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Two marks of Martini buckshot were approved for service. Issue was mainly to the Royal Irish Constabulary, the British prison service and occasionally to troops in the field.
Buckshot Mark I
"Cartridge S.A. Ball Rifle or Carbine BL Martini Henry Buckshot Mark I" was approved for service in about 1882/83. The title was later changed to "Cartridge S.A. Buckshot Martini Henry Mark I". it was not shown in Lists of Changes.
The case was of coiled brass, similar in most respects to the Ball Mark III except there was no cannelure at the neck.
The shot consisted of eleven lead balls, eight of which were contained in a paper bag soaked in beeswax. This extended beyond the case mouth with the remaining balls beneath inside the case mouth but above the wad.
The propellant was black powder.
The Mark I proved to be too fragile in service and was only issued for two years. A stronger case was designed without the paper bag protruding from the case neck.
Buckshot Mark II
"Cartridge S.A. Buckshot Martini Henry Mark II" was approved to design RL4499 in November 1885 and shown in Lists of Changes Paragraph 4868 dated January 1886.
The case was of coiled brass, generally similar to the Ball Mark except the neck was extended to give a case length of 71.5mm. There was no sight hole in the case and no neck cannelures. The end of the case was turned over a glazeboard wad below which was a paper wad.
The shot consisted of eleven lead balls (220 to the pound) packed in bone dust and contained entirely within the case neck.
The propellant was about 54 grains of RFG2 Black powder over which was a cotton wool wad.
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