Info on SPORTCO Martini - .22 rifle

[Jim Hauff]

A friend, from another forum, is looking (unsuccesfully so far) for info on the following rifle. He gave me permission to expand his search, so here's what he has posted:

The rifle is a single shot target rifle marked SportcoSporting Arms LTD. South Australia Clubmaster .22LR.

The serial number appears to be marked on the barrel and isU 474.

On the LHS of the barrel is a Crown over the letters BNP. Itis also marked .22 LR .610”. Under that is marked 8 TONS PERU. There is also a stamp of crossed swords with the letters R, 2, 0 at 3, 6, and 9 oclock between the crossed blades.


On the receiver above the breech is a Kangaroo. The Crown over the letters BNP appear in multiple places on the gun including on theTrapdoor.

The gun has a Martini action with no safety.

The gun has a very heavy bull barrel 27 and 1/2 inches long and approx. 13/16 of an inch (maybe 21 mm?) thick. The stock and foregrip are heavy wood. The rifle weighs almost 10 pounds.

There is a hard plastic or maybe Bakelite butt pad marked Sportco Sporting Arms Limited.

The rifle has an adjustable rear peep sight (adjustable forwindage, elevation, and diopter size) and a hooded front sight. The front and rear sights are marked Parker Hale, made in England FS 22. The front sight inserts are missing but I hope to find them on the internet.

The bottom side of the foregrip is cut out with a steelrail, front sling swivel, and what looks like a take down knob marked Parker Hale. I screwed off the take down knob and found that it was a storage container with a complete set of front sight inserts in it!

From the small amount of research I have been able to get done it appears the front and rear sights are worth about $300.

I also found out the rifle was built by Sportco in Australia on military surplus Martini Rifle actions purchased from the Australian Government from 1946 through the 70s.

[Jim K]

The crown/BNP are the British Birmingham proof marks for nitro proof. The "8 tons per square inch" is part of the proof indicating the standard working pressure of the load, not the proof pressure. (The mark described as a "U" is actually a square followed by the double quote (") indicating "square inch".)

The crossed swords are actually crossed sceptres, the Birmingham private view mark; it indicates the proof house (I think the "R" is actually a "B"), the inspector (2), and the year (O = 1963)

Those rifles may have been built on old .310 cadet rifle actions; I have no way of knowing that. But the 1963 date would indicate that the rifles were actually made (or modified to .22) in England, not in Australia, which, so far as I know, has no proof law.

HTH

Jim

[jack404]

we do have proofing but only for miliotary rifles or for those staying in country

the 60's where a good year for Australia with arms exports sporting military and civil ..

yeah these where rebuilt but here and for export .. and so why no proof , theres quite a few out there on the rebuilt .310 , some for private colledges some for military training some just to turn a buck for the small arms factory which after 1957 was allowed to tout for work from approved nations ..

Ian Skennertons web site will have some more info on these but how much i am not sure

http://www.skennerton.com/

[Jim Hauff]

Jim and Jack,
Thanks for the info. I'll pass it along.

[jack404]

you can contact Ian via his web site , he's a damn nice guy and happy to help overseas folks get info on the weapons from here

[Jim Hauff]

Jack,
You're a gentleman and a scholar - thanks again.