BSA Martini Cadet

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  • Last Post 01 October 2016
45ACPete posted this 27 September 2016

A local gun shop has one of these.  I would judge the condition as fair to good--the bore looks good.  It is missing a couple of pieces--the forend cap and the buttplate, but I've checked and Numrich has both items. With further searches for dies and brass I've found both available at Buffalo Arms--kind of pricey but about what I expected.  I know that a common rechambering for these guns is 32-20, and I have dies and brass already in that caliber.  Anybody have any experience with one of these?  If so, any recommendations as to leaving it in the original .310 Cadet or rechambering?  Oh yes, any estimates on what might be a fair price for the gun?

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 27 September 2016

just to self-inflict pain ... back about 1960 you could buy these cadets for about $13 .....of course you could also buy from the government an excellent quality 1911 45 acp for $19 ...

sorry:: i had to do that .


when buying used guns, i ...as a shooter, not a collector ....think of my offer as a product of how much fun i am going to have with it . compare with a ruger 1 at about $600-$900 used ....a ruger american new about $380 ...

i like shooting the martini's, so my fun factor would be between the two mentioned ... so if the action is tight, my range would be between those $$figures.

also remember that it is not easy to mount a scope...

just some thoughts...

ken

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gnoahhh posted this 27 September 2016

Values vary a lot. If you go by Gunbroker prices they are worth a small fortune, but notice also that they rarely sell. I bought one privately last year for $400, very good condition with a nice bore, original chamber, and thought I paid a fair price.

As for running a .32-20 reamer into the original chamber, that trick has been pulled ten's of thousands of times. Generally it works ok. Two like that I owned over the years performed adequately. The thing is though, the bore diameters in those guns vary a lot, and all of them are larger in there than is optimal for standard .32-20 bullets. You pays your money and takes your chances. If I were doing it again, and I might, I would cut to the chase and have it re-barreled to a suitable cartridge and call it a day.

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RicinYakima posted this 27 September 2016

My friend Joe and I bought 10 from Australia 15 years ago.  Bore size was universally .310/311” groove size was .320/324". Rechambering to 32/20 is a waste of time if you expect to use 32/20 bullets. About 1/2 would chamber with WW 32/20 brass because headspace was not 0.040” but much bigger. Also US made 32/20 brass had thin rims, usually less than 0.050” instead of listed 0.060". What worked the best for us was to by a 310 Cadet mould, tumble lube and leave unsized. Fire-form 32/20 brass, than keep cutting it back until the heel seated bullet/case combination would chamber. Some rifles require very little reduction in length, some almost an 1/8". Since you only de-primer and re-prime and hand seat the bullets, cases last forever. Price is based on condition of the action, $100 for rust pitted ones to $500 for like new perfect ones. There appears to be little collector interest for original rifles here in the US. I made one into a nice 357 Magnum. Picture is after rust bluing in matt.

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45 2.1 posted this 27 September 2016

I like the original cartridge, plus you got finely adjustable sights to 600 yards or so. The RCBS bullet mold shoots very well indeed. CH has dies for a reasonable price. I use Starline 32-20 brass cut down in length and thin the case rim from the mouth side back so it fits the chamber correctly. Very fun gun to shoot, but can be a little laborious to get running.

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Bud Hyett posted this 27 September 2016

If you want it and the bore is good - buy it. 100 rounds of brass will last the lifetime of the gun, a custom mold and you are set.

It is an enjoyable possession, within limitations. The cartridge is too big for rabbit and squirrel, too light to be legal for deer; paper-punching and plinking are the realms.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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45ACPete posted this 29 September 2016

Ken--I remember those prices--at least the CMP deals. I remember the 45's as priced at $17 and then there were M1 carbines at $25. From private parties I bought an '03 Springfield (almost mint) for $45 and an excellent Krag for $65. Well, everything is relative--gas was about 30 cents/gal. then.

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Pentz posted this 01 October 2016

Yeah...low prices but I was making $1.25 an hour back then, and RCBS in my home town had barrels of M94 carbines.....

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