.402 Enfield

Not to be confused with Martini–Enfield.

The Enfield-Martini was a prototype British small-bore rifle of the 1880s. It used a new .402" Enfield cartridge. At the time 'small-bore' was considered to be anything smaller than the established .577 muskets and rifles.

The rifle was produced in two patterns, with some other prototype versions, and although over twenty thousand were made, it was not adopted and both rifle and cartridge were abandoned. Although both cartridge and rifle were abandoned and have left little trace of their existence, they represent an important phase in the development of British military small arms, even though the eventual conclusion was the Lee-Metford: a different calibre, bolt mechanism and magazine.

The Enfield-Martini predated the better-known Martini–Enfield by several years.


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