy a very high reputation in the British Army.Where they are really tight with the Rifle Regiments and especially with The Scottish Highlanders.
Another thing that I found interesting. Was this. When India started to collapse with the British Withdrawal in 1947.
They were the only non European troops that were completely trusted by the British. This trust continues on today.
As shown by the fact. When they have stood Guard at Buckingham Palace in London several times in the recent past.
Now I am going to hand it off.
Here is also some other stuff & resources if this interests you
Some Books that I have read that are pretty good
about the last vestige of the Old Indian Army of the British Raj. You can easily find them on amazon.com. by the way.
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Preview YouTube video Gurkha Soldiers Combat Taliban in Afghanistan Death and War But Never Afraid
Preview YouTube video Kukri Training With British Army Gurkha Recruits
Gurkha
Monument to the Gurkha Soldier in Horse Guards Avenue, outside the Ministry of Defence, City of Westminster, London.
A khukuri, the signature weapon of the Gurkhas
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas or “Gorkhali” (गोर्खा) (/ˈɡɜːrkə/ or /ˈɡʊərkə/) are the soldiers of Nepali nationality recruited in the British Army, Indian Army, Gurkha Contingent Singapore, Gurkha Reserve Unit Brunei, UN Peace Keeping force and war zones around the world. Historically, the terms “Gurkha” and “Gorkhali” were synonymous with “Pahadi”,[1] and derived from the hill town and district of Gorkhafrom which the Kingdom of Nepal expanded under Prithivi Narayan Shah.[2][3] The name may be traced to the medieval Hindu warrior-saint Guru Gorakhnath[4] who has a historic shrine in Gorkha.[5] The word itself derived from Go-Raksha, raksha becoming rakha. Rakhawala means protector and is derived from raksha as well.
Ethnically, Gurung, Chhetri or Khas, Thakuri, and Magar mainly were the Gorkha tribes who united erstwhile Gorkha kingdom and fought against the British invasions. But today, Gorkha soldiers mostly belong to the Gurung, Chhetri, Magar, Rai, Limbu, Sunuwar, Madhesis and Tharus. There is no ethnicity based restriction to join. There are Gurkha military units in the Nepalese, British and the Indian army enlisted in Nepal, United Kingdom and India. Although they meet many of the requirements of Article 47[6] of Protocol I of the Geneva Conventionsregarding mercenaries, they are exempt under clauses 47(e)&(f) similar to the French Foreign Legion.[7]
Gurkhas are closely associated with the khukuri, a forward-curving Nepalese knife, and have a well known reputation for fearless military prowess. The former Indian Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, once stated that[8] “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha.”
Contents
[hide]
Background
Sri Panch (5) Maharaja Dhiraj Prithvi Narayan Shahdev, First King of Unified Kingdom of Gorkha
During the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816) between the Gorkha Kingdom and the East India Company, the Gorkhali soldiers made an impression on the British, who called them Gurkhas.[9]
British East India Company Army
Gurkha soldiers during the Anglo-Nepalese War, 1815 AD.
The Anglo-Nepalese war was fought between the Gurkha Kingdom of Nepal and the British East India Company as a result of border disputes and ambitious expansionism of both the belligerent parties. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Sugauli in 1816.
David Ochterlony and the British political agent William Fraser were among the first to recognize the potential of Gurkha soldiers in British service. During the war the British were keen to use defectors from the Gurkha army and employ them as irregular forces. His confidence in their loyalty was such that in April 1815 he proposed forming them into a battalion under Lieutenant Ross called the Nasiri regiment. This regiment, which later became the 1st King George’s Own Gurkha Rifles, saw action at the Malaun fort under the leadership of Lieutenant Lawtie, who reported to Ochterlony that he “had the greatest reason to be satisfied with their exertions”.
About 5,000 men entered British service in 1815, most of whom were not just Gorkhalis but Kumaonis, Garhwalis and other Himalayan hill men. These groups, eventually lumped together under the term Gurkha, became the backbone of British Indian forces.
As well as Ochterlony’s Gurkha battalions, William Fraser and Lieutenant Frederick Young raised the Sirmoor battalion, later to become the 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles; an additional battalion, the Kumaon battalion was also raised eventually becoming the 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles. None of these men fought in the second campaign.
Gurkhas served as troops under contract to the East India Company in the Pindaree War of 1817, in Bharatpur in 1826 and the First and Second Anglo-Sikh Wars in 1846 and 1848.[10]
During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Gurkhas fought on the British side, and became part of the British Indian Army on its formation. The 8th (Sirmoor) Local Battalion made a particularly notable contribution during the conflict, and indeed twenty-five Indian Order of Merit awards were made to men from that regiment during the Siege of Delhi.[11]
Three days after the mutiny began, the Sirmoor Battalion were ordered to move to Meerut, where the British garrison was barely holding on, and in doing so they had to march up to 48 kilometres a day.[12] Later, during the four-month Siege of Delhi they defended Hindu Rao‘s house, losing 327 out of 490 men. During this action they fought side by side with the 60th Rifles and a strong bond developed.[13][14]
Twelve regiments from the Nepalese Army also took part in the relief of Lucknow[15] under the command of Shri Teen (3) Maharaja Maharana Jung Bahadur of Nepal and his older brother C-in-C Ranaudip Singh (Ranodip or Ranodeep) Bahadur Rana (later to succeed Jung Bahadur and become Sri Teen Maharaja Ranodip Singh of Nepal).
After the rebellion the 60th Rifles pressed for the Sirmoor Battalion to become a rifle regiment. This honour was granted then next year (1858) when the Battalion was renamed the Sirmoor Rifle Regiment and awarded a third colour.[16] In 1863 Queen Victoria presented the regiment with the Queen’s Truncheon, as a replacement for the colours that rifle regiments do not usually have.[17]
British Indian Army (c. 1857–1947)
The Nusseree Battalion later known as the 1st Gurkha Rifles circa 1857
Hindu Rao‘s house shortly after the siege
Gurkha Soldiers (1896). The centre figure wears the dark green dress uniform worn by all Gurkhas in British service, with certain regimental distinctions
From the end of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 until the start of World War I the Gurkha Regiments saw active service in Burma, Afghanistan, the North-East Frontier and the North-West Frontiers of India, Malta (the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–78), Cyprus, Malaya, China (the Boxer Rebellion of 1900) and Tibet (Younghusband’s Expedition of 1905).
Between 1901 and 1906, the Gurkha regiments were renumbered from the 1st to the 10th and re-designated as the Gurkha Rifles. In this time, the Brigade of Gurkhas, as the regiments came to be collectively known, was expanded to twenty battalions within the ten regiments.[18]
2nd/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, North-West Frontier 1923
During World War I (1914–1918), more than 200,000 Gurkhas served in the British Army, suffering approximately 20,000 casualties, and receiving almost 2,000 gallantry awards.[19] The number of Gurkha battalions was increased to thirty-three, and Gurkha units were placed at the disposal of the British high command by the Gurkha government for service on all fronts. Many Gurkha volunteers served in non-combatant roles, serving in units such as the Army Bearer Corps and the labour battalions.
Also, a large number served in combat in France, Turkey, Palestine, and Mesopotamia.[20] They served on the battlefields of France in the Loos, Givenchy, and Neuve Chapelle; in Belgium at the battle of Ypres; in Mesopotamia, Persia, Suez Canal and Palestine against Turkish advance, Gallipoli and Salonika.[21]One detachment served with Lawrence of Arabia, while during the Battle of Loos (June–December 1915) a battalion of the 8th Gurkhas fought to the last man, hurling themselves time after time against the weight of the German defences, and in the words of the Indian Corps commander, Lieutenant-General Sir James Willcocks, “… found its Valhalla”.[22]
During the ultimately unsuccessful Gallipoli campaign in 1915, the Gurkhas were among the first to arrive and the last to leave. The 1st/6th Gurkhas, having landed at Cape Helles, led the assault during the first major operation to take out a Turkish high point, and in doing so captured a feature that later became known as “Gurkha Bluff”.[23] At Sari Bair they were the only troops in the whole campaign to reach and hold the crest line and look down on the Straits, which was the ultimate objective.[24] The 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Gurkha Rifles (2nd/3rd Gurkha Rifles) was involved in the conquest of Baghdad.
Following the end of the war, the Gurkhas were returned to India and during the inter-war years, they were largely kept away from the internal strife and urban conflicts of the sub-continent, instead being employed largely on the frontiers and in the hills where fiercely independent tribesmen were a constant source of troubles.[25]
As such, between the World Wars, the Gurkha regiments fought in the Third Afghan War in 1919. The regiments then participated in numerous campaigns on the North-West Frontier, mainly in Waziristan, where they were employed as garrison troops defending the frontier. They kept the peace amongst the local populace and engaging with the lawless and often openly hostile Pathan tribesmen.[citation needed]
During this time the North-West Frontier was the scene of considerable political and civil unrest and the troops stationed at Razmak, Bannu and Wanna saw an extensive amount of action.[26]
Gurkhas in action with a 6-pounder anti-tank gun in Tunisia, 16 March 1943.
During World War II (1939–1945), there were ten Gurkha regiments, with two battalions each making a total of twenty pre-war battalions.[27] Following the Dunkirk evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in 1940, the Nepalese government offered to increase recruitment to increase the total number of Gurkha battalions in British service to thirty-five.[28] This would eventually rise to forty-three battalions.
In order to achieve the increased number of battalions, third and fourth battalions were raised for all ten regiments, with fifth battalions also being raised for 1 GR, 2 GR and 9 GR.[27] This expansion required ten training centres to be established for basic training and regimental records across India. In addition five training battalions[29] were raised, while other units[30] were raised as garrison battalions for keeping the peace in India and defending rear areas.[31] Large numbers of Gurkha men were also recruited for non-Gurkha units, and other specialised functions such as paratroops, signals, engineers, and military police.
A total of 250,280[31] Gurkhas served in 40 battalions, plus eight Nepalese Army battalions, plus Parachute, training, garrison, and porter units during the war,[32] in almost all theatres. In addition to keeping peace in India, Gurkhas fought in Syria, North Africa, Italy, Greece and against the Japanese in the jungles of Burma, northeast India and also Singapore.[33] They did so with considerable distinction, earning 2,734 bravery awards in the process[31] and suffering around 32,000 casualties in all theatres.[34]
Gurkha military rank system in the British Indian Army
Gurkha ranks in the British Indian Army followed the same pattern as those used throughout the rest of the Indian Army at that time.[35] As in the British Army itself, there were three distinct levels: private soldiers, non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers. Commissioned officers within the Gurkha regiments held a Viceroy’s Commission, which was distinct from the King’s or Queen’s Commission that British officers serving with a Gurkha regiment held. Any Gurkha holding a commission was technically subordinate to any British officer, regardless of rank.[36]
The 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles marching through Kure soon after their arrival in Japan in May 1946 as part of the Allied forces of occupation
British Indian Army and current Indian Army ranks/current British Army equivalents
Viceroy Commissioned Officers (VCOs) up to 1947 and Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) from 1947:[37]
- Subedar Major/no equivalent
- Subedar/no equivalent
- Jemadar (now Naib Subedar)/no equivalent
Warrant officers
Non-commissioned officers
- Company Quartermaster Havildar/Company Quartermaster Sergeant
- Havildar/Sergeant
- Naik/Corporal
- Lance Naik/Lance Corporal
Private soldiers
Notes
- British Army officers received Queen’s or King’s Commissions, but Gurkha officers in this system received the Viceroy’s Commission. After Indian independence in 1947, Gurkha officers in regiments which became part of the British Army received the King’s (later Queen’s) Gurkha Commission, and were known as King’s/Queen’s Gurkha Officers (KGO/QGO). Gurkha officers had no authority to command troops of British regiments. The QGO Commission was abolished in 2007.
- Jemadars and subedars normally served as platoon commanders and company 2ICs, but were junior to all British officers, while the subedar major was the Commanding Officer’s advisor on the men and their welfare. For a long time it was impossible for Gurkhas to progress further, except that an honorary lieutenancy or captaincy was very rarely bestowed upon a Gurkha on retirement.[36]
- The equivalent ranks in the post-1947 Indian Army were (and are) known as Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs). They retained the traditional rank titles used in the British Indian Army: Jemadar (later Naib Subedar), Subedar and Subedar Major.
- While in principle any British subject may apply for a commission without having served in the ranks, Gurkhas cannot. It was customary for a Gurkha soldier to rise through the ranks and prove his ability before his regiment would consider offering him a commission.[36]
- From the 1920s, Gurkhas could also receive King’s Indian Commissions, and later full King’s or Queen’s Commissions, which put them on a par with British officers. This was rare until after the Second World War.
- Gurkha officers commissioned from the Royal Military Academy – Sandhurst – and Short Service Officers regularly fill appointments up to the rank of major. At least two Gurkhas have been promoted to lieutenant colonel and there is theoretically now no bar to further progression.[36]
- After 1948, the Brigade of Gurkhas (part of the British Army) was formed and adopted standard British Army rank structure and nomenclature, except for the three Viceroy Commission ranks between Warrant Officer 1 and Second Lieutenant (jemadar, subedar and subedar major) which remained, albeit with different rank titles Lieutenant (Queens Gurkha Officer), Captain (QGO) and Major (QGO). The QGO commission was abolished in 2007, Gurkha soldiers are currently commissioned as Late Entry Officers (as above).[36]
Regiments of the Gurkha Rifles (c.1815–1947)
Princess Mary’s Own
- 1st King George V’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment) (raised 1815, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
- 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) (raised 1815, allocated to British Army in 1948)
- 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles (raised 1815, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
- 4th Prince of Wales’s Own Gurkha Rifles (raised 1857, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
- 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) (raised 1858, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
- 6th Gurkha Rifles, renamed 6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles in 1959 (raised 1817, allocated to British Army in 1948)
- 7th Gurkha Rifles, renamed 7th Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Gurkha Rifles in 1959 (raised 1902, allocated to British Army in 1948)
- 8th Gurkha Rifles (raised 1824, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
- 9th Gurkha Rifles (raised 1817, allocated to Indian Army at independence in 1947)
- 10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles (raised 1890, allocated to British Army in 1948)
- 11th Gurkha Rifles (1918–1922; raised again by India – 11 Gorkha Rifles – following independence in 1947)
- 25th Gurkha Rifles (1942–1946)
- 26th Gurkha Rifles (1943–1946)
- 29th Gurkha Rifles (1943–1946)
- 42nd Gurkha Rifles (raised 1817 as the Cuttack Legion, renamed 6th Gurkha Rifles in 1903)
- 44th Gurkha Rifles (raised 1824 as the 16th (Sylhet) Local Battalion, renamed 8th Gurkha Rifles in 1903)
Second World War training battalions
- 14th Gurkha Rifles Training Battalion[38]
- 29th Gurkha Rifles Training Battalion
- 38th Gurkha Rifles Training Battalion[38]
- 56th Gurkha Rifles Training Battalion[38]
- 710th Gurkha Rifles Training Battalion[38]
Post-independence (1947–present)
SOLDIER
Bravest of the brave,
most generous of the generous,
never had country
more faithful friends
than you.
Professor Sir Ralph Turner MC[39]
After Indian independence—and the partition of India—in 1947 and under the Tripartite Agreement, the original ten Gurkha regiments consisting of the twenty pre-war battalions were split between the British Army and the newly independent Indian Army.[31] Six Gurkha regiments (twelve battalions) were transferred to the post-independence Indian Army, while four regiments (eight battalions) were transferred to the British Army.[40]
To the disappointment of their British officers, the majority of Gurkhas given a choice between British or Indian Army service opted for the latter. The reason appears to have been the pragmatic one that the Gurkha regiments of the Indian Army would continue to serve in their existing roles in familiar territory and under terms and conditions that were well established.[41] The only substantial change was the substitution of Indian officers for British. By contrast the four regiments selected for British service faced an uncertain future, initially in Malaya—a region where relatively few Gurkhas had previously served. The four regiments (or eight battalions) in British service have since been reduced to a single (two battalion) regiment, while the Indian units have been expanded beyond their pre-Independence establishment of twelve battalions.[42]
The principal aim of the Tripartite Agreement was to ensure that Gurkhas serving under the Crown would be paid on the same scale as those serving in the new Indian Army.[43] This was significantly lower than the standard British rates of pay. While the difference is made up through cost of living and location allowances during a Gurkha’s actual period of service, the pension payable on his return to Nepal is much lower than would be the case for his British counterparts.[44]
With the abolition of the Nepalese monarchy, the future recruitment of Gurkhas for British and Indian service was initially put into doubt. A spokesperson for the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), which was expected to play a major role in the new secular republic, stated that recruitment as mercenaries was degrading to the Nepalese people and would be banned.[45] However, as of 2016, Gurkha recruitment for foreign service continues.
British Army Gurkhas
Four Gurkha regiments were transferred to the British Army on 1 January 1948:
- 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
- 6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles
- 7th Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Gurkha Rifles
- 10th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles
They formed the Brigade of Gurkhas and were initially stationed in Malaya. There were also a number of additional Gurkha regiments including the 69th and 70th Gurkha Field Squadrons, both included in the 36th Engineer Regiment. Since then, British Gurkhas have served in Borneo during the Confrontation with Indonesia, in the Falklands War, and on various peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone, East Timor, Bosnia and Kosovo.[46]
The Band of Brigade of Gurkhas December 2007
Gurkhas in Hong Kong:
- 26th Gurkha Brigade (1948–50)
- 51st Infantry Brigade (disbanded 1976)
- 48th Gurkha Infantry Brigade (1957–76; renamed Gurkha Field Force 1976–97; returned to old title 1987–ca. 1992)
As of November 2006, the Brigade of Gurkhas in the British Army has the following units:
- 1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles (1RGR)
- 2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles (2RGR)
- Queen’s Gurkha Signals which includes:
- 250 Gurkha Signal Squadron
- 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron
- 248 Gurkha Signal Squadron
- 10 Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment RLC
- Queen’s Gurkha Engineers, which includes:
- 69th Gurkha Field Squadron
- 70th Gurkha Field Squadron
The Brigade of Gurkhas also has its own clerks and chefs posted among the above-mentioned units. Gurkhas were among the troops who retook the Falklands in 1982 and have served a number of tours of duty in the current War in Afghanistan.[47][48][49]
Indian Army Gurkhas
The 1st Battalion of 1 Gurkha Rifles of the Indian Army take position outside a simulated combat town during a training exercise
Upon independence in 1947, six of the original ten Gurkha regiments remained with the Indian Army.[40] These regiments were:
- 1st King George V’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
- 3rd Queen Alexandra’s Own Gurkha Rifles
- 4th Prince of Wales’s Own Gurkha Rifles
- 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
- 8th Gurkha Rifles
- 9th Gurkha Rifles
Additionally, a further regiment, 11 Gorkha Rifles, was raised. In 1949 the spelling was changed from “Gurkha” to the original “Gorkha”.[50] All royal titles were dropped when India became a republic in 1950.[50]
Since partition, the Gurkha regiments that were transferred to the Indian Army have established themselves as a permanent and vital part of the newly independent Indian Army. Indeed, while Britain has reduced its Gurkha contingent, India has continued to recruit Gorkhas of Nepal into Gorkha regiments in large numbers, as well as Indian Gorkhas.[42] In 2009 the Indian Army had a Gorkha contingent that numbered around 42,000 men in forty-six battalions, spread across seven regiments.
Although their deployment is still governed by the 1947 Tripartite Agreement, in the post-1947 conflicts India has fought in, Gorkhas have served in almost all of them, including the wars with Pakistan in 1947, 1965, 1971 and 1999 and also against China in 1962.[51] They have also been used in peacekeeping operations around the world.[50] They have also served in Sri Lanka conducting operations against the Tamil Tigers.[52]
Singapore Gurkha Contingent
The Gurkha Contingent (GC) of the Singapore Police Force was formed on 9 April 1949 from selected ex-British Army Gurkhas. It is an integral part of the Police Force and was raised to replace a Sikh unit which had existed prior to the Japanese occupation during the Second World War.[53]
The GC is a well trained, dedicated and disciplined body whose principal role is as riot police. In times of crisis it can be deployed as a reaction force. During the turbulent years before and after independence, the GC acquitted itself well on several occasions during outbreaks of civil disorder. The Gurkhas displayed the courage, self-restraint and professionalism for which they are famous and earned the respect of the society at large.[53]
Brunei Gurkha Reserve Unit
The Gurkha Reserve Unit is a special guard and elite shock trooper force in the Sultanate of Brunei. The Brunei Reserve Unit employs about 500 Gurkhas. The majority are veterans of the British Army and the Singaporean Police, who have joined the GRU as a second career.
Other
Victoria Cross recipients
There have been twenty-six Victoria Crosses awarded to members of the Gurkha regiments.[54] The first was awarded in 1858 and the last in 1965. For a detailed list of the recipients and their deeds, see the British Ministry of Defencewebsite.[55] Thirteen of the recipients have been British officers serving with Gurkha regiments, although since 1915 the majority have been received by Gurkhas serving in the ranks as private soldiers or as NCOs.[19] In addition, since Indian independence in 1947, Gurkhas serving in the Indian Army have also been awarded three Param Vir Chakras, which are roughly equivalent.[56]
Of note also, there have been two George Cross medals awarded to Gurkha soldiers, for acts of bravery in situations that have not involved combat.[19]
Treatment of Gurkhas in the United Kingdom
Nick Clegg being presented a Gurkha Hat, by a Gurkha veteran during his Maidstone visit, to celebrate the success of their joint campaign for the right to live in Britain, 2009
The treatment of Gurkhas and their families was the subject of controversy in the United Kingdom once it became widely known that Gurkhas received smaller pensions than their British counterparts.[57] The nationality status of Gurkhas and their families was also an area of dispute, with claims that some ex-army Nepali families were being denied residency and forced to leave Britain. On 8 March 2007, the British Government announced that all Gurkhas who signed up after 1 July 1997 would receive a pension equivalent to that of their British counterparts. In addition, Gurkhas would, for the first time, be able to transfer to another army unit after five years’ service and women would also be allowed to join—although not in first-line units—conforming to the British Army’s policy. The act also guaranteed residency rights in Britain for retired Gurkhas and their families.
Despite the changes, many Gurkhas who had not served long enough to entitle them to a pension faced hardship on their return to Nepal, and some critics derided the Government’s decision to only award the new pension and citizenship entitlement to those joining after 1 July 1997, claiming that this left many ex-Gurkha servicemen still facing a financially uncertain retirement. A pressure group, Gurkha Justice Campaign,[58] joined the debate in support of the Gurkhas.
In a landmark ruling on 30 September 2008 the High Court in London decided that the Home Secretary’s policy allowing Gurkhas who left the Army before 1997 to apply for settlement in the United Kingdom was irrationally restrictive in its criteria, and overturned it. In line with the ruling of the High Court the Home Office pledged to review all cases affected by this decision.[59]
On 29 April 2009 a motion in the House of Commons by the Liberal Democrats that all Gurkhas be offered an equal right of residence was passed by 267 votes to 246. This was the only first day motion defeat for a government since 1978. Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, stated that “This is an immense victory […] for the rights of Gurkhas who have been waiting so long for justice, a victory for Parliament, a victory for decency.” He added that it was “the kind of thing people want this country to do”.[60]
On 21 May 2009, the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced that all Gurkha veterans who retired before 1997 with at least four years service would be allowed to settle in the UK. The actress Joanna Lumley, daughter of Gurkha corps major James Lumley, who had highlighted the treatment of the Gurkhas and campaigned for their rights, commented: “This is the welcome we have always longed to give”.[61]
A charity, The Gurkha Welfare Trust, provides aid to alleviate hardship and distress among Gurkha ex-servicemen.[62]
On June 9, 2015, a celebration called the Gurkha 200, held at The Royal Hospital Chelsea and attended by members of the royal family, will commemorate the bicentennial of the Gurkha Welfare Trust by paying tribute to Gurkha culture and military service.[63][better source needed]
Settlement rights
A 2008 UK High Court decision on a test case in London, R. (On the Application of Limbu) v Secretary of State for the Home Department ([2008] EWHC 2261 (Admin)), acknowledged the ‘debt of honour’ to Gurkhas discharged before 1997. The Home Secretary of State’s policy allowing veterans to apply on a limited set of criteria (such as connection to the United Kingdom) was quashed as being unduly restrictive. The Court found that the Gurkhas had suffered a “historic injustice”, and that the policy was irrational in failing to take into account factors such as length of service or particularly meritorious conduct.[64]
Categories
The Martini Rifle
When the British Empire was at its height and most powerful. This Rifle was the solid backbone of the Empire. Especially when as Kipling said so well. “The Natives are restless and the Regiment Marches”.
Now I have a couple of these relics from the past in ye old gun safe. So here is what I have found out about these guns.
In that they are a very simple, strong and well thought out piece of weaponry. All of which are what most soldiers want. As I have found out myself. That in the field. The Easy becomes very hard to do. The difficult is almost always impossible.
That & one can never underestimate the ways a soldier can mess up his gear in the blink of a Hooker eye. Just ask any Veteran and they will have a lot of stories on this subject.
Moving right along smartly now. I also found out that while it shoots a huge round the .577/450 Boxer-Henry.
Compare it to a 22 Long Rifle Round!
One also has to remember that it is a black powder round. Which is a good thing. As it will give the shooter of it. A big shove for recoil unlike smokeless powder, Which is like getting hit with a baseball bat.
The other good news about this round. Is that it is fairly accurate out to around 200 yards or so. That & when it hits somebody with that soft lead bullet. I am willing to be that they will not be getting up soon afterwards.
Attachments area
Especially when you are going up against Folks like this!
Now here is some more information about this stout rifle of the Queen!
Martini–Henry
| Martini–Henry Mk I–IV | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Type | Service rifle Shotgun (Greener Prison Variant) |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1871–1918 |
| Used by | United Kingdom & Colonies, Afghanistan, Ottoman Empire, Romania |
| Wars | British colonial wars Second Anglo-Afghan War Herzegovina Uprising (1875–1878) Russo-Turkish War War of the Pacific Anglo-Zulu War Greco-Turkish War (1897) First Boer War Balkan Wars World War I Greco-Turkish War (1919–22) |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Friedrich von Martini |
| Designed | 1870 |
| Manufacturer | Various |
| Produced | 1871–1889 |
| No. built | approx. 500,000–1,000,000 |
| Variants | Martini–Henry Carbine Greener Prison Shotgun Gahendra rifle |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 8 pounds 7 ounces (3.827 kg) (unloaded), 9 pounds, 4.75 ounces (with sword bayonet) |
| Length | 49 inches (124.5 cm) |
|
|
|
| Cartridge | .577/450 Boxer-Henry .577/450 Martini–Henry .303 British 11.43x55R (Ottoman) 11.43x59R (Romanian) 7.65×53 (Ottoman) |
| Calibre | 0.450 in (11.4 mm) |
| Action | Martini Falling Block |
| Rate of fire | 12 rounds/minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,300 ft/s (400 m/s)[1] |
| Effective firing range | 400 yd (370 m) |
| Maximum firing range | 1,900 yd (1,700 m) |
| Feed system | Single shot |
| Sights | Sliding ramp rear sights, Fixed-post front sights |
(From Left to Right): A .577 Snidercartridge, a Zulu War-era rolled brass foil .577/450 Martini–Henry Cartridge, a later drawn brass .577/450 Martini–Henry cartridge, and a .303 British Mk VII SAA Ball cartridge
The Martini–Henry was a breech-loading single-shot lever-actuated rifle used by the British Army. It first entered service in 1871, eventually replacing the Snider–Enfield, a muzzle-loader converted to the cartridge system. Martini–Henry variants were used throughout the British Empire for 30 years. It combined the dropping-block action first developed by Henry O. Peabody (in his Peabody rifle) and improved by the Swiss designer Friedrich von Martini, combined with the polygonal barrel rifling designed by Scotsman Alexander Henry.
Though the Snider was the first breechloader firing a metallic cartridge in regular British service, the Martini was designed from the outset as a breechloader and was both faster firing and had a longer range.[1]
There were four main marks of the Martini–Henry rifle produced: Mark I (released in June 1871), Mark II, Mark III, and Mark IV. There was also an 1877 carbine version with variations that included a Garrison Artillery Carbine, an Artillery Carbine (Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III), and smaller versions designed as training rifles for military cadets. The Mark IV Martini–Henry rifle ended production in the year 1889, but remained in service throughout the British Empire until the end of the First World War. It was seen in use by some Afghantribesmen as late as the Soviet invasion.
Early in 2010 and 2011, United States Marines recovered at least three from various Taliban weapons caches in Marjah.[2]
In April 2011, another Martini–Henry rifle was found near Orgun in Paktika Province by United States Army’s 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault).
The Martini–Henry was copied on a large scale by North-West Frontier Province gunsmiths. Their weapons were of a poorer quality than those made by Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, but accurately copied down to the proof markings. The chief manufacturers were the Adam Khel Afridi, who lived around the Khyber Pass. The British called such weapons “Pass-made rifles“.
Contents
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Overview[edit]
The disassembled Martini–Henry action.
In the original chambering, the rifles fired a round-nosed, tapered-head .452-inch, soft hollow-based lead bullet, wrapped in a paper patch giving a wider diameter of .460 to .469-inch; it weighed 485 grains.[1] It was crimped in place with two cannelures (grooves on the outside neck of the case), ahead of 2 fibre card or mill board disks, a concave beeswax wad, another card disk and cotton wool filler. This sat on top of the main powder charge inside initially a rimmed brass foil cartridge, later made in drawn brass.
The cartridge case was paper lined so as to prevent the chemical reaction between the black powder and the brass. Known today as the .577/450, a bottle-neck design with the same base as the .577 cartridge of the Snider–Enfield. It was charged with 85 grains (5.51 g) of Curtis and Harvey’s No.6 coarse black powder,[1] notorious for its heavy recoil.[3] The cartridge case was ejected to the rear when the lever was operated.
The rifle was 49 inches (124.5 cm) long, the steel barrel 33.22 inches (84 cm). The Henry patent rifling produced a heptagonal barrel with seven grooves with one turn in 22 inches (560 mm). The weapon weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces (3.83 kg). A sword bayonet was standard issue for noncommissioned officers; when fitted, the weapon extended to 68 inches (172.7 cm) and weight increased to 10 pounds 4 ounces (4.65 kg).
The standard bayonet was a socket-type spike, either converted from the older Pattern 1853 (overall length 20.4 inches) or newly produced as the Pattern 1876 (overall length 25 inches), referred to as the “lunger”.[3] A bayonet designed by Lord Elcho was intended for chopping and other sundry non-combat duties, and featured a double row of teeth so it could be used as a saw; it was not produced in great numbers and was not standard issue.
The Mk2 Martini–Henry rifle, as used in the Zulu Wars, was sighted to 1,800 yards. At 1,200 yards (1100 m), 20 shots exhibited a mean deflection from the centre of the group of 27 inches (69.5 cm), the highest point on the trajectory was 8 feet (2.44 m) at 500 yards (450 m).
A 0.402 calibre model, the Enfield–Martini, incorporating several minor improvements such as a safety catch, was gradually phased in to replace the Martini–Henry from about 1884. The replacement was gradual, to use up existing stocks of the old ammunition.
However, before this was complete, the decision was made to replace the Martini–Henry rifles with the .303 calibre bolt-action magazine Lee–Metford, which gave a considerably higher maximum rate of fire. Consequently, to avoid having three different rifle calibres in service, the Enfield–Martinis were withdrawn, converted to 0.45 calibre, and renamed Martini–Henry Mk IV “A”, “B” and “C” pattern rifles. Some 0.303 calibre black-powder carbine versions were also produced, known as the Martini–Metford, and even 0.303 calibre cordite carbines, called Martini–Enfields (as opposed to Enfield–Martinis).
During the Martini–Henry’s service life the British army was involved in a large number of colonial wars, most notably the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879. The rifle was used in the Battle of Isandlwana, and by the company of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot at the battle of Rorke’s Drift, where 139 British soldiers successfully defended themselves against several thousand Zulus. The weapon was not completely phased out until 1904.
The rifle suffered from cartridge-extraction problems during the Zulu War, mostly due to the thin, weak, pliable foil brass cartridges used: they expanded too much into the rifle’s chamber on detonation, to the point that they stuck or tore open inside the rifle’s chamber. It would eventually become difficult to move the breech block and reload the rifle, substantially diminishing its effectiveness, or rendering it useless if the block could not be opened. After investigating the matter, the British Army Ordnance Department determined the fragile construction of the rolled brass cartridge, and fouling due to the black-powder propellant, were the main causes of this problem.
To correct this, the weak rolled brass cartridge was replaced by a stronger drawn brass version, and a longer loading lever was incorporated into the MK-IV to apply greater torque to operate the mechanism when fouled.[1] These later variants were more reliable in battle, although it was not until smokeless nitro powders and copper-coated bullets were tried out in these rifles in the 1920s that accuracy and 100% reliability of cartridge case extraction was finally achieved by Birmingham ammunition makers (Kynoch). English hunters on various safaris, mainly in Africa, found the Martini using a cordite charge and a 500-grain full-metal-jacketed bullet effective in stopping large animals such as hippopotamus up to 80 yards away.
The nitro based/shotgun powders were used in Kynoch’s .577/450 drawn-brass Martini–Henry cartridge cases well into the 1960s for the commercial market, and again were found to be very reliable and, being smokeless, eliminated fouling issues. The powder’s burning with less pressure inside the cartridge case prevented the brass cases from sticking inside the rifle’s chamber (because they were not expanding as much as the original black-powder loads did).
The rifle remained a popular competition rifle at National Rifle Association meetings, at Bisley, Surrey, and (NRA) Civilian and Service Rifle matches from 1872–1904, where it was used up to 1,000 yards using the standard military service ammunition of the day. By the 1880s the .577/.450 Boxer Henry round was recognised by the NRA as a 900-yard cartridge, as shooting the Martini out to 1,000 yards or (3/4 of a mile) was difficult, and took great skill to assess the correct amount of windage to drop the 485 grain bullet on the target. But by 1904 more target shooters were using the new .303 cal cartridge, which was found to be much more accurate, and thus interest in the .577/450 fell away, to the point that by 1909 they were rarely used at Bisley matches, with shooters favouring the later Lee–Enfield bolt action magazine rifles.[4]
In 1879, however, it was generally found that in average hands the .577/450 Martini–Henry Mk2, although the most accurate of the Martinis in that calibre ever produced for service life, was really only capable of hitting a man-size target out to 400 yards. This was due to the bullet going subsonic after 300 yards and gradually losing speed thereafter, which in turn affected consistency and accuracy of the bullet in flight. The 415-grain Martini Carbine load introduced in 1878 shot better out to longer ranges and had less recoil when it was fired in the rifles, with its reduced charge of only 75 grains of Curtis & Harvey’s. It was found that, while the rifle with its 485 grain bullet shot point of aim to 100 yards, the carbine load when fired in the rifles shot 12 inches high at the same range, but then made up for this by shooting spot-on out to 500 yards.[5] These early lessons enabled tactics to be evolved to work around the limitations of this large, slow, and heavy calibre during the Zulu War. During most of the key battles, such as Rorke’s Drift and the battle of Ulundi, the order to volley fire was not given until the Zulus were at or within 400 yards.
The ballistic performance of a .577/450 is somewhat similar to that of a .45/70 American Government round, as used prolifically throughout the American Frontier West and by buffalo hunters, though the .577/450 has more power due to its extra 15 grains of black powder inside the cartridge case. It is clear from early medical field surgeons’ reports that at 200 yards the rifle really came into its own, and inflicted devastating and horrific wounds on the Zulus in the Anglo–Zulu War.[6] The MK2 Martini’s sights are marked to 1,800 yards, but this setting was only ever used for long-range mass volley firing to harass an artillery position or a known massed cavalry position, prior to a main fight, and to prevent or delay infantry attacks. A similar “drop volley sight” whereby the rifle’s bullets were dropped long range onto the target were employed on the later .303 Lee–Enfield rifles of WW1, which had a graduation lever sight calibrated up to 2,800 yards.
The Nepalese produced a close copy of the British Martini–Henry incorporating certain Westley Richards improvements to the trigger mechanism but otherwise very similar to the British Mark II. These rifles can be identified by their Nepalese markings and different receiver ring. A noticeably different variant incorporating earlier Westley Richards ideas for a flat-spring driven hammer within the receiver in lieu of the coil-spring powered striker of the von Martini design, known as the Gahendra rifle, was produced locally in Nepal.[7] While generally well-made, the rifles were produced substantially by hand, making the quality extremely variable. Though efforts were being made to phase out these rifles, presumably by the 1890s, some 9000 were still in service in 1906.[7]
The Martini–Henry saw service in World War I in a variety of roles, primarily as a Reserve Arm, but it was also issued (in the early stages of the war) to aircrew for attacking observation balloons with newly developed incendiary ammunition, and aircraft. Martini–Henrys were also used in the African and Middle Eastern theatres during World War I, in the hands of Native Auxiliary troops.
Greener shotgun[edit]
A shotgun variant known as the Greener Police Gun or the Greener Prison Shotgun was chambered in a special round that would make the weapon useless to anyone who stole it.[8] An example can be seen at the Royal Armouries Museumin Leeds.[9] Greener also used the Martini action for the GP single-barreled shotgun firing standard 12-bore ammunition, which was a staple for gamekeepers and rough shooters in Britain up to the 1960s.
Greener harpoon gun[edit]
Greener-Martini Light Harpoon Gun.
W.W. Greener also used the Martini action to produce the Greener-Martini Light Harpoon Gun used for whaling, and also for commercial harvest of tuna and other large fish.[10] The gun fired a blank cartridge to propel the harpoon. A special barrel and stock were fitted to accommodate the harpoon and to lower weight. A Greener harpoon gun is used by Quint in the 1975 movie Jaws.[11]
Turkish, Romanian, and Boer Republics Peabody–Martini–Henry rifles[edit]
Unable to purchase Martini–Henry rifles from the British because their entire production was going to rearming British troops, Ottoman Turkey purchased weapons identical to the Mark I from the Providence Tool Company in Providence, Rhode Island, USA (the manufacturers of the somewhat similar Peabody rifle), and used them effectively against the Russians in the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878).[12][13] The Ottoman Turkish outlaw and folk hero Hekimoğlu famously used the rifle during his raids on landowners.[14] The rifle is referred to as Aynalı Martin in Turkey and features in several famous folk songs.
A now scarce variant of the Peabody–Martini–Henry built by Steyr was adopted by Romania in 1879. Significant numbers of the basic design, with variations, were also produced for the Boer Republics, both in Belgium and, via Westley Richards, in Birmingham, as late as the late 1890s.
Operation of the Martini action[edit]
Section of Martini–Henry lock.
Martini–Henry rifle.
A: ready for loading.
B: loaded and ready to fire.
The lock and breech are held to the stock by a metal bolt (A). The breech is closed by the block (B) which turns on the pin (C) that passes through the rear of the block. The end of the block is rounded to form a knuckle joint with the back of the case (D) which receives the force of the recoil rather than the pin (C).
Below the trigger-guard the lever (E) works a pin (F) which projects the tumbler (G) into the case. The tumbler moves within a notch (H) and acts upon the block, raising it into the firing position or allowing it to fall according to the position of the lever.
The block (B) is hollowed along its upper surface (I) to assist in inserting a cartridge into the firing chamber (J). To explode the cartridge the block is raised to position the firing mechanism (K) against the cartridge. The firing mechanism consists of a helical spring around a pointed metal striker, the tip of which passes through a hole in the face of the block to impact the percussion-cap of the inserted cartridge. As the lever (E) is moved forward the tumbler (G) revolves and one of its arms engages and draws back the spring until the tumbler is firmly locked in the notch (H) and the spring is held by the rest-piece (L) which is pushed into a bend in the lower part of the tumbler.
After firing, the cartridge is partially extracted by the lock. The extractor rotates on a pin (M) and has two vertical arms (N), which are pressed by the rim of the cartridge pushed home into two grooves in the sides of the barrel. A bent arm (O), forming an 80° angle with the extractor arms, is forced down by the dropping block when the lever is pushed forward, so causing the upright arms to extract the cartridge case slightly and allow easier manual full extraction.
As well as British service rifles, the Martini breech action was applied to shotguns by the Greener company of Britain, whose single-shot “EP” riot guns were still in service in the 1970s in former British colonies. The Greener “GP” shotgun, also using the Martini action, was a favourite rough-shooting gun in the mid-20th century. The martini action was used by BSA and latterly BSA/Parker Hale for their series of “Small Action Martini” small bore target rifles that were in production until 1955.
Comparison with contemporary rifles[edit]
| Calibre | System | Country | Velocity | Height of trajectory | Ammunition | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzle | 500 yd (460 m) | 1,000 yd (910 m) | 1,500 yd (1,400 m) | 2,000 yd (1,800 m) | 500 yd (460 m) | 1,000 yd (910 m) | 1,500 yd (1,400 m) | 2,000 yd (1,800 m) | Propellant | Bullet | |||
| .433 in (11.0 mm) | Werndl–Holub rifle | Austria-Hungary | 1,439 ft/s (439 m/s) | 854 ft/s (260 m/s) | 620 ft/s (190 m/s) | 449 ft/s (137 m/s) | 328 ft/s (100 m/s) | 8.252 ft (2.515 m) | 49.41 ft (15.06 m) | 162.6 ft (49.6 m) | 426.0 ft (129.8 m) | 77 gr (5.0 g) | 370 gr (24 g) |
| .45 in (11.43 mm) | Martini–Henry | United Kingdom | 1,315 ft/s (401 m/s) | 869 ft/s (265 m/s) | 664 ft/s (202 m/s) | 508 ft/s (155 m/s) | 389 ft/s (119 m/s) | 9.594 ft (2.924 m) | 47.90 ft (14.60 m) | 147.1 ft (44.8 m) | 357.85 ft (109.07 m) | 85 gr (5.5 g) | 480 gr (31 g) |
| .433 in (11.0 mm) | Fusil Gras mle 1874 | France | 1,489 ft/s (454 m/s) | 878 ft/s (268 m/s) | 643 ft/s (196 m/s) | 471 ft/s (144 m/s) | 348 ft/s (106 m/s) | 7.769 ft (2.368 m) | 46.6 ft (14.2 m) | 151.8 ft (46.3 m) | 389.9 ft (118.8 m) | 80 gr (5.2 g) | 386 gr (25.0 g) |
| .433 in (11.0 mm) | Mauser Model 1871 | Germany | 1,430 ft/s (440 m/s) | 859 ft/s (262 m/s) | 629 ft/s (192 m/s) | 459 ft/s (140 m/s) | 388 ft/s (118 m/s) | 8.249 ft (2.514 m) | 48.68 ft (14.84 m) | 159.2 ft (48.5 m) | 411.1 ft (125.3 m) | 75 gr (4.9 g) | 380 gr (25 g) |
| .408 in (10.4 mm) | M1870 Italian Vetterli | Italy | 1,430 ft/s (440 m/s) | 835 ft/s (255 m/s) | 595 ft/s (181 m/s) | 422 ft/s (129 m/s) | 304 ft/s (93 m/s) | 8.527 ft (2.599 m) | 52.17 ft (15.90 m) | 176.3 ft (53.7 m) | 469.9 ft (143.2 m) | 62 gr (4.0 g) | 310 gr (20 g) |
| .397 in (10.08 mm) | Jarmann M1884 | Norway and Sweden | 1,536 ft/s (468 m/s) | 908 ft/s (277 m/s) | 675 ft/s (206 m/s) | 504 ft/s (154 m/s) | 377 ft/s (115 m/s) | 7.235 ft (2.205 m) | 42.97 ft (13.10 m) | 137.6 ft (41.9 m) | 348.5 ft (106.2 m) | 77 gr (5.0 g) | 337 gr (21.8 g) |
| .42 in (10.67 mm) | Berdan rifle | Russia | 1,444 ft/s (440 m/s) | 873 ft/s (266 m/s) | 645 ft/s (197 m/s) | 476 ft/s (145 m/s) | 353 ft/s (108 m/s) | 7.995 ft (2.437 m) | 47.01 ft (14.33 m) | 151.7 ft (46.2 m) | 388.7 ft (118.5 m) | 77 gr (5.0 g) | 370 gr (24 g) |
| .45 in (11.43 mm) | Springfield model 1884 | United States | 1,301 ft/s (397 m/s) | 875 ft/s (267 m/s) | 676 ft/s (206 m/s) | 523 ft/s (159 m/s) | 404 ft/s (123 m/s) | 8.574 ft (2.613 m) | 46.88 ft (14.29 m) | 142.3 ft (43.4 m) | 343.0 ft (104.5 m) | 70 gr (4.5 g) | 500 gr (32 g) |
| .40 in (10.16 mm) | Martini-Enfield | United Kingdom | 1,570 ft/s (480 m/s) | 947 ft/s (289 m/s) | 719 ft/s (219 m/s) | 553 ft/s (169 m/s) | 424 ft/s (129 m/s) | 6.704 ft (2.043 m) | 39.00 ft (11.89 m) | 122.0 ft (37.2 m) | 298.47 ft (90.97 m) | 85 gr (5.5 g) | 384 gr (24.9 g) |
References in culture[edit]
- In Rudyard Kipling‘s 1888 novella The Man Who Would Be King, two British adventurers use Martini–Henry rifles to establish their own kingdom in Kafiristan.[16]
- The Martini–Henry rifle was featured in the 1964 movie Zulu.[17]
- The Martini–Henry rifle is featured in the Battlefield 1 video game as the last unlockable weapon in the Scout class.
- The Martini–Henry rifle is mentioned in The Champawat Man-Eater by Jim Corbett in Man-Eaters of Kumaon(ISBN 978-81-291-4036-4).
To Drop?
When I first started shooting, the rule of thumb was that practicing with .22 LR was the cheap, easy way to go about it. The round was plentiful since you could find it almost anywhere, and with the light recoil, it made practice easy.
Then we hit the dark times of no .22 almost anywhere, at least around my neck of the woods, and from what I was seeing, we weren’t alone in that. Today, ammo is there, but it costs more than it used to, that’s for sure. However, those days just might be over with.
Then we hit the dark times of no .22 almost anywhere, at least around my neck of the woods, and from what I was seeing, we weren’t alone in that. Today, ammo is there, but it costs more than it used to, that’s for sure. However, those days just might be over with.
The Obama-caused bubble in ammunition prices seems ready to bust. Over the last few years gun owners have seen ammunition prices double or even triple. Handgun and rifleammunition has been hard to find at times and .22 long rifle ammunition tripled in price over the last 18 months. People would line up to buy ammunition at prices two and three times the level that they were just two years ago. But all of that is about to change . . .
Ammunition supply looks as though it is ready to catch up with demand. Centerfire pistoland rifle cartridges are available on most store shelves. When I walked into a local Wal-Mart this morning, their were over 30 signs on the ammunition case indicating a rollback of prices by 10-15%.
In classic economic fashion, the bubble was fueled by actions of the federal government. Many federal agencies bought enormous quantities of ammunition. The Obama administration’s actions fueled fear of coming shortages, gun bans, registration of ammunition sales, even potential low level warfare. All of this led to the current bubble of ammunition sales.
In response, the economy reacted the way free markets are supposed to work. Ammunition suppliers started running their manufacturing plants day and night, adding additional shifts. Importers scoured the world markets, trying to buy everything they could to satisfy the insatiable demand. Foreign manufacturers bumped up their production to try to fill the desire for more and more ammunition. Ammunition production was at the highest level ever for small arms, short of war.
However, as the post adds, this manufacturing won’t just stop. It’ll keep going until there’s a glut of ammo on the market. At that point, the Law of Supply and Demand kick in, and prices drop.
There are two ways to look at this. As a consumer, this is a good thing. Prices dropping means I can buy more ammo for the same money. That means more shooting. In other words, I’ll get more bang for my buck. Literally.
On the flip side, however, are the companies that make this ammo. Federal Premium is already having difficulties, after all, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see other companies having similar difficulties. After all, if their current budgets are based on selling ammo at X price, but they can only sell it at X-Y price, that’s going to play merry havoc with the revenue stream.
The question then becomes whether they can weather that storm.
Not that there’s much we can do except buy ammo and shoot a lot. Still, as a consumer, I’ll consider it my sacred duty to create as much spent brass as humanly possible.
You know, for the children.
Categories
Some more Ladies of YWSYEO NSFW
Just remember this, It can happen in your area too! Grumpy
Just In: California Outlawed Most Pistols
California outlawed mid and full-size pistols
They’ve gone and done it, California outlawed possession of most full-size pistol magazines. If you own a firearm which uses magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, your weapon is illegal to possess in the State of California. Oh, make that your magazines which are illegal to possess. Enjoy your new paperweight. The law signed in by Governor Jerry Brown on Friday requires that citizens surrender their “high capacity” magazines. California’s previously enacted gun bill only prohibited the sale or import of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, but possession was legal.
That’s not all. Now a background check will be required for any ammunition sales. All ammo purchasers will be registered into a state database which labels them as a dangerous ammunition owners… or something. It’s not clear what the purpose of this database it. Do they want all rounds to have an associated serial number, so that they can track the owners?
Fox News reports (although most news outlets seem to be ignoring this):
Gov. Jerry Brown signed six stringent gun-control measures Friday that will require people to turn in high-capacity magazines and mandate background checks for ammunition sales, as California Democrats seek to strengthen gun laws that are already among the strictest in the nation.
Brown vetoed five other bills, including requirement to register homemade firearms and report lost or stolen weapons to authorities.
The Democratic governor’s action is consistent with his mixed record on gun control. Some of the enacted bills duplicate provisions of a November ballot measure by Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Some of the vetoed measures also appear in Newsom’s initiative.
“My goal in signing these bills is to enhance public safety by tightening our existing laws in a responsible and focused manner, while protecting the rights of law-abiding gun owners,” Brown wrote in a one-sentence message to lawmakers.
Gun control measures have long been popular with the Democratic lawmakers who control the California Senate and Assembly. But they stepped up their push this year following the December shooting in San Bernardino by a couple who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
The bills angered Republicans and gun-rights advocates who say Democrats are trampling on 2nd Amendment rights, creating new restrictions that won’t cut off the flow of guns to people intent on using them for nefarious purposes.
“On the eve of Independence Day, independence and freedom and liberty in California has been chopped down at the knees and kicked between the legs,” said Sam Paredes, executive director of the advocacy group Gun Owners of California.
Lawsuits challenging the new laws are likely once they take effect next year, Paredes said.
Brown’s action will require people who own magazines that hold more than 10 rounds to give them up. It extends a 1999 law that made it illegal to buy a high-capacity magazine or to bring one into the state but allowed people who already owned them to keep them.
In an attempt to slow gun users from rapidly reloading, the governor signed a bill outlawing new weapons that have a device known as a bullet button. Gun makers developed bullet buttons to get around California’s assault weapons ban, which prohibited new rifles with magazines that can be detached without the aid of tools. A bullet buttons allows a shooter to quickly dislodge the magazine using the tip of a bullet or other small tool.
People will be allowed to keep weapons they already own with bullet buttons, which are often referred to as “California compliant.”
Brown also endorsed a bill making another attempt to regulate ammunition sales after a law passed in 2009 was struck down by a Fresno County judge who said it was too vague. The new law will require ammunition sellers to be licensed and buyers to undergo background checks. Transactions will be recorded.
He also opted to require a background check before a gun can be loaned to someone who isn’t a family member.
“Strong gun laws work. … What we’re doing in California is a better job of keeping guns out of dangerous hands,” said Amanda Wilcox, a spokeswoman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, whose daughter was killed by a shooter using a high-capacity magazine.
The new law appears to be depriving people of their valuable property, in violation of their Second Amendment rights. Outlawing the magazines that go in guns is effectively outlawing the guns. It’s hardly different than outlawing bullets, and then claiming that even though you removed people’s ability to use guns, you aren’t taking away anyone’s guns. But we aren’t constitutional lawyers, we’re cops.
As a group of law enforcement professionals, we support people’s right to carry firearms. We have firsthand knowledge that sometimes it takes too long for the police to get to people who need help. This problem is especially bad in sparsely populated areas where law enforcement response may exceed half an hour. Sparsely populated areas like most of California.
It always amazes me how ignorant the general public seems to be of the violence and evil that exists around them. They enact laws like this because it fits in with their idealistic daydream of how society should be. Law enforcement officers see the evil every day; we were hired to fight it. And when we are forced to use violence to fight against these evils, we also no longer fit inside of their dream and we are cast out of the society that created us.
Quite frankly, I’m surprised that California didn’t just outlaw all semi-automatic firearms. Baby steps, right?
100% American Made AKs: Century Arms RAS47 & C39V2
I am not generally a fan of the AK-47 family of weapons; I have spent too much time on the receiving end of them. But I am a fan of all things American made, so I was more than happy to review a couple of offerings from Century Arms. Anything Commies can do, we can do better. And the boys from Vermont have set out to do just that. 
A Little Background
For testing, I received the RAS47, Century’s most popular rifle, as well as the flagship C39V2. Both weapons are completely American made, so at least we can be sure the parts aren’t heat treated in Vodka. I had to look twice at the receivers, they do say made in Georgia. But they mean Georgia, Vermont, a small town upstate. Despite my initial skepticism, both weapons are beautiful. The fit of the parts doesn’t resemble a smooshed turnip, which is also a novel concept in Kalishnokavs. These carbines are not AK-47s because they lack the selector switch and true AK-47 rifles differ from these replicas because their receivers are milled from solid blocks of steel and their furniture is substantially different; they also feature a different pistol grip and gas block.
The RAS in RAS47 stands for Red Army Standard. It is designed to be a copy of the ’50s era AKM at least on the surface; it’s a tip of the hat to Cold-War era Soviet Union. The furniture is a beautiful blonde wood, unlike any other, I have seen. Fingers crossed it is a Vermont native tree and that maple syrup was used to finish it. No one from the factory would confirm that for me though. It’s a gas-operated semiautomatic chambered in 7.62x39mm and the rifle’s receiver is stamped from a 16-gauge 4140 sheet steel treated with a black nitride finish. The fit of the parts is extraordinary by AK standards. Most of the specimens I have seen were extremely used battlefield examples, but I would still bet money that they didn’t look like this the day they left the factory. The grip is black plastic, with nice diamond texturing and finger grooves. Improvements have been made to the magazine release, it is significantly wider than the original. In place of a bullet tube of questionable origin and rifling, the RAS47 sports a 16.5-inch, 1:10-inch twist Green Mountain Nitride barrel. Also outside of Commie spec, the safety lever features a cut out that acts as a bolt hold open. To help keep costs down, Century opted to make the RAS47 without the traditional bayonet lug, cleaning rod or storage compartment in the stock. History would show this to be inaccurate, however, it does make it a more affordable option for history enthusiasts who want to save a dollar.
Photo Courtesy: Century Arms RAS47
The RAS47 comes standard with a side rail, so optics mounts aren’t out of the question if that is your flavor. Personally, I have about as many spare AK parts laying around the house as I do hubcaps for a ’72 Pinto. So I opted to test my rifles with iron sights. More on that later. Taking a look inside, we find something else curiously not Mil-Spec. The bolt has what appear to be large lightening cuts. I wasn’t aware this was a modification for AK-47s, but whatever floats your boat. The trigger is a vast improvement over normal AK’s, featuring the RAK 1 trigger. The take up is smooth, and the break crisp. It’s not a 1911, but a night and day difference from the Soviet standard.
SPECS — RAS47
- Type: Gas-operated, semiautomatic AKMs
- Cartridge: 7.62x39mm
- Capacity: 30+1 rds.
- Weight: 7.55 lbs.
- Barrel Length: 16.5 in.; 1:10 in. twist;
- Overall Length: 37.25 in.
- Trigger: RAK-1 Enhanced Trigger Group
- Sights: Standard AKMs adj.
- MSRP: $700
The C39V2 is the flagship model, and features all of the same goodies as the RAS47, and then some. The most obvious change is that it features a milled receiver, as opposed to the stamped and riveted receiver on the RAS47. It is noticeably heavier, but that actually helps tame recoil a bit. The furniture on my test gun was a darker wood, resembled of a traditional AK. One note to put in your pocket, MAGPUL furniture will fit on this milled receiver. The trigger is supposed to be the same RAK-1 as the RAS47, but I had to look that up to be sure. Granted, my test models are demo guns. It is entirely possible the C39V2 has been used a lot more, and therefore more broken in. The trigger in the RAS47 was great. The one in the C39V2 was unreal. The gauge said there was a 1 pound difference, but it felt like a lot more on the range.
SPECS—C39V2
- Type: Gas-operated, semiautomatic AKMs
- Cartridge: 7.62x39mm
- Capacity: 30+1 rds.
- Weight: 8.05 lbs.
- Barrel Length: 16.5 in.; 1:10 in. twist;
- Overall Length: 37.25 in.
- Trigger: RAK-1 Enhanced Trigger Group
- Sights: Standard AKM adj.
- MSRP: $800
Range Time
For testing, I used Hornady Black 123-grain SST was used. I, for one, am glad to see some high-quality brass cased ammunition hit the market. There will always be a place for spam-can imported junk, but it’s no way to try and accuracy test a rifle. It should also be noted the projectile improvements with the Hornady. Instead of some bimetal or steel-core mil surplus, Hornady offers the proven Super Shock Tip. This polymer tip drives into the lead core like a wedge on impact, forcing rapid expansion. The boat tail profile decreases drag, and improves the aerodynamic profile. And it says Hornady, so you know it is going to be consistent.
Photo Courtesy: Century Arms C39V2
Article Continues Below
For accuracy testing, I didn’t have an optical option, which left us with iron sights. Irons are great, and it’s not my first rodeo. But I am loath to publish accuracy results from just irons. I haven’t won any High Power matches recently, so it may in fact be the shooter, not the gun. I shot my groups at 50 meters for this test, not 100.
The RAS47 turned in a 3.5 inch group as its best, not that far off most AK-47s I have shot. I have seen some better, but a whole lot worse. The C39V2 was significantly better. Its best of the day was 1.5 inches, with a flyer that was most likely shooter. Without the flyer, the group was a 1 inch four-round group, which is probably closer to the capability of the gun.
Both of these guns are fantastic buys, depending on your needs. If you love traditional AKs and are willing to accept the accuracy standard they are famous for, the RAS47 is for you. If you want to spend a little more coin and shrink that down some, the C39V2 is for you.
For more information about Hornady ammunition, click here.
For more information about Century Arms, click here.
To purchase a Century Arms carbine on GunsAmerica, click here.
Categories
The 30-40 Krag Rifle
Krag-Jorgensen .30-40 Krag rifle and cavalry carbine
| Type | Rifle |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | Army |
| Used by | United States |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1892 |
| Specifications | |
| Case type | Rimmed, bottleneck |
| Bullet diameter | .308 in (7.8 mm) |
| Neck diameter | .338 in (8.6 mm) |
| Shoulder diameter | .423 in (10.7 mm) |
| Base diameter | .457 in (11.6 mm) |
| Rim diameter | .545 in (13.8 mm) |
| Rim thickness | .064 in (1.6 mm) |
| Case length | 2.314 in (58.8 mm) |
| Overall length | 3.089 in (78.5 mm) |
| Case capacity | 58.0 gr H2O (3.76 cm3) |
| Maximum pressure (C.I.P.) | 47,137 psi (325.00 MPa) |
| Maximum pressure (SAAMI) | not established |
| Maximum CUP | 40,000 CUP |
The .30-40 Krag (also called .30 U.S., or .30 Army) was a cartridge developed in the early 1890s to provide the U.S. armed forces with a smokeless powder cartridge suited for use with modern small-bore repeating rifles to be selected in the 1892 small arm trials.
Since the cartridge it was replacing was the .45-70 Government, the round was considered small-bore at the time.
The design selected was ultimately the Krag–Jørgensen, formally adopted as the M1892 Springfield. It was also used in M1893 and later Gatling guns.
Contents
History and development[edit]
Though the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps had adopted limited numbers of smokeless powder, bolt-action rifles, the .30-40 was the first cartridge adopted by the US Army that was designed from the outset for smokeless powder.
After a brief experiment with a 230-grain bullet loading, the .30 Army loading was standardized in 1894 using a 220-grain metal-jacketed round-nose bullet with 40 grains of nitrocellulose powder.
This loading developed a maximum velocity of 2,000 ft/s (610 m/s) in the 30-inch (760 mm) barrel of the Krag rifle,[2]and 1,960 ft/s (600 m/s) in the 22-inch (560 mm) barrel of the Krag carbine.
The rimmed .30-40 round was also known as .30 Army, or .30 U.S. Although the .30-40 Krag was the first smokeless powder round adopted by the U.S. military.
It retained the “caliber-charge” naming system of earlier black powder cartridges, i.e. a .30-caliber bullet propelled by 40 grains (2.6 g) of smokeless powder.
The first use of a smokeless powder round by Winchester was a single shot in 30-40, and it was one of only three rounds chambered for the 1895 Winchester lever action, introduced in 1896.[3]
From the outset, the .30-40 cartridge proved popular for hunting, and was chambered in a variety of firearms.
In 1899, a Krag in .30-40 caliber was used to shoot the world-record Rocky Mountain elk. The record stood until the latter half of the 20th century.
In October 1899, after reviewing the experiences of the Spanish–American War.
U.S. Army ordnance authorities developed a new loading for the .30 Army used in the Krag rifle, in an attempt to match the ballistics of the 7×57mm Mauser cartridge employed by Spanish forces in that conflict.
The new loading increased the muzzle velocity in the rifle version of the Krag to 2,200 ft/s (670 m/s) at 45,000 psi.
However, once the new loading was issued, reports of cracked locking lugs on service Krags began to surface.
In March 1900 the remaining stocks of this ammunition (some 3.5 million rounds) were returned to the arsenals, broken down, and reloaded back to the original 2,000 ft/s (610 m/s) specification.
In 1903, after recommendations from the infantry Small Arms Board, the U.S. Army formally adopted a higher-velocity .30-caliber replacement for the .30-40 or .30 Army cartridge.
The new cartridge was designated by its year of adoption, the
A replica of the McKeever-pattern .30 US Army cartridge case.