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Question on .310 cadet (Read 981 times)

Gew98 Participating Member Offline Posts: 46 Joined: Nov 22^nd, 2025	Question on .310 cadet Jan 21^st, 2026 at 2:26pm	Print Post
	What is the typical bore diameter of the 310 cadet cartridge ?. I am looking at a martini in that caliber and am wondering if it's worth it to brass and bullet mold up if I get it.


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Duck_Rider Junior Member Offline Posts: 66 Location: Knoxville, Tenn Joined: Dec 16^th, 2005	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #1 - Jan 21^st, 2026 at 3:21pm	Print Post
	My Cadet is .309/.315 bore/groove Harry


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1Hawkeye Full Member Offline Posts: 240 Location: South end of Northern Virginia Joined: Jun 29^th, 2019	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #2 - Jan 21^st, 2026 at 5:22pm	Print Post
	With a cadet dies and a mold are the easy part. Brass modification is the hard part unless you have access to a lathe. The. 32-20 case is a perfect start but the rims are too thick and need to be thinned down so they chamber properly. Arsenal molds make a great cadet mold using a copy of the original Greener designed 120 gr bullet. Cadets are fun to play with once you get the brass taken care of I have two of them and enjoy them at the range as they are accurate little rifles even out to 200 meters.
	« Last Edit: Jan 21^st, 2026 at 9:41pm by 1Hawkeye »

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trails4u Participating Member Offline Posts: 17 Joined: Sep 26^th, 2014	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #3 - Jan 21^st, 2026 at 8:02pm	Print Post
	Nagant revolver brass makes an excellent donor for brass. Trim to length, size, load and enjoy! (at least in mine....no headspace issues....but I suppose results could vary.)


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DoubleD Oldtimer Offline Posts: 759 Location: Edmond Joined: Feb 14^th, 2006	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #4 - Jan 22^nd, 2026 at 9:05am	Print Post
	.310 Cadet should have a groove diameter right at .321". Difficult to measure as it has odd number rifling. Should be five groove. Lots of ways to measure. Simplest is to measure the slug with a dial caliper. Roll the slug between the loose jaw and watch the measurement that repeats. I have a V-anvil mic that works also. Keep in mid the .310 Cadet uses a heeled bullet it's OD is the same dimension as the OD of the case mouth. Some sell a .32 bullet less it gas check as .310 bullets. This .32 bullet is to long and will jam in the throat. At one time RCBS sold a proper mould for .310 Cadet. They may still have it as special order. I have that mould and a mould from CBE also designed for .310. As Learned from others here on this board, to lube size these bullets, block the lower feed holes on a sizer die with lead shot and adjust. so lube only get in the lube grove, not the heeled base.

	Douglas, Ret.
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craigster Oldtimer Online Posts: 795 Location: lost coast CA Joined: Feb 20^th, 2011	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #5 - Jan 23^rd, 2026 at 3:12pm	Print Post
	Don't waste your time trying to get other bullets to work. BTDT . This is the correct mold for the 310: (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) I tumble lube using Lee Liquid Alox. Done deal.


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rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2079 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #6 - Jan 23^rd, 2026 at 3:55pm	Print Post
	No question, but not sure it is still listed with RCBS? Had mine from long ago.

	rkba2nd
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rkba2nd Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 2079 Location: earth Joined: Feb 16^th, 2009	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #7 - Jan 23^rd, 2026 at 4:05pm	Print Post
	Still listed on RCBS site.

	rkba2nd
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1Hawkeye Full Member Offline Posts: 240 Location: South end of Northern Virginia Joined: Jun 29^th, 2019	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #8 - Jan 24^th, 2026 at 6:37pm	Print Post
	I had the RCBS cadet mold with my first cadet rifle and its a good mold but I let it go with the rifle and now years later I found another cadet rifle but no RCBS molds were in stock that when I got that one. So I got the Arsenal molds version its just as good as the RCBS with more cavities for less money. I've two cadets now and both do well with the Arsenal copy of the original bullet. I'm watching a third cadet rifle but not doing well at talking myself out of it.


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DoubleD Oldtimer Offline Posts: 759 Location: Edmond Joined: Feb 14^th, 2006	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #9 - Jan 25^th, 2026 at 9:04am	Print Post
	Here is the CBE Mould. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) I also have the RCBS mould. I think I got mine from Buffalo arms. The RCBS is a good mould. But the brass CBE mould just seems to work better for me. Bullets are for the most part identical.

	Douglas, Ret.
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RJ-35-40 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 252 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #10 - Jan 26^th, 2026 at 2:36pm	Print Post
	I have two cadets, both were re chambered by someone else. The first was converted to 32 Winchester Special. ... With factory ammo, it can't hit the inside of a barn. The 165 grain bullets are too long for the twist. PLUS, either due to restricted bore / groove size IIRC (it was about .316-.317) , the recoil was excessive for that light rifle. The second was converted to 32-20.. No data to report yet. DoubleD wrote on Jan 25^th, 2026 at 9:04am: Here is the CBE Mould. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) I also have the RCBS mould. I think I got mine from Buffalo arms. The RCBS is a good mould. But the brass CBE mould just seems to work better for me. Bullets are for the most part identical.


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1Hawkeye Full Member Offline Posts: 240 Location: South end of Northern Virginia Joined: Jun 29^th, 2019	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #11 - Jan 26^th, 2026 at 4:33pm	Print Post
	RJ-35-40 wrote on Jan 26^th, 2026 at 2:36pm: I have two cadets, both were re chambered by someone else. The first was converted to 32 Winchester Special. ... With factory ammo, it can't hit the inside of a barn. The 165 grain bullets are too long for the twist. PLUS, either due to restricted bore / groove size IIRC (it was about .316-.317) , the recoil was excessive for that light rifle. The second was converted to 32-20.. No data to report yet. DoubleD wrote on Jan 25^th, 2026 at 9:04am: Here is the CBE Mould. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links) I also have the RCBS mould. I think I got mine from Buffalo arms. The RCBS is a good mould. But the brass CBE mould just seems to work better for me. Bullets are for the most part identical. I'm not sure what to do about the .32 spl other than trying a lighter weight bullet or a cadet pattern bullet. The .32-20 is an easy one to deal with though as you can use shortened .32-20 brass in it without having to thin down the rims on the cases and it will shoot just fine. My first cadet was rechambered to .32-20 and its previous owner had done all the experimenting with the brass and included his notes with the loading equipment. Just shorten .32-20 brass to the correct length, flair the case mouth to accept the cadet pattern bullet, load and shoot. The case will fireform to the chamber and your good to go. Because the chamber was cut to the thicker rim of the .32-20 case you don't have to thin down the case rims to fit. As for the .32 spl I'd be tempted to try a cadet bullet loaded with about 7.5grs of unique and see how it shoots. I have a plinking load I use in a Savage 219 in .30-30 that does very well with a bullet of similar weight to the cadet bullet with that charge and it barely recoils. You have to be careful shooting full power .32spl loads in a cadet rifle because you can damage the stock where it fits into the back of the receiver from the recoil.


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RJ-35-40 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 252 Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #12 - Jan 27^th, 2026 at 11:45am	Print Post
	ONE-HawkEye, Thanks for your perspective. I guess I'll try the smaller cadet styled healed bullets before I decide to rework the current barrel or mount the Odd Ball .315 gain twist I recently acquired... I don't know why I am so adverse to shooting a BIG case with so little powder in it... As I mentioned I tried (about 5 or so) 32 Win Sp factory loads whose recoil was excessive. RE" :--> You have to be careful shooting full power .32spl loads in a cadet rifle because you can damage the stock where it fits into the back of the receiver from the recoil. " Good advice..I didn't even think about potential stock damage...!


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Schutzenbob Frequent Elocutionist Offline Rheinisch-Westfälisc hen Sprengstoff-Fabriken Posts: 2236 Location: Nightingale, California Joined: Oct 24^th, 2005	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #13 - Jan 27^th, 2026 at 1:29pm	Print Post
	310 Cadet The bullets measure .323 diameter.
	« Last Edit: Jan 27^th, 2026 at 3:45pm by Schutzenbob »

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craigster Oldtimer Online Posts: 795 Location: lost coast CA Joined: Feb 20^th, 2011	Re: Question on .310 cadet Reply #14 - Jan 27^th, 2026 at 3:08pm	Print Post
	Have you fired any?


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