Martini Henry

Martini Henry / Martini-Henry / Peabody-Martini-Henry

A breechloading central-fire rifle that can be called the "Peabody-Martini-Henry" is actually a Peabody pattern that was further modified to a self-cocking hammerless design of Friederich von Martini of Frauenfeld, Switzerland, along with the rifling design of Edinburgh gunsmith Alexander Henry. The Peabody was an American designed rifle which was first patented in 1862, but was fully developed too late to have an impact in the American Civil War.

Functionally a small lever operates and lowers the breechblock allowing a cartridge to be inserted into the chamber, which returns the lever to the former position and closes the breech. The breech is centrally pierced to accommodate the firing pin, which is driven forward by pulling the trigger. Lowering the lever ejects the fired cartridge and a new one can be manually placed by the operator.

The Martini-Henry weighs about nine pounds and is just over four feet in length. It fires a hardened lead bullet with a muzzle velocity of 1,350 feet per second, and the weapon is sighted for up to 1,000 yards. It was also the first English service rifle designed as a breechloading rifle.