Martini Cadet Ideas

[Texas by God]

I'm still staring at Von Gruff's stock........

[M.A.D]

The Aussie Gunsmith Tony Small does a 7.62 x 39 Martini conversion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZr1HNribp0

[M.A.D]

And how he did the extract/eject https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oaf5ugMw7KM

[Spudgun]

I re-barreled a BSA Australian cadet rifle with a Shilen match grade 30 cal barrel, turned to match the original contour so I could stick with the full length fore-stock, chambered for 30-30 Ackley Improved in 1984 and have shot many thousand rounds through it since. I've loaded it as hot as 303 British ballistics but the recoil in a rifle this light is too brutal. No load that I have tried has shown any excess pressure signs & it's very accurate, especially as an off-hand rifle. It's really handy being able to buy ammo for it anywhere if I run out of hand loads.

[samari46]

Always wanted a 32-20. Gonna send out a BSA model 12 or 12/15 with a center fire trigger group to John Taylor With one of TJ's barrel liners with a faster twist than the original 32-20. Since it's set up for iron sights and my eyes aren't 20 years old anymore, most likely have it drilled and tapped for an old Lyman All American 10x AO scope. There is a member on the ASSRA forum playing around with a reworked BSA setup with faster twist shooting BP. Some of his groups with I believe iron sights are amazing. Also it was once suggested to me regarding a cadet martini be relined to 38 special. Plenty of cheap brass, easy on powder, cast bullets not a bad idea. Frank

[NorthMoccasin]

I am soooo envious of you fellows with your Cadets. I had a original 310 back in the 60's, but no ammo was available and I had no funds to convert it, so it went down the road. I wish I still had it! Now they are scarce and high priced in my area. The TC Contender has to suffice as a small bore single shot for me. Not as classy as a Martini, but the price is right and the barrel interchangeability is a big plus. I have barrels in 22 hornet, 32 H&R, 25-35 Ackley, 375/444, and 30/30 Ackley. All shoot cast of course. I would love to find a small frame CF Martini, but so far no luck.

[Shawlerbrook]

22 K Hornet

[flintlocke]

Don't know if the original poster is going to do his own metal work, or what his budget may be, but in my case, economy and simplicity trumped the other options. So I went with keeping a rimmed cartridge, just cutting the rim depth to accomodate the .32-20 rim. Using a cheap ebay used chucking reamer to open the .310 chamber neck plus about .070" freebore to .348 to .32-20 length. This allowed me to use cast .323 in a barrel with a .321 groove dia. with unaltered .32-20 brass (other than blowing out the neck to accept thumb seated 8mm cast bullets).
So, end result, a Westley Richards 8mm/32-20, capable of 2.2 moa for 22 bucks for the reamer and 25 bucks for the mold. I have shot other Martini's in hotter cartridges....gilding the lily in my opinion.

[shutinlead]

I just picked up a mildly abused little WR, in a 310. I didn't need it but I didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands - (I use this excuse a lot) - Have an order going in to Manson in the next couple days so thanks for the insight on the 30 Badger! Looks like a great use for 38 special brass. now, on to wood...

[flintlocke]

shutinlead, my WR I believe was stored on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean for several years before I acquired it. Hence, you might keep me in mind if you decide to sell your takeoff barrel. flintlocke

[shutinlead]

I just got this thing, they had the barrel liberated from the action, the bore looks great it's just that someone used an adjustable wrench rather than a barrel wrench to remove it so the flats are rounded. I'm going to dress these up the best I can without losing the WR symbol and modify the chamber slightly and reuse it. I have a Greener that was probably sitting on the ocean floor next to your WR, it cleaned up pretty well so here shortly I'm going to have a martini day or two in my shop.

[drhall762]

My Martini style pile seems to be growing. Came across a couple of the little Trade Mark .22LR target rifles a while back. A little rough but complete and restorable.

[Texas by God]

.32 H&R mag or .38 Special would suit me just fine in a Cadet Martini. I've never seen just an action for sale; just rifles already customized and they cost more than I'll pay.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[shutinlead]

I know what you mean by pile growth- picked this up a while back - not a true martini but it's not a peabody either... a 22 rf extractor/firing pin I'm like the scandahoovian that drops the penny into the outhouse - wasn't going in after that so he dropped a quarter and made it worthwhile. I wasn't going to build a pattern for the duplicator for just one martini - now it's four so... and I hate wood! going from a martini day to a martini week!

[samari46]

I wrote to David Petroff up in Alaska about what pistol cartridge would be suitable for the cadet martini.Straight off he told me that I shouldn't go any faster than a 38 special.He said what with all the published loading data and the choice of bullets cast or jakaeted and if with a 38 special no need to have the firing pin bushed like if you were going to use a 357 magnum cartridge.Frank

[MaxJon]

I wrote to David Petroff up in Alaska about what pistol cartridge would be suitable for the cadet martini.Straight off he told me that I shouldn't go any faster than a 38 special.He said what with all the published loading data and the choice of bullets cast or jakaeted and if with a 38 special no need to have the firing pin bushed like if you were going to use a 357 magnum cartridge.Frank

I'm going with the .357 magnum, but a ot seem to be going the .357 Maximum. Magnum will be fine with cast loads I believe.

[Jedman]

I have a all original BSA cadet in 310 and 4 others in calibers based on the 32-20 and 357 case.
If I build another I would probably go with a 25-35 because of the shape of the cartridge it would feed and eject very good. The next step down would be something on the 5.6 X 50 R case or the 38 spl. - 357 max case. I have one chambered in 357 Max and it does need a little help with your fingers to extract the fired case so something tapered would be better.
If you can find a butt stock from a Ruger no. 1 they can be easily fitted to the cadet frame or there are unfinished mostly fitted stocks and forends available thru several replacement stock makers.

Jedman

[MaxJon]

I have a all original BSA cadet in 310 and 4 others in calibers based on the 32-20 and 357 case.
If I build another I would probably go with a 25-35 because of the shape of the cartridge it would feed and eject very good. The next step down would be something on the 5.6 X 50 R case or the 38 spl. - 357 max case. I have one chambered in 357 Max and it does need a little help with your fingers to extract the fired case so something tapered would be better.
If you can find a butt stock from a Ruger no. 1 they can be easily fitted to the cadet frame or there are unfinished mostly fitted stocks and forends available thru several replacement stock makers.

Jedman

Thanks Jedman!!

[GONRA]

BACK in 1960's GONRA rebarreled a friends .310 Cadet for .357 Mag.
Used a Numrich Arms .357 Barrel blank.
Chambered with a boring bar with leade geometry ground on the tip.
Milled extractor groove with my 10 K SB Lathe Milling Attachment.
(Soon after, gotta Clausing Vertical Mill...)

[MaxJon]

BACK in 1960's GONRA rebarreled a friends .310 Cadet for .357 Mag.
Used a Numrich Arms .357 Barrel blank.
Chambered with a boring bar with leade geometry ground on the tip.
Milled extractor groove with my 10 K SB Lathe Milling Attachment.
(Soon after, gotta Clausing Vertical Mill...)

Love it!!