I have a BSA Cadet that was changed to 32-20 before I got it. I would like to have it changed to 38 special but kept looking original externally.
I have tried contacting gunsmiths both locally and online, but have not had luck finding someone that will do the job. Does anyone here know of a gunsmith that will line the barrel and rechambered to 38 as well as bushing the firing pin?
Thanks.
John Taylor did mine.
The ENEMY is listening.
HE wants to know what YOU know.
Keep it to yourself.
Welcome to the Martin Club! I warn you: they are addictive!
Rights, and Privileges, are not synonymous. We have the Right to Bear Arms. As soon as the Government mandates firearm registration, and permiting, then that Right becomes a Privilege, and may be taken away at our Master's discretion.
Welcome to the Castboolits Forum, 03car31. I used to have what you've got (MH Cadet in .32-20) and found it to be highly inaccurate shooting factory loads. Turned out that the factory bullets were about .30" diameter and the bore about .32" diameter. I started loading cast .32 Cal. wadcutters and it became a tack driver. It was really simple, just re-prime, add powder, stick the wadcutter part way into the case, turn the case upside down and press the bullet against the workbench top until it sat flush in the case. Never needed to resize at all. Stupidly, I got bored with it and sold it off, a major mistake. Anyway, re-chambering to .38 Special is an idea, but if I had mine back I'd leave it as-is. You're wanting to go from a .32" bore to a .357" bore, plus the thickness of the liner, so if you go that route it might be more practical to re-barrel which will ruin the remaining authenticity. I'd leave it alone and load for it in .32-20, a great little cartridge.
DG
I may have to try that.
I wonder if JES could rebore it?
http://www.35caliber.com/index.html
No, his site states they don't bore anything smaller than .338 caliber.Originally Posted by Nobade
Just rebore it ....no need to bush the firing pin for 38special
If your Cadet has been rechambered to 32-20 the best way to get it to shoot well is use 32-20 brass and .310 Cadet heeled bullets.
RCBS makes a .310 Cadet heeled bullet mold
OR
Just buy them from Bear Creek http://https://www.bearcreeksupplybu...t-heeledbullet
Hoping the photos actually attach. . .
I'd have to make a trip to where the press lives to remind myself what I actually did for flaring of brass the first time it's loaded. . .
But the short version is you won't have much luck getting accuracy with "true" .32-20 ammo. Mine has a .3185 groove diameter, and the custom bullet shown (hopefully - Accurate 32-155D, at any rate) is a tumble-luber that I spec'd to drop at .321" as I recall. Unaltered .312" bullets in standard .32-20 will just rattle down the bore and tumble. But the rifle and ammo as shown hover around the 2-2.5MOA mark.
If it didn't shoot so well, I'd have gone the .357 Mag route myself. John Taylor would be the guy for it though.
WWJMBD?
In the Land of Oz, we cast with wheel weight and 2% Tin, Man.
Having owned 5 Cadets that had been "rechambered" to 32-20 Winchester, I have had mixed luck. One shot like a house a'fire, cast or jacketed. Another wouldn't find the paper with cast but would shoot accurately with jacketed. Another would shoot decently, but would blow the case out straight each firing.
What I did for the third rifle was slug the bore (.318", like Bigslug found). I use the RCBS mold for the 8mm Nambu (110gr) and run it through a custom Lee push-thru die to size to .319". I found that by trimming the case a tad (if you follow this method you should do a chamber cast to see your true case length, but you can do the "cut and try method) and use a 30 Carbine die set to load. With this set up, the rifle behaves herself very admirably. I use it for our annual turkey shoot and always bring home a prize.
Note: If One desires to make ammo, but is put off by the scarcity of 32-20 brass, 7.62x38 Nagant brass will work.
As for the .38 route, I have one that was "converted" when imported in the 1950's to 357 Mag. All the smith did was rebore and re-rifle. It shoots .38 Special very sweetly, but .357 Mag at "normal" loads is a bit sticky on extraction.
My "318 Cadet" round:
Rights, and Privileges, are not synonymous. We have the Right to Bear Arms. As soon as the Government mandates firearm registration, and permiting, then that Right becomes a Privilege, and may be taken away at our Master's discretion.
You might be surprised, but Jesse actually does do a few that aren’t advertised. Super, super nice guy. A mountain of a man who does outstanding work.
I’ve finally got a line on an action. Been wanting one for thirty five years. I have a buddy in California who is addicted to them.Welcome to the Martin Club! I warn you: they are addictive!
Prices on Cadets have hit bottom here ...see lots for $250 A ....thats about US$180
John, if you run across the trigger group that has the cross-bolt safety, do send me one!
Rights, and Privileges, are not synonymous. We have the Right to Bear Arms. As soon as the Government mandates firearm registration, and permiting, then that Right becomes a Privilege, and may be taken away at our Master's discretion.
But I thought 38 special was bigger than .338. He does say he can do it on his web site.
Another option is the .32-40. Bore is right, cases made from .30-30s, and the tapered case ejects without issue. Need to keep to the light bullets though for the 1:20 twist, e.g. #32359.
It'll be handy if I never need it.
Insomniac, agnostic, dyslectic - awake all night wondering if there is a Dog.
Wilderness, you are evil! I just happen to have a set of 32-40 dies, a 120gr .321 mold and a batch of orphan 375 Win brass!
Properly loaded, a 32-40 Cadet will not bite like a 32 Winchester Special does.
Rights, and Privileges, are not synonymous. We have the Right to Bear Arms. As soon as the Government mandates firearm registration, and permiting, then that Right becomes a Privilege, and may be taken away at our Master's discretion.
Definitely talk to Jesse.
.38 should be no problem - back in the 60's several importers were converting them to 32/20 + .357 mag. for resale -
never pick a fight with an old man - if he is too old to fight he will just kill you -
in this current crisis our government is not the solution , it is the problem ! -
ILLEGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM
as they say in latin
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