In an article in the New York Times, C J Chivers remarks on an old Martini Henry rifle picked up by the Marines on patrol in Marja. Unlike most captured arms, which may be in rough shape on the outside but usually still oiled up and working on the inside, this old rifle was rusted up completely. Mr. Chives thinks the availability of ammunition is the culprit here, making this old rifle obsolete to the Taliban leaving it abandoned. Ammunition for the Lee Enfield and Mosin Nagants seem to be available on the black markets there, but the supply of old .450/.577 rounds needed for the Martinis have finally dried up. Chivers At War series in the NYTimes is stimulating reading.
