BSA Martini 12/15
Birmingham Small Arms Company Ltd · Rifle · Discontinued · 1935
Also known as: BSA Model 12/15, BSA-Parker Model 12/15, BSA Martini Model 12/15 Target Rifle
Overview
The BSA Martini 12/15 is a British single-shot .22 Long Rifle target rifle built on the small-action Martini falling-block mechanism. First catalogued by Parker-Hale in 1935 as the 'B.S.A.-Parker Model 12/15' and produced by the Birmingham Small Arms Company into the mid-1950s, it pairs a heavy 29-inch match barrel with a full pistol-grip stock, cheekpiece and long target fore-end. Fitted with a Parker-Hale tang-mounted aperture rear sight and a tunnel front sight with interchangeable inserts, it was prized for prone smallbore competition and marksmanship training, reliably producing groups around one inch at 100 yards.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4196 g (148.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1137 mm (44.76") |
| Barrel Length | 737 mm (29.02") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 13 N (2.9 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 330 m/s (1083 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 141 J (104 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 91 m (100 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Long Rifle · primary — also known as .22 LR, 22 LR, 5.6x15mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock
- Features: Single Shot, Martini Falling Block Action, Heavy Target Barrel, Pistol Grip Stock, Cheekpiece, Long Target Forend, Aperture Rear Sight, Tunnel Front Sight
Service history
Operators
- British civilian and club target shooters
- Society of Miniature Rifle Clubs
Production
Production years: 1935-1955
Production interrupted by the Second World War (circa 1939-1947); postwar serials restarted around P60,000 and ran into the low P76,000 range.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: Birmingham Small Arms Company / Parker-Hale
Discontinued: 1955
Notes
The '12/15' designation reflects its origin as an uprated, heavier-barrelled target development of the BSA Model 12. Postwar examples are slightly longer (about 44¾ inches overall) and serial-numbered in the P60,000–P76,000 range.
Background
The Martini falling-block action that underpins the 12/15 descends from the military Martini-Henry; BSA adapted the small-action version into a generation of smallbore match rifles that dominated British club and prone target shooting for decades.