ASSRA Forum - Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special

ASSRA Forum › General › Reloading the Single Shot Rifle › Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special

(Moderator Group: Moderator)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Pages: 1

Send Topic

Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special (Read 1285 times)

j_c_johnson Full Member Offline C C Johnson's grandson Posts: 122 Location: northeast Indiana Joined: Sep 16^th, 2004	Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Apr 9^th, 2023 at 4:05pm	Print Post
	About a year ago I picked up a BSA Martini Cadet which had been partly sporterized. No forend, a ramped front sight, marked. 32-20. The internals were not installed, and when I went to put them in, the block hung up on the back of the barrel. Turns out when rechambered it was set back a turn and the shank was about .010 long. I removed the barrel and took the .010 off and checked rim cut depth. It was on the shallow end of tolerance so I went to deepen it with my .32-20 reamer. I then found it is not .32-20! I cast the chamber and discovered it is .32 Winchester Special. Apparently this was a somewhat common modification when a lot of these Cadets were imported in the 1950's. I feel that was a poor choice as the cartridge ordinarily uses 170 and 180 grain bullets which will tumble due to the Cadet's slow twist. A friend made me a forend for it so the search for components was on. I finally found 100 cases and some dies, and having some cast round nose .323 bullets for 8mm Nambu pistol I assembled 10 rounds using 9.7 grains of Unique. As the groove diameter measures .323 these should work. At 50 feet my first shot was low, my correction was too much and my second high. After coming down half of the previous adjustment my last 3 were in the black in a 1 inch group. I will take that with 68 year old eyes and open sights. I believe it will be fun for pest control around the place.
	« Last Edit: Apr 11^th, 2023 at 6:26pm by j_c_johnson »

	IP Logged

Cbashooter Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1568 Location: Eastern Wa. Joined: Mar 31^st, 2018	Re: Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Reply #1 - Apr 9^th, 2023 at 4:30pm	Print Post
	NOE makes a little 32/8mm flat point thats a scaled up 3118 Ideal that is a dandy bullet.i shoot it in my rechambered 32-20 cadet by shorting the brass a bit so it chambers. The 32359 Lyman also shoots well but isn't easy to find.


	IP Logged

1isenough Full Member Offline Posts: 202 Location: Louisville, KY Joined: Dec 28^th, 2017	Re: Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Reply #2 - Apr 9^th, 2023 at 5:04pm	Print Post
	I have the same barrel chambered in 32-40. The Nambu bullets are OK but the most accurate so far is the Lyman 321427, a 145 grain RN/GC that I buy from Western Bullet Co. These bullets are .321". I recommend you slug your bore. Most Martini Cadets have a .318 groove. I use a bullet sizer to take the bullet to .319 and crimp. I get 1 1/2" groups with: 15.6g - RL7 14.0g - IMR4227 24.8g - IMR3031 Good luck, and have fun.


	IP Logged

Timetripper Full Member Offline Posts: 104 Location: Carlisle Joined: Mar 4^th, 2013	Re: Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Reply #3 - Apr 9^th, 2023 at 7:58pm	Print Post
	They are nice little rifles. A friend bought a nicely restocked Cadet that has a 32 WS stamp on the barrel but we found it to have been rebored to the old 35/30-30 wildcat. It shoots 35 Remington weight bullets wonderfully. John


	IP Logged

moodyholler Oldtimer Offline Posts: 697 Location: Blue Ridge Joined: Oct 11^th, 2005	Re: Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Reply #4 - Apr 10^th, 2023 at 12:59pm	Print Post
	Mine has both chambers! 32 Special and 32-40! Will shoot either one. Forget reloading brass though. I guess when it was done brass was cheap. Getting a liner soon.


	YIM AIM IP Logged

RJ-35-40 Full Member Offline Posts: 146 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Reply #5 - Apr 11^th, 2023 at 2:59pm	Print Post
	My Cadet is also a 32 WinSp. Can't hit the inside of a barn with factory loads plus the recoil is harsh. Although I haven't tried it yet I'm told I should shoot something in the 100-110 grain range as a light plinking load. j_c_johnson wrote on Apr 9^th, 2023 at 4:05pm: About a year ago I picked up a BSA Martini Cadet which had been partly sporterized. No forend, a ramped front sight, marked. 32-20. The internals were not installed, and when I went to put them in, the block hung up on the back of the barrel. Turns out when rechambered it was set back a turn and the shank was about .010 long. I removed the barrel and took the .010 off and checked rim cut depth. It was on the shallow end of tolerance so I went to deepen it with my .32-20 reamer. I then found it is not .32-20! I cast the chamber and discovered it is .32 Winchester Special. Apparently this was a somewhat common modification when a lot of these Cadets were imported in the 1950's. I feel that was a poor choice as the cartridge ordinarily uses 170 and 180 grain bullets which will tumble due to the Cadet's slow twist. A friend made me a forend for it so the search for components was on. I finally found 100 cases and some dies, and having some cast round nose .323 bullets for 8mm Nambu pistol I assembled 10 rounds using 9.7 grains of Unique. At 50 feet my first shot was low, my correction was too much and my second high. After coming down half of the previous adjustment my last 3 were in the black in a 1 inch group. I will take that with 68 year old eyes and open sights. I believe it will be fun for pest control around the place.


	IP Logged

RJ-35-40 Full Member Offline Posts: 146 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Reply #6 - Apr 11^th, 2023 at 3:01pm	Print Post
	"Mine has both" I need an education how is that possible.. Please keep us up to date on your liner experience. THX RJ moodyholler wrote on Apr 10^th, 2023 at 12:59pm: Mine has both chambers! 32 Special and 32-40! Will shoot either one. Forget reloading brass though. I guess when it was done brass was cheap. Getting a liner soon.


	IP Logged

moodyholler Oldtimer Offline Posts: 697 Location: Blue Ridge Joined: Oct 11^th, 2005	Re: Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Reply #7 - Apr 11^th, 2023 at 5:35pm	Print Post
	RJ I will chamber cast it for you. moodyholler


	YIM AIM IP Logged

RJ-35-40 Full Member Offline Posts: 146 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Martini Cadet .32 Winchester Special Reply #8 - Apr 15^th, 2023 at 4:29pm	Print Post
	That I am looking forward to.. !.. THXmoodyholler wrote on Apr 11^th, 2023 at 5:35pm: RJ I will chamber cast it for you. moodyholler


	IP Logged

Pages: 1

Send Topic

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

« Board Index ‹ Board Top

Page completed in 0.6705 seconds.