Nepalese cache = junk?

[Shorty]

A while back, I posted "My kind of milsurp".  Well, the American Rifleman has a big article on those arms, and I'm disappointed.  Turns out that those wonderful British muskets are mostly Indian manufacture.  Only the Martinis are real English make.  They even have a bunch of slant-breech Sharps rifles and carbines that are not only unmarked, but of lesser quality, and unknown origin, and they're asking $1400 for them!  I guess, that with enough hype, they will actually sell.   :roll:

[His lordship.]

I am glad you looked into it further, I was all excited when I saw the article and thought about one of the Pattern 1842 muskets as a wall hanger.  Then I saw the ad and thought that they might be steep on the prices, at least for some of the guns listed, as I have to question the condition as they sat stacked for many years without being oiled, out in the open in an old building covered with dust. :?

The seller is probably hoping that initially at least, he might get what he is asking.  But if we wait, they might come down in price.  I would like to look them over first, perhaps at a gun show, if they end up there.  I know that the Indian guns I have seen in the past were clearly inferior in quality to the British made rifles, and the hand tools made there are super cheap looking to.

[Longcruise]

I've gotten reports on several of the 1853 Enfields that were bought by CW re-enactors and both were said to be junk.  Dry rotted wood and metal in bad shape.  Not shooters, which is what they wanted.

The way American Rifleman ballyhooed those guns it'smakes me wonder how many the writer really looked at.

[Big Paulie]

Dear Guys,

I am glad that someone spoke up.  Aside from the Martinis, all of these firearms appear to be a total pile of junk, and I think that the guy who wrote the article in American Rifleman made a fool of himself glamorizing them and falling all over himself.

Best Regards,

Big Paulie,