Martini Cadet .32-20

[woodchukhntr]

A local shop has a Martini cadet in .32-20. I've never seen one in this caliber before.  It is in really great shape, but I can't afford it.  It is marked Commonwealth of Australia (I think) on the right side.  What do you guys know about these?

[Lurker]

A local shop has a Martini cadet in .32-20. I've never seen one in this caliber before.  It is in really great shape, but I can't afford it.  It is marked Commonwealth of Australia (I think) on the right side.  What do you guys know about these?

The Martini CAdet is a fine rifle... The 32-20 caliber makes a nice light cast bullet cartridge, depending on the rifling twist rate.

You may be looking at a custom rifle, unless the barrel markings are Australian also.

Bill

[RonF]

If barrel markings are Australian, then what you likely have is a rifle converted to .32-20 from .310, and the bore diameter is slightly larger than standard .32-20, if I recall correctly.  You'll need to slug the bore and use proper bullets and expander plug in your die.

RonF

[Double D]

Normally all the 32/20 conversion does is cut the extractor groove a bit deeper. You can fire 32/20 ammo in the gun but the bullets are smaller than the .321 diameter bore.  You will need to shorten the brass a bit and use  .321 diameter heeled bullets to make the gun owrk right.  Once you do that you will find that the little guns can be made to shoot very accurately.

[Hank08]

There was a time that they were sold for $15.  I bought a lot of them, still have 4.
.22lr, .17 ackley hornet, .218 mashburn bee, and an untouched one.  Some will take the 32/20 as is but some they won't quite chamber.  Most of the barrels that I've measured have been .316 to .318.  32/20s are about .312 so you need a soft bullet that can obdurate to fill the barrel.  Many were converted to .32 Win. special which uses a .321 bullet with no ill efffects.  Cartridges of the world said they were tested to 60,000 lbs.  Love em.
H08

[Double D]

The .316/.318 is the measurement you get  when you incorrectly measure the slug.  The rifling is odd numbered and if you don't know how to correctly measure this type rifling this is the measurement you will get.  If you use a caliper or micrometer to measure an odd side slug you will be measuring a groove on one side of the slug and a land on the other.  Since the groove depth of the rifling in this rifle is .005 you can see where you measurement is off.  .316(.318) + .005 = .321 (.323).  That is the correct range for the Cadet. 

There are several ways to measure odd sided slugs.  The most accurate ways are to use a ring guage or a micrometer witha 72 degree anvil(5 side slug). You can also use the old millwright trick of rolling the slug between the slack jaws of dial caliper and watch for the measurment that repeats.  Another trick that I have seen recommended that I have tried but doesn't seem to work that well is to wrap the slug in shim stock.  Problem I had was if the shim stock was flexible enough to wrap around the slug it wasn't rigid enough to hold shape over the land section of the slug. If it was rigid enough to hold shape over the land, it was to rigid to wrap tightly around the slug. 

[Hank08]

DD, I have the equiptment and have been measuring bore diameters for 40+ yrs.  I know how to measure a 5 groove bore and as I said before, the ones I've measured were .316 to .318 never found any larger, apparently you did.  I don't see many anymore but I'll keep measuring and see if I can find one of the ultra rare .321 bores.
H08

[Double D]

I will defer my 38 years to your 40 years and will tell you that I have never seen a Martini .310 Cadet bore with a .316/.318 bore*.  I have seen a lot that have been reported as that, but when I was able to get a slug from  those bores, they all measure larger.  I have measured a lot of Cadet bores and have yet to see one small.

Wanna send me a slug and prove me wrong...I have been proved wrong before and admitted it, just not on this subject. 

This isn't a point of argument with me.  I am working on a book on the Martini's and it your barrel really truely slugs .316/.318 I want that reported in the book.  Send me a slug and I will measure it and if it is small I'll need the details of what make barrel and action you have.  I will also asknowledge your contribution in the book.

*That should be Groove not bore..DD

[Hank08]

When you say BORE do you really mean BORE or are you meaning GROOVE diameter?
Will a .321 bullet slip into that .321 BORE?  Will a .318 bullet fall thru your .321 BORE?
If the bore is .321 then how big is the groove?
H08

[Double D]

Sorry Hank you are right, slip of the tongue--typing finger.  Groove of course.  I am use to dealing with the Henry bore and saying minor diameter and major diameter. 

In theory the .316/318 bullet should silde the through.

[Hank08]

I thought that was probably the case.  I think I still have one original, I'll dig it out and make some measurements, I think it's a Greener.
H08

[Hank08]

DD, I got the cadet out today, it's a BSA.  Give me an address and I'll send you a bullet that's been driven thru the bore and groove.  I did get a .3115 cast bullet to
just barely fit into the bore.  A jacketed .312 bullet won't enter the bore.  I'll be interested to hear what you get when you measure it.
H08