I aready have a martini in .22hornet but I have another in its origanl .310 form and cant decide whether to re-chamber to 32-20 or re barrel to 357 or 218bee any suggestions?

The .218 Bee is a great round and a step up from the hornet performance wise but you could do that with a rechamber. Looking at the .32-20 and .357, both would make great little rifle cartridges but if it were me, I'd go .25-20. I do like the road less traveled so that sort of thing appeals to me.

Years ago, I had a Martini rebarreled with a fairly short (20") bull barrel in 218 Mashburn Bee. I takes a little finagling but is a great little cartridge when you get it right. The gun was a real beauty and a great conversation starter.

thanks for the feed back C.A. &JLONGO ITS FOOD FOR THOUGHT.Only problem with wildcat carts is that Im a slave to a very limited supply of brass and dies (let alone a half decent Gunsmith) I shoot for a living so even though I prpbarly load more ammo than most shooters wouldload in a year in a month Ive really Got to keep it simple and not confuse the Guy who supplies my gear.Im really tempted to just ream the chammber to 32-20 as the bore mikes out at .312

Why don't you split the difference and rebarrel for a .256 Winchester? You can make brass from .357 cases very easily and you can get about 2400 fps with a 75 grain hollowpoint with no trouble at all.

These things are my passion. I've got several ranging from a 17 ackley bee, to 218 mashburn, to 222 to 256 etc. I think my favorite is the 218 mashburn been. The 222 uses a snapps extractor which was one SOB to fit. The mashburn bee hold about 3/4" groups. The 17 is one fun blackbird blaster. The 256 was my 1st one, ammo will be difficult and expensive, but once you gather the cases together they last forever. Don't try making them out of 357 brass, I did and it was the worst caseforming job ever. Cailber just depends on what you want to do with ir. ENJOY!!!

My choice was the 256 Win as suggested by Remington40x. I've only "test fired" it in the Cadet I'm converting but the cases were easy to form from .357 mag and it fits the action well.
I'll mention one problem I had which may save you some trouble. After re-barreling and reaming the chamber the primers of the first test-fired rounds extruded into the firing pin hole and locked up the action. The origional 310 Cadet pin hole was .095" dia. which is OK for the low pressure 310 ctg. but too large for more modern high pressure rounds. So, I drilled out the pin hole, TIG welded, and re-drilled to .062". This was the "right" thing to do and ALMOST solved the problem but the REAL cause was a weak striker (firing pin) spring. I shimmed the spring with a washer to increase its compression and the problem completely disappeared. So, if you run into a similar problem after your conversion consider a weak striker spring.
My old Cadet probably sat in storage somewhere in Oz with the striker cocked for 50 years or so. Hope to find a replacement spring so I can get that washer out of there.
Too bad you're so far away. If you do decide on the 256 I could make you a good deal on a nice, once used, chamber reamer.
Good luck with your project...

Jon

Just noticed Butchloc"s comment about trouble forming 256's from .357 brass. Every case I tried to form cracked until I tried anelling them. Heat with a propane torch to dull red and let them cool slowly. Makes all the difference in the world...especially on cases that have been fired a few times and become "work hardened".

Jon

Jon

jon thanks for bringing up bushing the firing pin hole, also turning down the striker nose helps. Thanks for the tip on forming 256 too. I had good luck with numrich arms for parts, I think they still have them in good quantity

I'mm confused! Why not just buy virgin 256 brass? I have a 256 bbl for my contender and have had no problem finding brass.

I formed the cases myself because the only source I could find (sorry, forget who it was) wanted almost $1.00 ea. for them and the ad said they were made from .357 "parrent" brass. Also, I have hundreds of once fired .357 cases.
If you have a source for real "virgin" 256 Win. brass at a reasonable price I sure would like to know about it!

Thanks...

The .310 Cadet uses a heeled bullet that is approx. .321 diameter. The bore diameter should be about the same. .310 rechambered to 32/20 are notorious poor shooters because the bullet are .312 diameter.

.310 Cadet brass is available as are dies, bullets and moulds. I get good accuracy with this round. Contact Buffalo Arms in the U.S. or The AmmoDumpIn Australia for brass, loadign dies, moulds and bullets.

Double D thanks for input prob with the .310 is that we in Aus are sbject to the whims of Simplex manuf(who make the dies ) & bertram brass ie if their not geting thae orders they dont gear up to keep a supply. Maany years ago we had two ammo suppliers Riverbrand & Super,but alas they've gone by way of the DODO.I must admit though a .265 may become my winter project

You don't have to be at the whim of simplex or anyone else any more. The internet has pretty much opened the world as your market subject to the import/export restriction.

I have posted a Martini internet resource list in several locations around the internet. You will find companies on the list that are willing to ship you dies and brass and reasonable too.

Look at Buffalo arms for brass and dies

Here is a link to the resource list:
Martini Stuff on the Internet

Cheers double d I'm still feelin my way round this Internet biz (Jeez the wife wants me to get a GPS next &give up using my compass) I must admit I've always been a fan of the .310 for many years, in fact my first centre fire was a .310

Have owned a couple of Matni Cadets, and very fond of one in .357. Easy to load, shoots well with everything from 125grn JHPs (for monkeys and Baboons) through 158grn JSP's (for Impala and Warthog) and on to 162grn cast lead for target and plinking. Gives sub 1" groups with all my loads (South African MP200 and S265). Barrel came from Truvello (in South Africa). Best of all I can crank out rounds on my Dillion press at a high rate of nots (I also shoot a .357 handgun occasionally in Bianchi matches)

Another vote for the original .310 - a dandy cartridge, very accurate, very nice to shoot. I'm actually still having a project cadet action to be barreled as some point in time with a new .310 barrel, match aperture sights and PG wood -think it would be a winner!

Yes Martini I must amit I'm rather fond of the .310.So it would seem that I may just have to keep one as .310 and play with a Greener action (martini) I've had stashed away until I decided what I was going to do & I must admit that a.256 sounds promicing as I've got a young son who is been bitten by the bug and seems determaned to keep me poor.The sooner he starts maken a living out of shootin the richer I be

I use to look at those .310 Cadets and .297/230 Morris rifles as nothing more than a source of actions to build sporting rifles on. Along came the internet and I found people whoi actually shoot those calibers. Now I am too.

Fun? Challenging? Good shooting!

when I finaly got off my arse & went to work last night! I took the .310 out for a shot & knocked several roos over with it befor I settled down to serious earnin a living with the .223 I must admit it worked well out 100yrdswith chest shots

If you read the contemporary chronicles, you'd be surprised for what this little cartridge was actually used - mentions like 'roe deer at 300 yds' and similar ones are not that uncommon. Don't forget the positive side - no barrel-scorching velocities, no copper to clean, very moderate in powder consumption and - did I say it already? - quite accurate. No, nothing wrong with that little round, or the rifle! yes, this one definitely gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling....

Dear DEciple,
Hows about a 222 Rimmed[Bertram Brass] necked to .25? Just a thought. [or to .17!!!!]

Aloha, Mark[in Or]

Bohica .In the days of my often misspent youth (about 3days ago acording to the Wife!!!!)I played with both the .222 rimmed (riverbrand &super)& later I was whoed by a .17 HORNET which did nothing to enhance any love I may have had for sub cals! These days Ive been spoiled by .223's Mind you I once fell eyre to a martini enfield that had been re chambered that many times that it was almost scyso .the Gun smith at a Uncles whim had converted it to .223 (Thats right Kids) to prove it could be done!

quote:

Originally posted by Bohica:
Dear DEciple,
Hows about a 222 Rimmed[Bertram Brass] necked to .25? Just a thought. [or to .17!!!!]

Aloha, Mark[in Or]

I have 17/222 Rimmed which can push a 25gn HP to 3760fps. Best fox rifle I own after the 17AH, 222 Rimmed, 218 Mashburn (all Martini's) and the 17 Mach IV and 17Rem (Sako's).

BAW I have given the the thought of .17AH serious thought but hadnt thought of .17/222 rimmed! Do Simplex make dies for it? and what ADI loads are you using? (Ps I think Fox prices are going to go thruoh the roof this season.As ive already had a couple of buyers ask me if I was going to do any foxes this season& give the Roo market a rest)

quote:

Originally posted by deciple-of-keith:
I aready have a martini in .22hornet but I have another in its origanl .310 form and cant decide whether to re-chamber to 32-20 or re barrel to 357 or 218bee any suggestions?

I'd stay away from the .32-20 conversion. Serious potential chamber clean-up, oversize bore problems.

If you prefer having a Martini in .30, which I do, why not take a look at the .30 Herrett? You don't have to load it like a mini-mag, but you can if you want. It is one of those cartridges which seems to be dead simple easy to get to shoot great groups, and there are a zillion available moulds which will serve well.

It also short enough to go in and out of the chamber easily, and has a rim for reliable extraction. Best of all, any brass with .30 WCF (30/30)case heads can be used to make the Herrett brass from. Probably won't too great a shortage of THAT brass for another century or so.....

Alberta Canuck

One other thing to consider if you keep your Cadet in .310 RCBS makes a proper mold for a .310 heeled bullet.

40x I think my stepson has mad up my mind for me to keep at least one .310 as he has fallen in love with the one i was looking at re cambering & he has pointed out a local mould maker CBE stocking a 120grn for the 310 so it looks like his got his first centre fire

DOK,

I have an original Cadet that was put together by an action that somehow swam over to the States (hehe) and the other parts were given to me by a friend who butchered a fine Cadet for some wildcat. I reassembled it and then started looking for brass and a bullet mould. My mate down under got me a set of Simplex dies...they are not that hard to get and I ordered a 130 FN mould from CBE. I reform 32-20 brass by trimming to .310 length and am good to go. i also had a man measure my bore slug....he is set up to meausre 5 groove barrel slugs and my barrel mikes at .3178. My favorite load is 10 grains of 2400 under the CBE heeled bullet. 12 grains makes for sticky extraction and 10 seems to shoot real well. By all means, save your original rifle, they are getting hard to come by and such a joy to shoot as is.

Jump trap good news Jansa fire arms here in auz are the agents for Bertram brass (who god luv em )still make .310 brass I already have the CBE mould 130gn fn (a fine mould it is to as are any from CBE ) But I also use 123gn jhp designed for the .303 brit for hunting or I should say my Son does as he has claimed the .310 as his own

Leave the .310 Cadet as it is! it is great cartridge (along with the .300 Sherwood)you can reload or get ammo from Ironbark Ammunition in Victoria.

Steve

RLI I've decided (or at least the lad has decided for me )to keep the Old Girl as a .310.Mind you Geff Slee has just recently supplied me with a new stock for my martini hornet. To say it is a piece of art would be a understatement!So I think I will be looking at one for the .310 as the stocks 14in thus making it a far more comftable weapon to use . Mind you on a hunt this morning the Lad bagged 4 goats with the .310 at between 50-70 mtrs.Using 123grn jhp in front of 8.2gns of 2205!(damd inpertanate child )

RLI one other thing . the .300 sheridan was a nice cart but I prefer my .297rook on a Greener martini (thats one the lad can wait till I die to get his greedy little mits on)

Mates,

Tell me more about this 300 Sheridan and the .297 Rook. You got to understand that we Yanks, once we kicked the King's ass and sent the Redcoats running for Blighty, we pretty much turned our backs on anything British.......sort of why we are still pissed with the Canucks who chose to suck ass after the Crown instead of join us.......anyway, information is quite slim on these small Brit rounds, explain to me how different from the .310 they are.

My firend down under lives in Orange, NSW and I have another mate in QLD, I really need to make a trip someday....for 'holiday' as you say.

HERE is a good website on the 300 Sherwood (aka: 300 Extra Long). The 295 Rook (aka: 300 Rook) is similar, only shorter. Both are straight-walled cases unlike the Cadet which is tapered like the 32-20. Both take an oddball .300" bullet.

I have a few Martini Cadets in .310 and Sportco-Martini .22 and .22 Hornet but the one I like the best is a Westley-Richards Martini Cadet take down in .300 Sherwood, ammo is impossible to find but CBE made a mold for me and Bertram make brass and CH make the dies . I do not have experience with the .297 Rook but if in a modern calibre I would pick the .256 Winchester.

Steve

I think some of the .310 Cadets were rechambered for .32 Winchester Special. I have no opinion on whether this is a good idea or not, but if OK it would be a step up in power over what these little rifles usually are set up for. Or I suppose .32-40 might work too.

My pet project is a Martini Cadet chambered for 5.6x50 Rimmed. This is like better than 222Mag performance in a very short rifle.
RWS cases are now readily available as are dies from CH
I have a BSA Mod 12 (thick side walls) action set aside for this one!

Wallace,
Do you think it's important to use the thick-wall action for high-pressure chamberings? Reason I ask is that I picked up a BSA thin wall centerfire (originally .300 Extra Long) that I plan to barrel in .257x50R. I seem to recall Seyfried mentioning he felt they were strong enough for any round that would fit. Do you know of any instances of the thin-wall receivers failing?
Thanks

Gents I really think that .222rim is about as powerfull as I'd like to go pressure wise in a cadet action. Even with the 222rim it's advisable to reduce loads by 5% of any listed .222rem load