The Martini Henry Cavalry Carbine,After the Martini Henry breechloading rifle was introduced in 1871

The Martini Henry Cavalry Carbine,After the Martini Henry breechloading rifle was introduced in 1871, it was quite clear that a shortened compact variant would need to be produced for cavalry units.  The Martini Henry Cavalry Carbine MKI was introduced in 1877, specifically designed to satisfy the needs of the British cavalryman.  First and foremost the Cavalry Carbine was significantly shorter than the original Martini Henry rifle, making it much easier to operate from horseback. With a barrel length of 21.37 inches, it was roughly a foot shorter than the full sized rifle.  The corners of the receiver were rounded off to make retrieval from a saddle holster easier.  Likewise, a leather cover was issued with the carbine to cover the rear sight in order to prevent the same and protect it from saddle wear.Finally, the Cavalry Carbine lacked a bayonet lug.  Service with the regular British Army lasted from 1877 until 1882, however production continued until 1889.  Many of the post army production carbines were sold to colonial and militia units in India, Australia, New Zealand, and Africa.  During World War I, both Martini Henry carbines and rifles were occasionally issued as a reserve arm. -- source link

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