Frontier Arithmetic: The Afghan Jezail

[Jim McDougall]

I have always had a deep interest in history, and much of it certainly prompted by literature and movies (as a youngster one was not especially aware of 'accuracy'). One movie which deeply intrigued me was "King of the Khyber Rifles" (1953) with Tyrone Power.
In later years, and more aware of accuracy and inspirations, I learned that the movie was inspired by a 1916 book by Talbot Mundy with the same title.

Further, I found that Mundy was inspired by a true story and actual unit in an autobiography of Sir Robert Warburton titled "Eighteen Years in the Khyber" (1900) and about his experiences there 1879-1898.

I learned later after much research and letters to many sources that the Khyber Rifles were a paramilitary unit begun in the 1880s as the "Khyber Jezalichis" with Afridi tribesmen. They were attached to British regiments in campaigns and soon went from their jezails to Snider Enfield, then Martini-Henry rifles.

These were my first exposures to these fascinating jezail rifles, and I find the history of them, from the notable tribal use described by Kipling; the accounts by Warburton; the book by Mundy and even the movie, colorful and exciting.

I know we have discussed these many times over the years, but I would really like to discuss them further here, and to see more of the examples you guys have out there.

One thing that I find very intriguing is the constant use and reuse of the British locks of the EIC. I think it would be interesting to put together an overview of these locks and the examples they appear in, with details on the probable time lines; for example, those with the quartered heart, the lion, and those with names and dates.