310 Cadet

[Rapier]

Bushing the firing pin is fairly simple with black Lock tite. You turn the end of the firing pin down to .125 with a shoulder that stops the pin on the frame or bolt, as normal. Then drill the bolt face with a flat end mill bit to accept a .250 diameter plug, not a hole through, a flat bottom pocket, with a plug that has .125 hole in the center. The trick is to make a flush to the face pocket fit, using the black lock tite to hold the plug in place. The black has 6k psi shear strength, once set the plug is not coming out. The 1/8” or .125 diameter gives you a smokeless diameter firing pin. Just make sure the firing pin fits freely and the return spring works correctly. Explaining it without my drawings, is not precise. As I am describing by recall, I duplicated the diameter of a 700 Rem firing pin tip. Pretty much any smokeless firing pin and matching bolt face hole diameter would do the trick.
This is what my 357 Super Mag, 225 WM, 218 Bee and 222R Cadets have had done to them. If you run the pressure up to a smokeless level, the BP firing pin hole will cause the primers to flow back, locking up the action.
If you have any questions just drop me a note.

[Black Beard]

I use cut down 32-20 brass that had the rim thinned. The case capacity is 1cc with the heeled bullet. My preferred load is 3.5 gr N320 behind a 120 grain RCBS cast bullet. For quiet loads, try 2.2 grains N310.

7.62 Nagant dies are so close to 310 cadet ones you can use them for sizing brass. They are a lot cheaper.

I do crimp using a modified Lee crimper (the type that grips inwards when it is compressed) that was turned down to the right length.

I also size the bullets to .323.

[Intel6]

My Cadet is not re-chambered to 32-20. I use Starline 32-20 brass with a thinned rim and shortened. I just went with the RCBS mould and have had great results with it using Unique or 2400. They both shoot great but mine prefers 2400 better. I use Lee tumble lube to coat my bullets and it helps them stay in the case when loaded.

[john.k]

I think .125" dia is a bit large......normal practice is .070" for a smokeless high pressure action...pretty sure this is what De Haas recommends for a Cadet in Hornet or Bee.

[Black Beard]

The firing pin size is a little less of an issue if you use small rifle primers, which are thicker. There should be plenty of power on the firing pin. You can also de-cock the rifle by pulling the trigger with the lever open and releasing the pressure on the lever.

[John Taylor]

I guess I don't understand enough about the rifles involved to understand the difference in a bushed vs. non-bushed firing pin...

The original firing pin is a little large for high pressure rounds and the primer can flow back into the firing pin hole making the action hard to open, can also cause ruptured primers. Going to a smaller firing pin the hole must be bushed to a smaller size also. On most Cadets the firing pin is close to .125", I usually take them down to .080 or .070". I cut the breach face about 1/8" deep with a 1/2" carbide end mill and solder a hardened bushing in ( black Loctite will most likely work fine ). The original firing pin has a body diameter of 7/16" so going to 1/2" bushing give a shoulder so the bushing is not driven back into the bolt. Learned from experience that smaller diameter bushing can give problems. Reason for using carbide end mill, some of the breach blocks are case hardened. I usually use pre hardened spring steel for the bushing ( old car springs ).

[gnoahhh]

The original firing pin is a little large for high pressure rounds and the primer can flow back into the firing pin hole making the action hard to open, can also cause ruptured primers. Going to a smaller firing pin the hole must be bushed to a smaller size also. On most Cadets the firing pin is close to .125", I usually take them down to .080 or .070". I cut the breach face about 1/8" deep with a 1/2" carbide end mill and solder a hardened bushing in ( black Loctite will most likely work fine ). The original firing pin has a body diameter of 7/16" so going to 1/2" bushing give a shoulder so the bushing is not driven back into the bolt. Learned from experience that smaller diameter bushing can give problems. Reason for using carbide end mill, some of the breach blocks are case hardened. I usually use pre hardened spring steel for the bushing ( old car springs ).

Bingo. I wouldn't want a 1/8" diameter firing pin for a high(er) pressure cartridge.

[Rapier]

As said, I just duplicated a Rem 700 setup, pin to hole. My shop is not in the house. So it gets to be a recall situation. Oh, you can make the plug a bit proud and flush it, so when head-spacing a new barrel, it is correct.

This is my 222R

[gnoahhh]

Nice rifle! You must have long arms?

[Bigslug]

Like Baltimoreed, mine is one of the .32-20 reamer conversions. Not that this will convert exactly to an unaltered/lower capacity .310 Cadet chamber with heeled bullets (read, "work up to your load"), but I'm running a .320" 130 grain conventional lube groover on top of AA#9 for a comfortable and accurate 1545 fps. 2400 and H110 might also be worth considering. My point being that the guns can go a bit beyond light gallery loads.

That said, I got the same bullet up to around 1250fps with Unique in my early outings with it and it shot very well.

[Baltimoreed]

Bigslug, what brass are you reloading and what are you using for a sizing die? Just curious.

[Bigslug]

Bigslug, what brass are you reloading and what are you using for a sizing die? Just curious.

Starline brass. Next time I'm down at Dad's (where we have the space to make the magic happen) , I'll have to go back and look at the how the Dillon toolhead is set up (it's taken me 6 years to go through the first 1000 rounds), but the original RCBS .32-20 sizing die is not in play. Got a new mold for the rifle (Accurate 32-155D with diameter adjusted down), so will be taking a fresh look shortly.

[john.k]

A lot of the first model Greeners will take a 32-20 case without any alteration......mine is an early Greener ,and the 32-20 case blows out straight ,so that with the thin wall at the neck of the case,I just seat .316" bullets in the fired cases slightly sized (sized just enough to hold a bullet.)

[Bigslug]

Getting kind of an interesting survey in barrel specs here: the OP running a .326" bullet in an unspecified maker, john.k with his .316" bullets in a Greener, me with my BSA and it's .3185"groove /.312" bore...

As with early Lee Enfields, internal dimensions seem to be all over the place.

[john.k]

Not without reason......the first deliveries (Greeners and BSAs) had rifling .003 deep.......by around 1920 ,it was noted the rifling was worn,so the authorities ordered replacement barrels of the same spec as the 303 ,namely rifling .0055 deep.....The second model BSA s also had the deeper rifling from new........there were no Greeners in the second delivery,IMHO,the first lot of Greeners had poor quality wood.

[Jim Miller]

Hi Y'all, Thank you to all who have responded. Another rabbit hole for me to explore.
Another question. The pin that holds the action to the frame. My 22 BSA has a much larger screw head with the thread cut against the head and therefore the retaining thread is in the right side of the frame. On my cadet the pin just rotates which ever way you turn it so I fear the thread (if there is one) is stripped. I cannot find any drawings to indicate if it is threaded. More advice please. Jim

[Bwana John]

Hi Y'all, Thank you to all who have responded. Another rabbit hole for me to explore.
Another question. The pin that holds the action to the frame. My 22 BSA has a much larger screw head with the thread cut against the head and therefore the retaining thread is in the right side of the frame. On my cadet the pin just rotates which ever way you turn it so I fear the thread (if there is one) is stripped. I cannot find any drawings to indicate if it is threaded. More advice please. Jim

It is a “split pin”, it has no threads.
The split side has bulges that keep it captive.
You remove it by drifting it out from the solid side.
Lube it first if it has not been out for awhile.
Reinstalls solid side first
Lube well with grease when reinstalling
I don’t think it matters which side of the receiver the split is on but I always put it on the starboard side

Remember to have the lever fully extended before trying to remove the trigger group from the frame. The extractor must be in the extract and eject position when dismounting the trigger group from the frame. Use the fully extended lever to rotate the trigger group out, it pivots out from front of the receiver, with the pivot point being a ledge at the bottom rear of the frame.

[Jim Miller]

Hi Bwana John, Many many thanks and a big sigh of relief. The removal sound the same as for my BSA .22. Jim

[dverna]

If I was 20 years younger, I would get one chambered in .38 Spl.

[kootne]

Good first time out. The Cadet has a very fast lock time so is capable of excellent accuracy with a good barrel and bullets. I would try 4227 if you have any, just do not look for it, Hogdon did not make any this last go round.

There is IMR4227 in stock here;
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.c...?currentpage=4