Omani Gun Belts. Bedouin Martini Henry Ammo Belts.

[Rick]

Guys, this stuff is tops for restoring and preserving old leather .

www.leathertherapy.com

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Rick

Guys, this stuff is tops for restoring and preserving old leather .

www.leathertherapy.com

Salaams Rick... Thats great ...In fact we have a dozen horses and lots of tack to restore and clean... My majic Indian Hair Oil takes some beating as does good old olive oil but your stuff looks great too... Bri wax is also pretty good on leather but its petroleum based (but they do a non toxic one) Its actually for wood... we use it on a lot of chests and I'm just doing up an old Javanese Weapons Chest on wheels with it. I hope tips like these eventually start being rendered into a positively useful Restoration Library

Regards Ibrahiim.

[rickystl]

Originally Posted by Rick

Guys, this stuff is tops for restoring and preserving old leather .

www.leathertherapy.com

Hey!! Thanks Rick. I'll give this stuff a try. Rick (also)

[rickystl]

To use slang terminology: Entirely COOL !!!

[Rick]

Originally Posted by rickystl

Hey!! Thanks Rick. I'll give this stuff a try. Rick (also)

It is 'the' stuff ..........

Those MH rounds look mighty large Ibrahiim .

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Rick

It is 'the' stuff ..........

Those MH rounds look mighty large Ibrahiim .

Cal is 577/450 so yes it IS large at the rim, but of course is only .45 at the business end. Same diam as a 577 snider cartridge but necked.
Stu

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Rick

It is 'the' stuff ..........

Those MH rounds look mighty large Ibrahiim .

Salaams Rick and Stu, When it was issued it must have been suddenly like every man had a machine gun by comparison to the old slow loader prior ~ One of the problems with the Martini Henry was the smoke from the black powder which when fired in volleys made the target difficult to see. However in its day this falling block closed breach and flat trajectory meant great accuracy was possible which was unfortunate for the enemy; often unarmoured tribal infantry. The Martini Henry round was devastating (a bit like an elephant gun) and it was not unusual for a single round to drop several targets. Both Count Martini and Mr Henry the inventors had produced a great rifle. What largely marked its demise was that the system couldn't take a magazine. Once it had been superceded many weapons appeared on Arabian shores thus its popularity in Oman.
Regards Ibrahiim.

Attached is a Khanjar Belt and the Bedouin Martini Henry belt with a full load including silver additions.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Rick and Stu, When it was issued it must have been suddenly like every man had a machine gun by comparison to the old slow loader prior ~ One of the problems with the Martini Henry was the smoke from the black powder which when fired in volleys made the target difficult to see. However in its day this falling block closed breach and flat trajectory meant great accuracy was possible which was unfortunate for the enemy; often unarmoured tribal infantry. The Martini Henry round was devastating (a bit like an elephant gun) and it was not unusual for a single round to drop several targets. Both Count Martini and Mr Henry the inventors had produced a great rifle. What largely marked its demise was that the system couldn't take a magazine. Once it had been superceded many weapons appeared on Arabian shores thus its popularity in Oman.
Regards Ibrahiim.

Attached is a Khanjar Belt and the Bedouin Martini Henry belt with a full load including silver additions.

The fact that the Martini did not have a magazine was also one of the reasons it found favour in desert areas and lasted well into the 20th century. It was used in many areas where dust/sand/grit were a real problem, and it was much easier to clear of grit etc, using the leverage of the loading lever. Some Martini models in fact had a distinctly longer lever for just this purpose. Bolt action which is reliant on smooth sliding, was much more prone to jam than the lever action Martini in these conditions.
Later models were chambered for the 303 British cartridge, of which there were (and are still) plenty about.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

The fact that the Martini did not have a magazine was also one of the reasons it found favour in desert areas and lasted well into the 20th century. It was used in many areas where dust/sand/grit were a real problem, and it was much easier to clear of grit etc, using the leverage of the loading lever. Some Martini models in fact had a distinctly longer lever for just this purpose. Bolt action which is reliant on smooth sliding, was much more prone to jam than the lever action Martini in these conditions.
Later models were chambered for the 303 British cartridge, of which there were (and are still) plenty about.

Many years ago I used to write extensively on the Martini Henry and found massive information on www.martinihenry.com especially on the complexities of different Marks.. Mark 1 Mark 2 etc and the variety of armourers stamps proof markings and how to spot an Afghnistan fake copy.

I have also carried out vast trials on modern weapons in desert conditions namely FN, STEYR, and other associated weapons. In the desert, in sandstorms they all jam. Amazingly one item carried by the Bedu largely prevents jamming..and so far as I can tell no army ever adopted this excellent piece of kit. The Bedouin leather gun bag... simple but very effective.

After the Martini Henry I think came the 303(black powder) Enfield in the same basic configuration as the Martini Henry and that also pops up here. The local name for Martini Henry is ~ Somah and for the 303 Enfield Meyzah . The SMLE was given the name Canad. (probably from a shipment of arms into the region from Canada). Later when the K98k (1938 pattern German Army) appeared it got the name Mania from the Arabic word Al Maniah~ Germany. Sometimes also called Abu Hamsah (Father of 5) from the five(Hamsa) rounds in its short magazine. Stepping back a bit the Arab long gun in its most basic matchlock form lasted many centuries and whilst it also has other names like Roumi (long spear) it is called locally "Father of the Match" ~ Abu Futtillah.

See attached the various main firearms and their ammo. Main fire arms from the top
1. Matchlock.
2. Martini Henry.
3. Enfield.
4. Birmingham Small Arms SMLE.
5. k98 K Vermacht 1938

Also displayed ~Bedu gunbags, various spares and a wopping great Dhow gun which is like a Punt Gun and can put out solid shot or bits of iron stone shrapnel etc. I only had a barrel so we reworked the woodwork. 4 feet long and on a vee shaped spiggot. Cal; Aprox 1 and a half inch. Arab Dhow Gun. Circa 18th C.

I hope no one minds but I have added a few things to the display including a couple of nice cannon breach sections on 2 matchlocks they blew apart often because the firer either used too much or the wrong sort of powder and or the tendency to ram the bullet so hard that what went in as a round metal ball would errupt as a metal bar curiously more like the modern day round. Physics being a more precise equation sometimes caused catastrophic barrel failure and many barrels failed at the first weld.

Restoration; At any one time I have 5 or 6 firearms being restored and like the Khanjar we try to bring into play all the kit...Gun belts complete~ silver adornment~ Powder flasks, ramrods, ammo (made safe and sand filled but we dont export those) spares and the marvellous Bedu Gunbags.. in hand tooled leather sometimes with tassles.

Regards,

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

The fact that the Martini did not have a magazine was also one of the reasons it found favour in desert areas and lasted well into the 20th century. It was used in many areas where dust/sand/grit were a real problem, and it was much easier to clear of grit etc, using the leverage of the loading lever. Some Martini models in fact had a distinctly longer lever for just this purpose. Bolt action which is reliant on smooth sliding, was much more prone to jam than the lever action Martini in these conditions.
Later models were chambered for the 303 British cartridge, of which there were (and are still) plenty about.

Many years ago I used to write extensively on the Martini Henry and found massive information on www.martinihenry.com

I have also carried out vast trials on modern weapons in desert conditions namely FN, STEYR, and other associated weapons. In the desert and in sandstorms they all jam. Amazingly one item carried by the Bedu largely prevents jamming..and so far as I can tell no army ever adopted this excellent piece of kit. The Bedouin leather gun bag... simple but very effective.

After the Martini Henry I think came the 303(black powder) Enfield in the same basic configuration as the Martini Henry and that also pops up here. The local name for MH ~ Somah and for the 303 Enfield Meyezah . The SMLE was given the name Canad (probably from a shipment of arms into the region from Canada). Later when the K98k(1938 pattern German Army) appeared it got the name Mania from the Arabic word Al Maniah~ Germany. Sometimes also called Abu Hamsah(Father of 5) from the five(Hamsa) rounds in its short magazine. Stepping back a bit the Arab long gun in its most basic matchlock form lasted many centuries and whilst it also has other names like Roumi (long spear) is called locally "Father of the Match" ~ Abu Futtillah.

See attached the various main firearms and their ammo. Main fire arms from the top
1. Matchlock.
2. Martini Henry.
3. Enfield.
4. Birmingham Small Arms SMLE.
5. k98 K Vermacht 1938
Also displayed ~Bedu gunbags, various spares and a wopping great Dhow gun which is like a Punt Gun and can put out solid shot or bits of iron stone shrapnel etc. I only had a barrel so we reworked the woodwork. 4 feet long and on a vee shaped spiggot. Cal; Aprox 1 and a half inch. Arab Dhow Gun. Circa 18th C.

I hope no one minds but I have added a few things to the display including a couple of nice cannon breach sections on 2 matchlocks they blew apart often because the firer either used too much or the wrong sort of powder and or the tendency to ram the bullet so hard that what went in as a round metal ball would errupt as a metal bar curiously more like the modern day round. Physics being a more precise equation sometimes caused catastrophic barrel failure and many barrels failed at the first weld.

Restoration; At any one time I have 5 or 6 firearms being restored and like the Khanjar we try to bring into play all the kit...Gun belts complete~ silver adornment~ Powder flasks, ramrods, ammo (made safe and sand filled but we dont export those) spares and the marvellous Bedu Gunbags.. in hand tooled leather sometimes with tassles.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Many years ago I used to write extensively on the Martini Henry and found massive information on www.martinihenry.com

I have also carried out vast trials on modern weapons in desert conditions namely FN, STEYR, and other associated weapons. In the desert and in sandstorms they all jam. Amazingly one item carried by the Bedu largely prevents jamming..and so far as I can tell no army ever adopted this excellent piece of kit. The Bedouin leather gun bag... simple but very effective.

After the Martini Henry I think came the 303(black powder) Enfield in the same basic configuration as the Martini Henry and that also pops up here. The local name for MH ~ Somah and for the 303 Enfield Meyezah . The SMLE was given the name Canad (probably from a shipment of arms into the region from Canada). Later when the K98k(1938 pattern German Army) appeared it got the name Mania from the Arabic word Al Maniah~ Germany. Sometimes also called Abu Hamsah(Father of 5) from the five(Hamsa) rounds in its short magazine. Stepping back a bit the Arab long gun in its most basic matchlock form lasted many centuries and whilst it also has other names like Roumi (long spear) is called locally "Father of the Match" ~ Abu Futtillah.

See attached the various main firearms and their ammo. Main fire arms from the top
1. Matchlock.
2. Martini Henry.
3. Enfield.
4. Birmingham Small Arms SMLE.
5. k98 K Vermacht 1938
Also displayed ~Bedu gunbags, various spares and a wopping great Dhow gun which is like a Punt Gun and can put out solid shot or bits of iron stone shrapnel etc. I only had a barrel so we reworked the woodwork. 4 feet long and on a vee shaped spiggot. Cal; Aprox 1 and a half inch. Arab Dhow Gun. Circa 18th C.

I hope no one minds but I have added a few things to the display including a couple of nice cannon breach sections on 2 matchlocks they blew apart often because the firer either used too much or the wrong sort of powder and or the tendency to ram the bullet so hard that what went in as a round metal ball would errupt as a metal bar curiously more like the modern day round. Physics being a more precise equation sometimes caused catastrophic barrel failure and many barrels failed at the first weld.

Restoration; At any one time I have 5 or 6 firearms being restored and like the Khanjar we try to bring into play all the kit...Gun belts complete~ silver adornment~ Powder flasks, ramrods, ammo (made safe and sand filled but we dont export those) spares and the marvellous Bedu Gunbags.. in hand tooled leather sometimes with tassles.

F Y I No4 in your list is not necessarily BSA. They were only one of many companies who made these. Others were LONGBRANCH, LITHGOW,ENFIELD as well as many others who had contracts to do so. Copies were of course made in places like Pakistan. The letters SMLE stand for Short Magazine Lee Enfield. The last model in avery long line of these (I think) was the Mark 5 Jungle Carbine.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Rick

Guys, this stuff is tops for restoring and preserving old leather .

www.leathertherapy.com

Salaams ; Please Add this to the list [url]www.renapur.com[url] A UK based company ~ I think this is the finest leather restorer I ever used... so that when we eventually get a restoration library may this be added for use on leather scabbards shields gunbelts etc
Just a tip on bringing leather up shiny .. use a little vaseline on a dry cloth and buff up. Marvellous.
Ibrahiim.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

IN OMAN several items can be worn on the gunbelt and often both the gunbelt and Khanjar belts can be worn together. Here is the Kohl (antimony paste) container and applicator for blackening around the eyes to cut the suns glare when shooting … in this case a 303 copy in silver with an applicator on a chain... once the cause of spreading conjunctivitis. The 577 was also copied earlier.
Being cartridge shaped it fits usually into the first hole in the ensemble

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Something a whole lot more rare item is attached on the gunbelt looped over a cartridge etc... I wasn't sure what thread to attach it to ...scuse pun... but this one may suffice ..I speak of the group of strikers on the left below, which make sparks when struck against the flintstone as seen on far left. Close ups follow.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Here are some close ups... The historically correct shapes seem to follow the European form of striker seen below with turned back finials.. possibly due to Ottoman and or Portuguese influence although I am not entirely certain that such strikers were used as cannon igniters here or simply as fire lighting items.

[kahnjar1]

Here is an Omani gun belt I have in my collection, complete with original foil 577/450 ammunition (plus some extras).
Stu