Picked this Nepalese made 1878 at a yard sale.
.577/450 caliber ammo seems to be $10 per round plus shipping.
It needs some cleanup and minor stock work.
Anyone have any experience with these?
Obligatory crappy cellphone picture:
Attached File

I have some 450’s and yes shooting them is a rather expensive exercise! No way to do it frequently or long term without reloading. Even empty cases will run anywhere from 5-7 bucks each. I lucked into a large quantity of NDFS ( north Devonshire firearms specialties) lathe turned cases a couple years ago, as my old stash of excellent Jamison cases were starting to fail ( thin brass and black powder fouling, plus the expansion in the loose fit 120+ year old chambers means they split after just a few loadings) cases can also be fabricated from brass 24 gauge shotgun shells and there are a couple companies selling the reformed 24GA ready to load as well.

Had one, sold it.  Mine was a genuine Enfield in very good condition.

First - massive recoil, very uncomfortable.  The cartridge and stock configuration are a bad combo.  And I consider 45-70 in the right rifle to be fun to shoot.

Next - ammo.  As you pointed out, expensive and difficult to find.

And - reloading.  I cast and load for several BP cartridge rifles and pistols.  Nothing I had done in the past prepared me for the PIA that is loading for the Martini.  Custom shell holder, expensive dies, odd ball bullet mold, filler wads and cereal fillers, bad carbon ring build up at the throat ... just a major PIA.

Then - there's the recoil (did I mention recoil?).  You do not want to shoot that thing from a bench.

MLG

Looked around for alternatives and decided to order a chamber insert that takes. 45 Colt.
A soft lead cowboy load would likely work great since I  already  load those.
They're available in .45acp also but I think jacketed bullets would be tough on that old barrel.

My brother has one of the 445 colt inserts and it works great. You should absolutely be reloading though. I use 70 grains black and a cornmeal filler, pretty pleasant to shoot. Even 45 colt is running a buck a round these days. A 45 acp insert would work fine just reload with cast bullets.

I already load. 45 colt and have found a source for hollow base bullets. They should upset enough to overcome an undersize bullet problem.

There is a good Martini forum on Gunboards.

Not sure many people shoot the Nepeles Francotte. Most were in horrid shape and or poorly made.

Yeah the common line of thinking is that they're all wall hangers. Can you likely shoot one and it be fine.  Yes.  Should you.....probably no.