Martini Cadet

[03car31]

I have had this cadet for a couple of years. I have tried several of the 32-20 loads and it will shoot them, although not overly accurately.

I sent a PM over to John Taylor and will send it to him for 38 special setup. For some reason I am very fond of 38 special and think that would be a fun plinker.

My 22lr BSA 12/15 should be delivered on Thursday. I am really looking forward to that one.

[challenger_i]

38 Special is a good round for the Cadet. Staying with standard (as opposed to +P or Hotrod) loads, the original sights work very well. Makes for a fun, easy to feed rifle.

[old turtle]

You made a good choice in John Taylor. He relined a 32-40 for me. His work is excellent.

[John Taylor]

I picked up a Cadet action and wood several years ago and went the other way, it's now a 32 S&W with an octagon barrel. It's almost like shooting a 22 LR with a little more knock down power.

[Rapier]

The 357 Mag would be a better choice as it is more versatile, shoot the 38 Spl and 357 Mag both. Just re-barrel, because the chamber cut ruined the authenticity to start with.
You can cut a cup in the bolt face, with a flat end mill bit, and reduce the firing pin diameter for protrusion at the pin nose, stopping the forward travel of the firing pin on the rear of the bolt as normal, not usin the busing as the pin forward travel stop The fired case thrust is to the rear of the bushing, so using black Locktight at 6k shear strength is totally sufficient to hold the faced off bushing in pace, when the busing is bottomed out in the cup. All the bushing does is center the reduced nose of the firing pin. A simple description of how I do my high pressure pin and bolt modification, like for the 357 Super Mag/225 WM conversions.
A few I have redone, leaving a 6" straight .900 in th chamber area to mount 541 scope bases too and the forend too. The forends are glass bedded and the two forend escutcheons are made from cartridge bases cut, drilled and glass bedded. I replace the coil springs with new, cut to proper length.

[M-Tecs]

The 357 Mag would be a better choice as it is more versatile, shoot the 38 Spl and 357 Mag both. Just re-barrel, because the chamber cut ruined the authenticity to start with.
You can cut a cup in the bolt face, with a flat end mill bit, and reduce the firing pin diameter for protrusion at the pin nose, stopping the forward travel of the firing pin on the rear of the bolt as normal, not usin the busing as the pin forward travel stop The fired case thrust is to the rear of the bushing, so using black Locktight at 6k shear strength is totally sufficient to hold the faced off bushing in pace, when the busing is bottomed out in the cup. All the bushing does is center the reduced nose of the firing pin. A simple description of how I do my high pressure pin and bolt modification, like for the 357 Super Mag/225 WM conversions.
A few I have redone, leaving a 6" straight .900 in th chamber area to mount 541 scope bases too and the forend too. The forends are glass bedded and the two forend escutcheons are made from cartridge bases cut, drilled and glass bedded. I replace the coil springs with new, cut to proper length.

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

[challenger_i]

I just want to take this opportunity to say that you are ALL evil! This thread is tweeking my "Build Gene" for another Cadet project!

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I just want to take this opportunity to say that you are ALL evil! This thread is tweeking my "Build Gene" for another Cadet project!

You could always build a 25/35 Winchester!

[John Taylor]

Looking through my barrel pile I found a cadet barrel marked 32 Special and another one marked 32-20 and one that has not been messed with.

[JDHasty]

Finally, after 33 years of wanting, I’m finally in the game. Committed to an action today.

I bought a book ~1991 by a cat name Boyd Mace called The Accurate Varmint Rifle that has a picture of a kid with a martini on the cover. I wanted one bad, and went looking for an action. I couldn’t find an action or rifle for under $400 and that one was trash. The itch has resurfaced, recurring at regular intervals since then.

So now I have a very nice looking BSA action on the way. I’ve got some time to cogitate on what it’s going to eventually be.

A stout barreled bench varmint rifle in 219 Zipper, or my buddy has one that weighs about five lbs that someone put a H&R Ultra Wildcat barrel on and chambered it in 17 Ackley Bee. I’ve got a brand new spare H&R Ultra Wildcat barrel in my safe, it’s chambered in 17 Remington, but I’m keeping it for my Ultra Wildcat. It’s on its second barrel and that one is about used up. I could just go ahead and order a barrel turned to the same profile and go that way and have a really nice little walking around varmint rifle.

I’m sure liking thought of that 25/35 posted above though. Maybe a stalking rifle is the direction I’ll go with it.

My other thought is 327 Federal. I have a MP gas check mold that casts a 115 grain GC HP. We have SSM and Single Seven revolvers. That would be fun.

It’s going to be some time before I get to it. I’ve got a BRNO Model 2 up next, followed by Remington 541s.

[technojock]

I have a model 12/15 BSA Martini rechambered to K-Hornet but the rim-fire to center-fire conversion was done poorly. I'm still hoping to find a BSA centerfire bolt... Back when it was working, it was a serious tack driver.

Tony

[Fishoot]

Techno, How was the conversion "done poorly"?

[Wilderness]

I have a model 12/15 BSA Martini rechambered to K-Hornet but the rim-fire to center-fire conversion was done poorly. I'm still hoping to find a BSA centerfire bolt... Back when it was working, it was a serious tack driver.

Tony - at one time I had both a Cadet and a 12/15. If I remember correctly, the innards could be swapped over 100%. About the only difference, apart from RF/CF was the inclusion of a cocking indicator on the Cadet. If you want a CF bolt look at Cadet parts. Then of course you would have to reduce the Cadet firing pin and bush the hole.

If the boltface of the 12/15 block is bad enough to require a rebuild, recall that the conversion of .577/.450 Martinis to .303 involved dovetailing in a new boltface.

[JDHasty]

Does anyone know if the Cadet stock bolt is a common pitch and what it is? I'm fine ordering one, but it impresses me that a head could be turned from a hex head bolt or a cap screw of the correct length would work.

[beltfed]

I enjoy "plinking" with my Cadet that had been rebored/rifled (12 twist) to 357 Magnum by Klein's /Chicago in late 1950s.
The rifle is externally still original with full length stock,etc and that very nice adjustable barrel rear sight.
It shoots very well with pretty much any decent 357 Mag load. The Keith SWC shoots well
and I have a nice load that shoots well: 358315 Lyman 200 gr over 13 grains of 4227.
It is a pussycat for recoil
beltfed/arnie

[john.k]

The stock bolt is a standard Whitworth thread ,maybe 3/8"..........anyhoo,a UNC will interchange for all practical purposes ,and Id think you could use a socket head bolt to save the trouble of altering a standard hex head........there is a steel washer in the wood.....or should be.

[gnoahhh]

Having owned around a dozen Martinis in different flavors over the years, the three I have now are the ones that "stuck to the wall": BSA 12 in absolutely mint condition, BSA International MkI (the one that still wins smallbore bench matches for me), and my all time favorite- a custom Cadet in .357 Maximum.

Some say they have feeding issues with the Maxi, but I don't. It does require holding the lever down in "extract/eject" position (breech block in lowest position) for the long straight cartridge to make it down and around the bend into the chamber. Very versatile: feed it everything from .38 Specials to .357 and .357 Maximum (but accuracy is best with loads in the long case). Velocity with an RCBS 200 grain cast bullet is easily in the 1900-2000fps range with 1680 (and its 26" barrel).

I wish I'd been smart enough to cook one up 40 years ago and saved myself all the (fun) bother of searching for "The Cadet".

[JDHasty]

Thanks for the stock bolt advice

I went and did the paperwork on my action today and it looks really nice. I have a stack of CZ 527 American barrels in my safe and know I have some 22 Hornet and at least one 17 Hornet barrel. I’m pretty well decided on 17 Ackley Bee I think. I’m getting excited.

[schutzen-jager]

on back cover of June 1858 Guns magazines - shows the 3 calibers that Klein's converted them to - 32/20, .32 Win. spec, + .357 magnum -

[Baltimoreed]

My first Cadet was in 357 and sporterized. My second was still a correct Cadet on the outside but chambered in 32-20. Sold the 357 after I bought the other. Used 32-20 brass and 30 carbine dies and built good ammo. Shoots a 150 gr .321 boolit. A very cool rifle.