Martini Cadet

[rbuck351]

If it were mine it would be a 256Win.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Saying something isn't so doesn't make it not so. No US state with an energy requirement for deer hunting sets it anywhere near as low as the .30 Badger.

[Hamish]

Sayin' something doesn't make it so. And we all have opinions and opinions will differ. (are any of us right that often?) Most of the ever ready to flare wars in our field are encompassed in these two. Whatcha all think about the .32 H&R mag. as a rook gun/small game ctg.?

Thats a dandy idea! The selection of boolits has never been better, no matter what distance/velocity you might want to shoot.

[swamp]

I think it is a great idea. I would like a Cadet in 32 Mag.
swamp

[Ballistics in Scotland]

If it were mine it would be a 256Win.

Another excellent choice. The short neck isn't ideal for cast bullets, and you would probably have to make cases from .57 Magnum nowadays, but it is likely to be more satisfactory than a cast bullet .22 centrefire.

[Texinoz]

I have an original .310 [Francotte] in really good nick that will remain original, one in 222 Rimmed (my fox gun), one in 2LR, and a project gun that will be chambered in the old 32 Ideal (also called 32-25-150) - because I want to say I have a .310 magnum... Friends with cadets in all the hornet variants are happy with them as are those with cadets in 357mag. Have not ever heard of those stories of 357mag having trouble ejecting. The concensus in Australia is that while the action will hold 30-30, a barrel in the original profile is too thin for the 30-30 base size.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

The .32 Ideal is a good cartridge, and may well suit the original Cadet bore dimensions, although these do vary, and should be checked. If it is to be rebarrelled, the S-bore 8x57 will probably be fine. What you would get by using a .30 Carbine reamer and dies and an 8mm. barrel is also worth looking into.

The Francotte Cadet action is just as good as the British ones. I have a pretty derelict .297/.230 which isn't worth restoring and in which someone has ground the sides thinner than I really like for a more powerful conversion, doubtless to remove pitting. I have just got back a piece of D2 air hardening tool steel in which I had a suitable mortice spark eroded for its replacement. It is pretty good practice with most things that have holes in them, to start with the inside and put the outside around it.

It is a project for the future, but should make the perfect heavy small Martini action. The sides are 7mm. thick (unless I thin them with beading at the ends like a lever-action Winchester), and the corners are sharp, with satin textured surfaces which wouldn't disgrace the outside of a firearm. It should be possible to incorporate a scope base into the slightly lengthened receiver ring, and/or make it better adapted to an aperture sight. I planned to use the Francotte internals, but am not so sure I won't make the entire action, possibly with a side lever.

[MatthewVanitas]

After the mentions of the TCU series, and multiple mentions of the 5.6X50R, I was also about to mention Bellm, since he has the 6.5 Bellm wildcat necked up from the 5.6, basically a rimmed equivalent of 6.5 TCU with slight more potential.

http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=75

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I have just received the May catalogue of the Australian auction house where I have bought numerous firearms, including a couple of Cadets.

http://www.australianarmsauctions.com/cat_online_1.html

They are well used to exporting firearms of all kinds, including those that require a licence in Australia. I expect a ban on guns by Australia Post is still in effect, but they dispatch items in bulk to importing agents in the principal importing countries, and you pay another fee to the agent. In the UK it is efficient, and still works out a pretty good deal in the UK, where our legislation causes some guns to carry a premium as uncontrolled antiques which don't elsewhere. I understand US Customs, or some officers in some places a few years back, know the Francotte Cadet may be pre-1899, but the British Australian issue ones can't be. You would have to find out for yourself how much trouble that could be.

I looked a bit more closely at a Cadet action, and it is the relationship of the top of the sear with the firing-pin and possibly its threaded sleeve which controls where the block comes to rest with the action open and your hand removed. Filing or welding to adjust this is tricky and probably of limited effect.

But how low the action of the lever, or forcing home a large diameter cartridge, can move the block against spring tension, is controlled by the block contacting the lower front end of the sear. That could be lowered by filing or grinding the sear, as long as you don't weaken the notch, which might be handy with a large diameter cartridge.

A point worth checking on any Martini is the sides of the firing-pin where it is pierced by the sear slot. I have seen a large Martini action in which one side was cracked, and it was waiting for the other side to give way. My guess is that it would happen when the firing-pin impacts the front of its tunnel, and the gun is welcome to go off then. But checking is better than guessing on this one.

[BigEyeBob]

Australia Post moves firearms with in Australia , must be registered mail package .
Nor sure about overseas though.
They certainly wont move live ammo , primers or powder internally or over seas.
these must all be sent by Dangerous Goods couriers at a exorbitant cost

[Ballistics in Scotland]

I don't know whether the ban is still in force. It was lifted and reimposed soon after its introduction, I imagine because legislation had to be redrawn. But it always applied only to overseas mail.

[BigEyeBob]

I don't know whether the ban is still in force. It was lifted and reimposed soon after its introduction, I imagine because legislation had to be redrawn. But it always applied only to overseas mail.

Plenty of other couriers that will move goods over seas instead of Australia Post . .
I have my eye on a couple of firearms in that auction , could be grounds for divorce if I'm successful in bidding .
Nice Rook rifle and a Martini in 450cal

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Dohhh! Most of the good Cadets went for respectable but less than gunshop prices. But there was one with a dark pitted bore, and an estimate of $300 to $600 Australian. I decided even $300 wasn't quite cheap enough for me to add another Cadet project to a long backlog... and it went for $160. There wouldn't be much grounds for divorce in that. Maybe a week or so of cholesterol control.

[Bill Torzsok]

I have a Martini cadet in each of the following;
.22 Hornet, .218 Bee, .222 Remington (not rimmed), .25-20 Winchester and an original .310 Cadet.
They are all brilliant shooters with J boolits, .222 Remington tips the scales at 6 lb with an old V9 Weaver with fine crosshairs and will average 3/4". What a rifle! The extractor was designed by a local gunsmith, it only extracts, it does not eject the shell. I am not concerned about it,it is a
single shot, and I usually do not need a second shot.
The 25-20 is a lot of fun with j or cast and so is the 218 Bee and the Hornet.
The 310 does 1" at fifty yards with its CBE boolit.
Cadets Rule!

[Hooker53]

Bill I bet that 25-20 is a hoot to load and shoot with. If I ran across one I would jump all over it. If the price was good anyway. Ha. Which Boolit do you cast for the 25-20? The 25-20 is one of my Fav's.

Roy
Hooker53

[Bill Torzsok]

Bill I bet that 25-20 is a hoot to load and shoot with. If I ran across one I would jump all over it. If the price was good anyway. Ha. Which Boolit do you cast for the 25-20? The 25-20 is one of my Fav's.

Roy
Hooker53

Hi Roy !
I am almost embarrassed to admit that I am not casting my own, but I get ready made Hawkesbury River Bullet Company 85 grain round nose flat point in .257 lots of 500. They group right on 1" at 50 yds with peep sights using 6 grains of h4227 with WSR primers. It has been responsible for demolishing a large lime stone "targets" on my 75 acres bush block. By the way I load the rounds with a Lee Loader as I shoot.
I own a number of loading presses but somehow it feels better using the little loader. It is my number one fun gun.

[BigEyeBob]

Dohhh! Most of the good Cadets went for respectable but less than gunshop prices. But there was one with a dark pitted bore, and an estimate of $300 to $600 Australian. I decided even $300 wasn't quite cheap enough for me to add another Cadet project to a long backlog... and it went for $160. There wouldn't be much grounds for divorce in that. Maybe a week or so of cholesterol control.

Just checked the selling prices on that auction , the Tisdal 450 Martini sold for 1000AUD and the nice Hooton 297/230 Martini sold for 575Aud could have slipped both of them in with out the missus noticing .
The Westley Richards Howdah pistol in 15 bore sold for 5,000AUD ,,,,,that would have caused the divorce.

[barrabruce]

Hi Roy !
I am almost embarrassed to admit that I am not casting my own, but I get ready made Hawkesbury River Bullet Company 85 grain round nose flat point in .257 lots of 500. They group right on 1" at 50 yds with peep sights using 6 grains of h4227 with WSR primers. It has been responsible for demolishing a large lime stone "targets" on my 75 acres bush block. By the way I load the rounds with a Lee Loader as I shoot.
I own a number of loading presses but somehow it feels better using the little loader. It is my number one fun gun.

Nice and casual shooting and fun.
I've done it at the range with a lee loader too.
People think I'm potty.
But you would be surprised how many rounds you let of in a session.
No stress about having to load a bunch up for a shoot.
Change parameters on demand.

Cheers

[Ballistics in Scotland]

Just checked the selling prices on that auction , the Tisdal 450 Martini sold for 1000AUD and the nice Hooton 297/230 Martini sold for 575Aud could have slipped both of them in with out the missus noticing .
The Westley Richards Howdah pistol in 15 bore sold for 5,000AUD ,,,,,that would have caused the divorce.

Never mind, with guns as with offspring, her showing resentment of them would probably have resulted in your getting custody. I've always been amazed at how a name, possibly not contemporary with the pistol at all, increases its cash value. Howdah pistols always outnumbered howdahs, and in their day were just pistols for people who thought some extra oomph and improved reliability were worth sacrificing a few chambers of a revolver. Nowadays we see people trying to sell "howdah" pistols which are plainly Belgian, made primarily for the South American trade.

Bill Torzok's rifles sound like extremely attractive ones. It always struck me as a pity that so many of the early American imports were made into heavy varmint rifles, for the Cadet begs for one-handed carry. But I'd always prefer a rim on a Cadet cartridge, and it is now possible to have one for just about every wildlife or target niche the rifle can cover.

[Hooker53]

IV even wondered how the 32-40 round would be in these actions. Could you even get it in and out??

Roy
Hooker53