Rifle

This rifle with serial number WA 640 and stamped with a crown over "VR" was manufactured by the Birmingham Small Arms & Metal Company (BSA & M Co) in 1895. This marking denotes the reign of Queen Victoria ("VR" stands for Victoria Regina), indicating the rifle's production during her era. The "WA" serial prefix suggests that the rifle was issued to the Western Australian colonial forces, as similar markings have been observed on rifles allocated to the Western Australian Volunteer Force .
museum.wa.gov.a. This model was part of the transition from black powder to smokeless powder firearms within the British Empire. The Martini-Metford rifles were known for their robust single-shot, lever-action mechanism and were commonly used by colonial forces during the late 19th century.