Marbles #159

[Uncle Grinch]

I picked up some surplus ammo from a friend who got it at a yard sale. He is not into shooting so he gave it to me. Mixed in the ammo was a chamber adapter made by Marbles. It is stamped #159 and looks like a 30-06 case without the neck. It has a floating firing pin and is slit in the end to hold a pistol cartridge. I believe a 32 ACP may fit in it.

Anyone familiar with this??

[NVcurmudgeon]

No experience with the .30/06 adaptor, but I did have one for the .250/3000 Savage that took .25 ACP cartridges. Two shots would make a two inch group at 25 yd. from the bench, three shots would shoot into three inches, four shots would group four inches, etc. Of course, the .251" diameter bullets in a .257" groove diameter barrel were probably bouncing off the walls trying to get out!

[KCSO]

Look in Walter's Pet loads for a complete run down on these adaptors and their accuracy. I have only had one in 30-30 and it worked ok. A 32 S and W would shoot into about 1" at 25 yards and hit pretty much on with the sights.

[Bent Ramrod]

I've got a Marble's No. 159A. I was hoping it would fit .32 Auto, but the assembly won't chamber in my Springfield 03. I think it may use the .32 Long Colt, instead. Not a very common cartridge anymore, so I haven't tried it yet.

[Uncle Grinch]

Bent Ramrod,

I believe you may be right. I can;'t get it to chamber with a 32 ACP cartridge either. It fits in the Marbles adapter, but it too long or large to chamber.

[Char-Gar]

The 1939 Stoger's catalog and handbooks says...

Marble's Auxiliary Cartridges

159 - .30 Govt. rimless '03 and '06 for use with the .32 Colt Automatic

159A - 30 Govt. rimless '06 for use with the .32 Colt Automatic

[Bent Ramrod]

My reprint of Marble's Catalog D (1924) says that Auxiliary Cartridge #159 is "size .30 Government Rimless '03 and '06 for use with .32 Colt Automatic."

I've tried mine with various old factory rounds: WRA Co., Rem-UMC, Western, W-W and Peters .32 ACP and .32 Auto/7.65m/m. None have fit so far.

My 03 Springfield is an arsenal-rebuilt job with a 1942-vintage Springfield barrel. I wouldn't think there was a single "minimum" dimension in the chamber. When I close the bolt (or try to) it doesn't stick or jam so much as it seems to be too long, and bounces back out.

I've only eyeballed the adapter against a fired .30-06 shell; guess I ought to mike it and see where the difference is. Kind of a disappointment, in any case.