Martini-action rifles have a long history in Australia, remaining popular rifles for regular use longer than nearly anywhere else.
Besides the .577/450 versions and their later .303 conversions, huge numbers of Martini-actioned Cadet rifles in the .310 Cadet cartridge were issued from the 1890s and formed the backbone of Australian cadet unit armouries until around WWII.
After WWII, large numbers of Martini Cadet rifles were sold off by the Commonwealth government. Huge numbers remain in original configuration today, but many were also purchased by Sporting Arms Limited (Sportco) in Adelaide and converted from .310 Cadet to .22 LR (and some other calibres, including .22 Hornet and .218 Bee), then sold on the commercial market here.
The conversion to .22 LR was fairly straightforward. The actions were scrubbed of military and manufacturer’s markings, with the exception of the kangaroo marking on the top of the action’s front. They were re-blued, then the action block was modified to close slightly lower or higher (depending on the individual rifle) than before, so the firing pin hit the rim of the case instead of the centre.
The barrel was replaced with one of Sportco’s (made in its Adelaide factory), which also featured different sights, and a push-button safety catch was installed on the trigger guard behind the trigger.
The original buttstock and loading lever were retained, but a new fore-end was installed, giving the rifle a sporting profile instead of the military one of the cadet rifles.
In September 1962, a .22 LR Sportco Martini rifle in standard configuration cost £13/9- (about $450 today), with the .22 Hornet chambering costing £15/15- (about $525 today) and the Clubmaster target version being priced at £37/15- (about $1225 today).
No one has any idea exactly how many Sportco Martini rifles were manufactured, but production appears to have started in 1960 and continued until at least 1962. They are listed in the Sportco September 1962 price list, and a March 1963 ad in the Port Lincoln Times references a six-month old, as-new condition Sportco Martini rifle for sale, but I could not find any references to the rifles as new items after 1962.
An educated guess — factoring in the fact the guns are still commonly found today — suggests at least 10,000 were produced by Sportco.
SHOOTING THE SPORTCO MARTIN RIFLE
The Sportco Martini rifles are built on .310 Cadet actions and the operation is exactly the same as every other Martini-action rifle out there — pull down the lever, insert cartridge, close lever, aim, fire, repeat.
The rifles have a trigger pull of 3.3kg (7lb), while the 61cm (24 inch) barrel has six-groove rifling with a 1:16 right-hand twist, and features an adjustable ramp sight and barleycorn foresight.
There are two holes drilled on the wrist for mounting Sportco Model 59 aftermarket peep sights. These sights are incredibly rare today and generally worth more than the rifle they were designed to go on.
While the sporting configuration Martini .22 LR rifles aren’t match-grade precision instruments (although Sportco did make those too!), they are still very accurate rifles and will safely handle any .22 LR ammunition, including high-velocity rounds, as the actions are incredibly strong — they were designed for a centrefire cartridge, after all.
Being single-shot rifles they’re obviously not suited for situations with lots of game or matches where time is a factor, but they are fantastic rifles for teaching juniors and newcomers the basics of shooting and firearms safety.
Thanks to their light weight (about 2.5kg or 4.7lb) and handy design, they’re also great as a walkabout or camp rifles on rural properties.
Recoil is negligible and the actions cleaning eject and throw the spent brass; but it is generally advised to take the rifle off your shoulder before working the action to prevent brass flying into your face or down the front of your shirt.
The Martini action is a time-tested favourite for a reason, and the Sportco Martini sporting rifles are very much included in that — and well worth shooting if you get the chance.
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