Indians For Guns

Greetings, I own a 12 gauge double barrel muzzleloading shotgun I purchased in 1977 or 78, here in the US. It has 32 inch barrels, a tapered steel ramrod, steel butplate, and patchbox. I like this gun alot and it shoots well. I would like to know more about the manufacture of the weapon, but haven't been able t find out much so far. I have a hard time reading the name of the manufacture, which is stamped on the barrel. It says "HNATI & Co., Jodhpur", stamped on the right barrel. The first letter of the Manufacturers name could be a different letter, perhaps an M or R as the stamping is light in the barrel. It has several proof marks on each barrel along with "BR15" stamped into the base of each barrel. also stamped into the barrel is the phrase "English Material Superior Quality MLGUN" and "MADE IN INDIA". The date 1974 is stamped into the barrel also.

The locks and hammers each have curly engraving in them. The medium brown wood is checked at the grips and steel sling brackets are attached to the barrel and the stock. The nipples take a #12 cap which is kind of hard to find anymore.

Do many people hunt with Muzzleloaders in India?

I appreciate any feedback any of you have, thanks

Muzzleloaders are still used in rural areas by some people. The license to own one is the easiest for a landowner to procure (on the basis of crop protection) and they are relatively cheap to buy and shoot... They are also quite popular with poachers for the above reasons.

Can you post pictures of your gun?

Cheers!
Abhijeet

Are muzzle loaders still made in India ? Or for that matter were they made as late as 1974 ? And don't they come under the perview of Firearms act ?

Yes, muzzle loaders are still made in India and to get one you have to apply for a muzzle loading licence, eg. SBMLG - Single Barrel Muzzle Loading Gun.

Sorry, Redneck but I do not have the answers to your query. However, you may find this site to be of interest...
http://www.curioushouse.com/home.htm?

Mack The Knife

OK, here is photo of the shotgun. Very poor, since I used a camera phone. I appreciate all your comments. I will get a good photo of it and post it, it is a good looker.
Happy Day to you all.

SR,

That is a fine looking ML,the wood work looks awesome

dont see that quality furniture on the shotguns being produced in India

these days.

Wonder if they still produce and export ML's out of India.


Sanjay

Hi ,
The manufacturers name is BHATI & Company and its based in Jodhpur. They do not make M.L.Guns any more and the manufacturing licence is now converted to B.L.Guns. They make one of the best B.L.Guns in india.

Muzzle loaders are still very common in India.
Specially Rajasthan , parts of Himachal Pradesh etc....the licence was also easy to procure ...on the recomendations of a Patwari I think you could get a licence for M.L.Gun for crop protection. However, things have been made a bit difficult now. The scheme has been misused in Ganga nagar where non existant M.L.Gun licences were converted to B.L.Guns licences. Read it in the newspaper some time back.
In big cities however finding gun powder, lead shots & p caps is difficult .


India does not export tested M.L.Guns anymore. Think you not allowed to export them (not really sure check with curious house they are exporters and should be able to give more information)

AC

Thanks for the comments, I'm glad to know some more about this ML. I'll get some better photos up soon, It is a fine piece of gun making. Didn't know what I was getting when I got it 30 years ago. Paid $110.00 for it from a shop in Wichita, Kansas. Probably not very many of them around. I do remember seeing a de.scription of this in a "Firearms digest that I had back in the late 70's , they described it to a detail. This is a "hoot" to shoot too. Lots of smoke and a distinct roar.

Happy day to ya.

Hi Redneck,

Wish to know more about ur M.L.Gun

It was made by an individual by the name of Kallu Ram Mistry who was earlier a foreman in Indian Railways. Was supposed to be a mster of his trade and used to supply custom manufactured spares to many English gun makers for their old firearms which had been sourced from India from the earstwhile Rulers when they sold off their amouries.

The gun manufacturing business is looked after his son and grandson. They don't manufacture M.L.Guns anymore . They still do a lot of export but largely handicrafts .

Even today the legacy of good manufacturing continues. Their B.L.Guns are sturdy, are well finished and guns generally dont get rusted that soon. If you are interested I could send u some pictures of their 32" Barrel specially engraved guns , 22 " Pistol grips with silver engraving on the chamber.

AC

AC,

There was a 12 G out of Jodhpur,32 " barrels called New Light,is this the one made by this Co.

It looked pretty solid,but was very heavy.

Please do post pics of thes guns out of Jodhpur.

Thanks

Sanjay

Yaps buddy.....the manufacturers are the same. One company was owned by the father and one by the son. Now both of them are run by his son.

Guns are heavy but sturdy built like a cannon...LOL

AC

Even today the legacy of good manufacturing continues. Their B.L.Guns are sturdy, are well finished and guns generally dont get rusted that soon. If you are interested I could send u some pictures of their 32" Barrel specially engraved guns , 22 " Pistol grips with silver engraving on the chamber.

I am seriously hunting for good dbbl with pistol grip, most of friends had a openion that Indian dbbl has lots of ejection problem ,what is the best avaliable in Indian market ,shot barrel foreign brand is next to impossible to get,your advice on this is called-for,cheers,james..

I would not recommend a pistol grip shotgun... they are quite useless for any kind of "aimed" shooting, nor are they comfortable to shoot... First try shooting 10-20 rounds through one of these pistol grip shotguns and then form your opinion on whether this is actually what you want... Just my $0.02....

Cheers!
Abhijeet

James,

Personally even I don't like a pistol grip. But its in fashion and thats why people buy it. Left to me I am even unable to open it properly leave aside firing it. Why does it sell so well....may be the guys who buy it never use it for clay shooting anyways...I wonder what the guys use it for. If you interested in a short barrel try a 22" barrel with a full stock. Its a bit smaller than normal stock but much better to use and operate.

AC