Martini-Hentry .357?

[Josh Smith]

Hi Folks,

I heard a rumor that you all rechamber some Martini-Henry rifles for .357 (what? Mag I guess?) down under.

This would fit a hunting need I have.

Is this correct, that ya'll do this?

Regards,

Josh

[yoshie]

It was fairly common to rebarrel the cadets to 357 and 222 rimmed (222 die with 357 case holder) as well as 22lr.

[RoginaJack]

Sportco barreled a lot to 22LR. I had one re-barreled by Don Black in Sydney to 218Bee Improved. Fitted it out with a stock and fore-end from Sportco. Don fitted ring type scope mounts, drilled a hole in the rear of the action so a cleaning rod could be inserted from the breech.
Very nice. light and accurate rifle.
Also, 22 Hornet was another.

[beerhog]

slightly ot but can anyone recommend a smith in Melbourne to drill a hole in the back of the action on a cadet action for cleaning? i really don't like cleaning from the business end at all and its a real pain keeping the chamber clean as well.

[Lyam]

Beerhog,

Try Bob De Vries at Kudu Services in Montrose.

I haven't done anything like drilling the action but he's a general smith and has some some other rifle work for me in the past with good results.

[VICHunter]

Had a few of my rifles bedded at Kudu also.

Happy with the work.

[Lorgar]

He fixed a crushed stock of mine, and pillar bedded a rifle for me.

Good work.

[harris]

He fixed a crushed stock of mine

How did you manage that?

[bluelamb]

if you are talking about a 577-450 why not do it in a good old cartridge light .405 Win - there are number of Nitro cartridges you could do it in as well.
If you are talking about a Martini cadet action then 218 bee, 22 hornet, 22 LR, 222 rimmed, 222 mag, 357, 30/30, 32-20 was a big American conversion
for these

[Mick375hh]

I have one in 222 rimmed my grandfather built it for me in the 80s
No factory ammo available but I still have a few hundred cases it's my favourite fox rifle.

[<<Genesis93>>]

Hi Folks,

I heard a rumor that you all rechamber some Martini-Henry rifles for .357 (what? Mag I guess?) down under.

This would fit a hunting need I have.

Is this correct, that ya'll do this?

Regards,

Josh

Wouldnt say we all do it..... but its done.
I've heard of the '357Maximum' being done, which has a bit more poke than the Mag, and is the same round but with an extra 8mm in case and 10mm or so in overall length.... Not sure if Max chamber reliably run Mag rounds, probably do.....

What we all DO have is 303 Enfields and Kangaroos in the back yard.....

[combo12]

Once owned a cadet martini that had been re-done in .357 magnum. Good little shooter. Common enough conversion in the 1960s. Wish I still had it. .357 max might be a better way to go today, but you would need to first check the longer cartridge would still feed OK?
Also owned a .22lr conversion on a cadet action; project gun that had the receiver drilled to allow cleaning from the chamber end; had to drop the action out first though. Any decent gunsmith could organise that for you.
Trouble is, cadet martinis are now gaining collector status and not so easy come by, nor as cheap as once was. People tend to keep them and shoot them in their original .310 caliber and not strip them for the action.

[GLS_1956]

The Martini-Henry is an action I'd like to have in my safe. In the small action I'd like either the 22LR or a 22 Hornet, large action would be done in 45/70.

[Lorgar]

He fixed a crushed stock of mine

How did you manage that?

Combination of a dicky torque-wrench and a flaw in the timber at the top of the rear lug screw.

Partly myself to blame too, I thought/felt like it was going to far but mistakenly trusted in the wrench instead of my gut and tightened it too much.

*crack*

A big of bedding compound fixed it up good as new though.