Bubba'd Cadet RIfle?

[Krag 1901]

I bought a bubba'd Cadet rifle years ago cheap in .218 Bee It had been converted using a Rem 513 .22 RF barrel. I had it rechambered to Mashburn Bee and it shoots the Hornady .22 Jet .222 bullets really, really well. I bought up about 700 of them whenever I saw some. However the firing pin is so small and needle shaped that it pierces the primer in about half the cases!

I bought a new firing pin from Gun Parts and when I tried to install it I found that the breach block had been modified to accept the skinny firing pin????

Other problem is fire forming the Bee case to Mashburn cases stretches the cases at the head. Maybe I need to form the cases using COW before loading bullet?

The rifle has been in the closet for about 10 years and I wonder if it is worth it to keep trying to get it to work or rebarrel it to .357 Max or Mag, and have the new firing pin fitted to it?

RCBS wants $100 for Mashburn Bee dies and a Green Mtn .357 barrel is about the same price.

Or, should I just send it down the road for a couple of hundred?

[barrabruce]

Seating long with a milder load will keep the rim on the breach face and bullet in the lands helping to keep it from moving forward and stretching and keeping them concentric to the bore.
If you are saying the brass stretches fatter at the web line in the case I don’t have a fix.
They will eventually get sharp lines just before they crack.

Maybe be make a false shoulder so they sit on that for firing forming.

The firing pin should protrude about 45 thou of an inch and be a round shape.
Use SRP.

Hope it helps.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

The Mashburn Bee is my favourite small rifle. Mine is built on a Cadet action with a RF barrel 1:16" which limits boolits to 45gn. Because the cases were unobtainable 'down under' for years I have made brass by reforming Starline 32/20. As above making cases this way allows you to control headspace to a minimum.

[dverna]

There is bit of a difference between the two choices....what is the reason to have the rifle?

If it is a toy that will go down the road at some point, I would go with .357 as there is a larger market IMO...plus I might buy it as I have wanted one for a few years...LOL

[John Taylor]

The 357 max will require some work on the top of the breach block to get the cartridge in and out of the chamber. Firing pin should be .060" to .080" in diameter and protrude about .060". Your new firing bin can be turned down in a lathe or the old one can be drilled and a piece of piano wire the proper size installed. If your brass is stretching you may be loading it a little to hot.

[Krag 1901]

It's pretty ugly. The Action is scratched up. The Butstock is original Cadet but the forend is a big bock of walnut square on the bottom for Bench work. I've got about 700 .222" Hornady 40gr HP Jet bullets I'd ship with it as I have no use for them without this gun. I shoots really well with a case full of 4198. I never tried any other powder. I have ~100 new .218 Bee cases some fire formed. The Barrel is full bull Rem 513, I as I remember. it's marked under the forend. I'd throw in the new firing pin too. Send me a PM if your interested.

[Jedman]

PM sent to Krag 1901

Jedman

[John Boy]

Krag, you can’t make all tack drivers ... a safe queen

[Stephen Cohen]

I have not tried it but I did read that putting a little lubrication on the forward section of the shell helps them form and not stretch case. Regards Stephen

[Krag 1901]

Just pulled it to take some pix of it and I guess I was wrong in memory of it. It looks a lot better than I remembered it to be.

I just have to remember I have six rifles that I love more than this thing.

[riverdog]

Pm sent

[Krag 1901]

I was thinking about the availability of .218 brass and the cost of it, if you can find it. Mid-South has some Horanady .218 and wants $40/50.

I read about the problems with the thin 32-20 brass and thought maybe a wildcat .224x327 Fed Mag might be the hot setup and a little faster than the Bee? The thicker .327 brass will probably make for a thick neck, but why not? WIth a shorter neck and 30 degree shoulder?

However I had an offer for it from a guy that lives just 10 miles from me and I'll let him deal with it. I've got The Krag, .308W, 1917 '06, Custom .243, and two .223s to shoot!