What would you do?

[andym79]

Hi guys if you had a 219 zipper barrel and a 25-35 barrel which would you put on a martini cadet and which on a marlin 336. I am having some trouble deciding. I figure you could probably wring more accuracy out of a 219 zipper on a scoped cadet than a 336 but is the zipper too much for a cadet?

And how accurate a load could i squeeze out of cast in a 25-35 on the cadet if I went that way?

[Mk42gunner]

Never having played with either cartridge; I think I would put the .25-35 on the Marlin, and find something else to put the .219 Zipper on.

I know an awful lot of Cadets got rechambered to .32 Winchester Special when they were imported into the US, and ever since I started reading gun magazines in the late seventies I have seen warnings about the conversion being kind of sketchy. The Cadet action is pretty small once you start putting barrels chambered for rounds larger in diameter than the .357 Mag.

My two cents anyway.

Robert

[andym79]

I think a good choice if thete are concerns would be to cut and rechamber would be the 5.6x50r its a fair bit thinner than the 219 zipper but gives up almost nothing ballistically. The 218 bee is good but it's not really zipper territory!

[Hickory]

In terms of using cast boolits, I'd go with the 25-35 because the heavier boolit would carry farther and with more authority for the purpose of hunting.
For anything other then that, it's your choice, not mine.

[sav300]

My old mate has a 219 Zipper on a martini and no problems,219 Zipper can be made from 25.35 brass or buy Bertram brass.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I think a good choice if thete are concerns would be to cut and rechamber would be the 5.6x50r its a fair bit thinner than the 219 zipper but gives up almost nothing ballistically. The 218 bee is good but it's not really zipper territory!

I'd agree with this, and have done it, if I was prepared to lay in a considerable supply brass, just in case. It is more a German cartridge than an American one. For the Zipper, on the other hand, .25-20 or at a pinch .30-30 brass will be available till death rays take over.

The recoil argument, in a light rifle with a small buttplate, isn't a strong for the .25-35 as the .32 Winchester Special. But the Zipper, being just that little shorter and smaller in neck and bullet diameter, will be easier to insert, especially under a scope. I've heard of .32 Cadets requiring manipulation of the loading lever to insert the case, and if you only ever fumble the load once, it's going to be for the buck of a lifetime.

The other consideration, if you are rebarrelling both rifles, is that I believe the Marlin 336 cartridge carrier is specific to different cartridges. Possibly the one for .30-30 would do for the shorter Zipper or could be altered, but I don't know that, and Numrich Gunparts appear to be sold out. This is something worth checking out before you act.

[Shawlerbrook]

I would find another Marlin and do both on the 336. Probably do a 22 Hornet or K Hornet on the Cadet.

[northmn]

The main complaints about the 218 Bee were the constraints of the lever action, especially the 92 Winchester. Blunt bullets for the magazine and difficulty scoping a 92. Marlin would be easier but still needs the blunt bullets. Hornady now makes a soft tipped pointed bullet that would work in the 25-35 but I know of none for the 219. The 219 Zipper was commonly fitted to Winchester single shots like the High Wall and to be much of an advantage would be best used on that sort of platform.

DEP

[gundownunder]

I'd put them both on the Marlin action. The cadet was designed for cartridges like 32-20, 25-20, 218 Bee, or as already said, Hornet.
The other option if you want it would be to find the Martini 303 action. Then I'd put the zipper on the Martini because of the pointy bullets that the zipper would benefit from.

[runfiverun]

the zipper is too accurate to be putting it on a lever action rifle.
that's what killed it in the first place.
25-35 is fine on the marlin.
get you another barrel and another action and do it right.
a savage 340 would take the zipper round, [or the 25-35 for that matter] but for all the trouble your gonna go through making cases you might as well get something nice.

[andym79]

the zipper is too accurate to be putting it on a lever action rifle.
that's what killed it in the first place.
25-35 is fine on the marlin.
get you another barrel and another action and do it right.
a savage 340 would take the zipper round, [or the 25-35 for that matter] but for all the trouble your gonna go through making cases you might as well get something nice.

I hear what you are saying about the zipper, the old 94 was never really the right platform for it so neither is the 336, a scope alone is not enough!

But are you against the martini? If so if it on the basis of barrel shank size. Why a Savage 340 other than the fact they where offered in 30-30?

[gnoahhh]

I would put the Zipper in the Cadet if I were forced to choose between the two. If I had my druthers I would reserve the Cadet for something between .22 Hornet at one end of the spectrum to 5.6x50R (or .222Rimmed) at the other.