Gettysburg Buy: Snider-Enfield Mk. II**

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  • MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    Picked this up on an impulse/gut feeling yesterday at the Gettysburg show.

    It's a Snider-Enfield MkI** in .577 Snider caliber. In the mid/late 1860's most militaries discovered that Breech-loaders were the way to go and began to look for ways to rapidly convert existing Muzzleloader firearms to Breechloaders. Similar to the early M1866 Trapdoor Springfields, the British adopoted a hinging block design and began to convert P1853 Enfield muskets. The British used these until they were replaced by the Martini-Henry.

    This one was a bit grimey but I had a feeling it would clean up well. It was originally made in 1861 and converted in 1867. Took a few hours to clean it up, but it's in great shape with little to no pitting anywhere. I still have a couple other spots to touch up though. Functions fine and the bore is shiny except for one small spot of pitting. I'm going to find some dies, brass and bullets and load some ammo for it.

    I wish I knew more about them but I don't. I paid $450 for it which I don't think was bad. Especially since it came with an original bayonet in great shape.

    Here's more pictures https://imgur.com/a/ErYHkx6
     

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    Darkemp

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 18, 2009
    7,808
    Marylandistan
    Picked this up on an impulse/gut feeling yesterday at the Gettysburg show.

    It's a Snider-Enfield MkI** in .577 Snider caliber. In the mid/late 1860's most militaries discovered that Breech-loaders were the way to go and began to look for ways to rapidly convert existing Muzzleloader firearms to Breechloaders. Similar to the early M1866 Trapdoor Springfields, the British adopoted a hinging block design and began to convert P1853 Enfield muskets. The British used these until they were replaced by the Martini-Henry.

    This one was a bit grimey but I had a feeling it would clean up well. It was originally made in 1861 and converted in 1867. Took a few hours to clean it up, but it's in great shape with little to no pitting anywhere. I still have a couple other spots to touch up though. Functions fine and the bore is shiny except for one small spot of pitting. I'm going to find some dies, brass and bullets and load some ammo for it.

    I wish I knew more about them but I don't. I paid $450 for it which I don't think was bad. Especially since it came with an original bayonet in great shape.

    Here's more pictures https://imgur.com/a/ErYHkx6

    Beautiful- all I saw were leftovers today!
     

    Combloc

    Stop Negassing me!!!!!
    Nov 10, 2010
    7,212
    In a House
    I have no idea what it's worth but I'm confident it's well worth what you paid. Thanks for letting me check it out at the show buddy!
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    Thanks guys! I’m really happy with it. Now I just need to get a Martini-Henry.


    I have no idea what it's worth but I'm confident it's well worth what you paid. Thanks for letting me check it out at the show buddy!

    From what somebody told me on Gunboards, it sounds like I hit a home run. It was made by London Armory (LA Co) in 1861. They went bankrupt when the Confederacy lost as they were filling orders for them and couldn’t pay up. Later they turned into London Small Arms.
     

    Threeband

    The M1 Does My Talking
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 30, 2006
    25,232
    Carroll County
    A lot of countries used trapdoor type systems to convert their muzzleloaders. Snider was an American, by the way. The Enfield Pattern 1853 was also an American design, built on American-designed machinery. Extraction is manual: you have to pull back smartly on the breechblock to extract, then flip the empty case out of the loading trough. The Allin system used by the Americans ejects automatically when it works; tears the rims off foil cases when it doesn't.

    My brother in law has an old Snider shotgun. I think it was made on a commercial action as a shotgun, not converted or built on a military action.
     

    MilsurpDan

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 1, 2012
    2,217
    Frederick County
    Just found out the markings on the buttplate show that it belonged to a Canadian unit. Pretty neat.

    87th Quebec Battalion of Infantry Quebec City rifle# 93

    1st Battalion of Infantry, Montreal
     

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