Martini Cadet new barrel.

[dont.own.shoes]

has anyone put a new barrel onto a Martini Cadet. Currently barreled in 218 B but it's rooted so to get re barreled or to put a new barrel of some sort on it?

any opinions or experience?

[No1_49er]

Once in a while a new barrel appears on usedguns, but not often. And when they do, you have to be VERY quick.
If you want it back to original, maybe you can find a 310 barrel - even if it too is stuffed (and cheap) go for a sleeve/re-line?

[bigrich]

allan swan is supposed to be a real whiz with these guns. it'll be a wait for a barrel, but give him a call

[Stoney]

Rebel Gun Works have second hand .310 barrels also.

[N.Field]

I have a Greener Cadet that a previous owner had rechambered to 32-40 and sporterised the wood. I had it rebarrelled by MAB to the same profile but in .357 magnum. They also bushed the firing pin and altered the extractor. It was over ten years ago and I can't recall the price but it wasn't ridiculously expensive.

With new wood she turned out pretty nice:

[Bill]

Yeah tough choice, I have a Martini, was originally a Hornet, wasnt happy with the split cases so I had it bored out to 218Bee. All good but Sportco used lower rated steel for hornets and I got a bulge in the chamber pretty quickly.

After realizing I was about to spend a s**t load more money I would never have a chance on recouping I took a mates suggestion and used a 2nd hand SS Ruger 223 VT barrel, cost me $150, I spent $200 gettting it chopped back to 20 inches and getting it fitted and its now my most accurate gun in the safe, comfortably putting 5 into a 5 cent piece. Food for thought, ring a few Gunsmiths and ask em if they what they have lying around

[Maxjon]

Anyone ever bored and chambered a stuffed 310 barrel out to .357 magnum.?

[grumpy308]

Bullbarrel033. Back in the day when Martini cadets were a dime a dozen (actually 3 pound 10 from memory) Sprinter Arms in Hahndorf SA possibly did rebore some to 357 mag. A much more popular conversion was 357/310 where the original 310 barrel was retained with the chamber taken out to the larger 357 case size. There would probably be some of those barrels still floating around in places. Regards Malcolm.

[Maxjon]

Thanks Grumpy308. I really want the std. 357 mag. I have a bottomless supply of .358 bullets!

[grumpy308]

Hi Bullbarrel033. Not sure if Sprinter arms are still able to rebore barrels like they used to. They did shift from Hahndorf to Woodchester a while back and I haven't dealt with them since then. Perhaps contact them and have a chat, I have had several of their barrels over the years and all shot well. Regards Malcolm.

[Bill]

357 barrel dont often pop up but a 357 Martini would be a cool plinker.

Ive just started collected bits over summer for a 17wsm build, managed to pick up a quality 17hmr barrel and BSA model 12 action cheaply.

[Maxjon]

Me too Bill! Got a BSA martini, but its 22magnum. Considering the 357 mag conversion......but it's probably more practical to find another 310 with a poor barrel. The block of my rifle is a rimfire striker, so by the time I find another block, or convert this one back???

[Bill]

Yeah bullbarrell303 mucking around with a new extractor and converting to centrefire is only going to add to the cost of build. Cadets build cost can quickly up.

[bigpete]

Hi Bullbarrel033. Not sure if Sprinter arms are still able to rebore barrels like they used to. They did shift from Hahndorf to Woodchester a while back and I haven't dealt with them since then. Perhaps contact them and have a chat, I have had several of their barrels over the years and all shot well. Regards Malcolm.

He won't rebore anything now. And to be frank....I kinda think he may be losing the plot a little from my last experience with him unfortunately

[Stix]

He won't rebore anything now. And to be frank....I kinda think he may be losing the plot a little from my last experience with him unfortunately

It does get very windy up there on that hill...!!

Maybe the expression 'too much fresh air...' has some validity.

Shame no one will replace him though...

[bigpete]

Up on what hill lol.

[Stix]

You've been there havent you...?

I just remember it blowing a gale & being at a reasonable elevation (up on a hill ) when i was there for him to charge me for some work making the problems with my rifle way worse than when i got there...

[bigpete]

I've been there quite a few times. I'd not have considered it a hill,but I guess it's a bit of a rise

[gunnnie]

Another one you could contact is Tobler. I have a cadet that they built in 357mag. Straight 1.5" dia 24" long, I call it the 'Franken-Cadet'. But it certainly shoots 200gn JSP pills very well.

++1 for Swanny. He's my go to man for anything Martini Cadet.

[Tank]

I expect if presented with a Cadet it would be a case of ‘why are you messing around with that rubbish?....buy yourself a new rifle....’
We shoot 310’s at my local pistol club. I’ve long toyed with the idea of some exotic cartridge chambering. To be honest the 310 is exotic enough....and great fun to boot!
(Always thought a .256 Winmag would be awesome!)

[Maxjon]

Yeah think I will keep it for a rainy day......I know dealer who has lots of parts. See what he has one day maybe....

[4godsako]

G'day cadeteers......
Can anyone here Point me in the direction of a
"Gunsmith"( He says with great hesitation suspicion and usually disappointment)
who is gifted with the black art of
rebarreling/chambering a BSAMartiniCadet(to
Hornet or 218).....correctly ?
Also any plug-n -play stock manufacturers pref here in OZ or abroad ? ......I've found a few in the US that even laser scan the mating points of your metal, then does same to either your supplied wood (once CNC milled to your choice of pattern) or their off the shelf wood for a no hand finishing fit.
Loads of custom cadets in the US and I once worked in gun shop during Howard's confiscation back and in that 6 mths three unbeknownst to one another Americans bought all cadets in stock and had us cut the barrels off and butt stocks off to simply carry them back as hand luggage......imagine trying that on here....
Dutton would surely raid the airport with his secret (Beasley's wool for) SSK .
It's just I've got a cadet action (310 ejector) just crying out to have FAR TOO MUCH MONEY plied upon it to so I can say "Oh, thats just a custom rifle I built".
And explode Wrascal Wabbits
lol.

[gunnnie]

Alan Swan had done numerous Cadet builds over the past 30+yrs that I've known of him. Currently he is finishing off a custom Martini build for me chambered in 20-222Rimmed. I also have another Cadet action waiting for a PTA and this will go to Alan as well. I'm looking at a 25cal build, possibly 25-222Rimmed or maybe 256Maxi.
I'm also going to pass an Afghannie Kyber Pass Martini Henry to Alan for another project, an 18" barrelled single shot in 45LC. I trust Alan with such bulls and he is the only one I'd consider for a custom Martini build.
As for timber, Geoff Slee is unfortunately no longer with us, but Cameron Hatcher has a lot of his gear and profiles. Cameron has add Martini Cadet stocks to his inventory and while I don't have one of his stocks, yet, they certainly look good.
Custom chamber wise, I have seen these actions chambered in anything from 22LR up to 30-30. Currently, my little collection consists of a Sportco 22 Clubmaster, BSA 12/15 22LR, 17Ackley Hornet, 22K-Hornet, 17-222rimmed, 20-222Rimmed, 222Rimmed & 357Mag. As well as three original 310Cadets. They're great rifles/actions and a worthy addition to every shooter's safe.

[Bill]

4godsako martini's whilst simple and fun and get expensive real quick, infact your probably better off buying a completed rifle off usedguns just for the timber. A average bit of timber profiled and finshed will set you back $600. I use 2nd hand barrels for builds but timber work gives me shivers

[JimTom]

What do you fellas reckon a brand new martini barrel in the grease still would go for?

[JimTom]

Thinking I might look for an action in good order.

[snag]

If you're thinking of going 357 mag, why not go 357 Maximum? 20 grains of Ar2205 behind a 158 grain pill is a ton of fun in these little fellas.

[Stix]

What do you fellas reckon a brand new martini barrel in the grease still would go for?

If its only a 17, 20, 22 or 25 cal barrel, its probably only worth $30-$50...but ill give you $80 for it mate...& pay transfer on top..







(...worth a crack...)

[JimTom]

If its only a 17, 20, 22 or 25 cal barrel, its probably only worth $30-$50...but ill give you $80 for it mate...& pay transfer on top..







(...worth a crack...)

[/quote]

310 barrel mate in grease with sights.

[Maxjon]

I've sorted out what mods I need to convert my RF striking block back to CF striker. It's pretty simple. Had a change of plans might go with the 221 Rem Fireball for it now. Rimless extractor appears to be the hard find here in AU. But I think I can make one, anyhow.