My "new" Snider-Enfield "Short Rifle"

[RattlesnakeJack]

Back when I posted the pictures of 19th Century Canadian Mounted Infantry in winter kit, I mentioned that I had come across the images while searching for period pictures of Canadian military personnel armed with armed with Snider-Enfield Short Rifles (such as the Mounted Infantry fellows were holding.)   The Canadian-marked rifle I was waiting for was actually received late in January, but I didn't get around taking any pictures until recently. 


As I just "may" have mentioned in the past ( ) the .577 Snider-Enfields originated as a British "stop-gap" conversion to breechloaders of vast existing quantities of Enfield-pattern muzzle-loaders,  but actually remained Canada's primary military longarms from 1867 through 1896.  Canada troops were primarily armed with 3-band Infantry-patterm "Long Rifles" (over 50,000 of those), with some 2-band "Short rifles" (approximately 8000) issued to "Rifle Battalions" and to Infantry Sergeants) and Cavalry Carbines (approximately 2500) issued to Cavalry and also the principal longarm of the NWMP until the earkly 1880's). 

Here are these three primary types as used in Canada - the "Short Rifle" is in the center:


I already had a nice Canadian-marked 3-band rifle, but the less-common Short Rifles are rather harder to come by, so when the opportunity arose to get this one, I jumped on it.  It has definitely "been there, done that" but is mechanically tight and sound, and has an excellent bore (with the exception of the last inch or so at the muzzle, which is pitted.  It is also missing its clearing rod - I am on the lookout for one, though I'll likely have to settle for a reproduction.)

A close-up of the lock area on my "well-travelled" acquisition -


Here is its standard "Dominion of Canada" ownership mark of that era -


The unit mark (39th Norfolk Battalion of Rifles, headquartered at Simcoe, Ont.) and "rack number" -


And finally, a couple of historical photographs showing members of Canadian Volunteer Militia Rifle Battalions with their "Short Rifles.

On the left, a Rifleman of the 1870's, with his "Yataghan" bayonet affixed (the special sword bayonet issued with these short rifles, in lieu of the much simpler normal socket bayonet issued with the regular infantry rifles.)   On the right, a Rifleman of the 49th Hastings Battalion of Rifles, while serving with the composite "Midland Battalion" during the 1885 North West Rebellion - note the field-improvised forage cap and cartridge bandolier, both made from feedbag material ...

[Texas John Critter]

Very nice report