I got one of these at a gun show last week. It has been converted to .32, so I thought I might be able to find ammo. I was thinking .32-20, as that was a common conversion, but decided to take it to the gunsmith and get it checked out. He says .32 Wincheste Speciial. Sure suprised me. I do have a couple boxes of ammo on hand, but am wondering how the recoil is going to be in that light rifle. Anyone else have one of these conversions?
.310 Martini Cadet
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I have one and mine is a .32-20. Don't think I'd like to shoot one in .32 Winchester Special.
5-Shot
Member
About 60 years ago I had one that the seller claimed had been converted had been converted to 32-20. You could actually hear the fired bullet tumble. You might want to check the rifling twist.
Ed
Ed
The 310 Cadets will have a bbl groove dia anywhere from about .316 to .323.
Quite a wide range.
The size seems to run with the mfg'r of the bbl. The BSA bbls run in the smaller range. The Greener mfg bbls which were usually the arsenal replacement bbls in most instances will run up to .323.
Trying to load any of the rounds from the orig .310 to 32-20 to 32-40 to 32Win Spcl in these can be quite a challange dealing with a bbl with a dia that you assume instead of actually know by measurement.
The 32Win Spcl factory rounds will simply make the little rifle an unpleasant experience to shoot.
But loaded down and with cast bullets to match the bore/groove dia it can be a nice rifle. Same with the great 32-40 WCF round which is generally a cast bullet round as well.
The reports of excellent accuracy in some 32-20 conversions and miserable in others is usually the difference in one being done on a tight dimensioned bbl. The other on a true 8mm cal bbl (.323).
AFAIK, the orig rifling twist of the .310 was 1-20.
That's the factory twist used in the 32-40 and the 32WIn Spcl.
and I think the same as the 32-20.
Quite a wide range.
The size seems to run with the mfg'r of the bbl. The BSA bbls run in the smaller range. The Greener mfg bbls which were usually the arsenal replacement bbls in most instances will run up to .323.
Trying to load any of the rounds from the orig .310 to 32-20 to 32-40 to 32Win Spcl in these can be quite a challange dealing with a bbl with a dia that you assume instead of actually know by measurement.
The 32Win Spcl factory rounds will simply make the little rifle an unpleasant experience to shoot.
But loaded down and with cast bullets to match the bore/groove dia it can be a nice rifle. Same with the great 32-40 WCF round which is generally a cast bullet round as well.
The reports of excellent accuracy in some 32-20 conversions and miserable in others is usually the difference in one being done on a tight dimensioned bbl. The other on a true 8mm cal bbl (.323).
AFAIK, the orig rifling twist of the .310 was 1-20.
That's the factory twist used in the 32-40 and the 32WIn Spcl.
and I think the same as the 32-20.
THE PILGRIM
Member
Had a Custom Martini that I should have never sold!
But mine was a Girlie Man Caliber- 218 Bee.
But mine was a Girlie Man Caliber- 218 Bee.
bulletslap
Member
I own a similar rifle that was rebored to 357, it is a nice shooting rifle.
5-Shot
Member
I have a followup story on my extremely inaccurate 32-20 Martini. When I was was in graduate school in the DC area, I had it re-barreled to 218 Bee and intended to eventually restock it. On a summer trip back to Kentucky I took the Martini along. A friend of my who was a young aspiring gunsmith bought it from me. The next time I saw it was in the custom gun section of the Gun Digest. I was very proud!
A friend bought one at a GS that was nicely restocked in tiger stripe maple and marked 350 Minum on the barrel and 32 Win Spcl. More than a little research and testing revealed it to be chambered in the old 35-30/30 Wildcat. It shoots very well with 200 gr JSP and recoil isn't that bad. MV is around 1900-2000 fps.
John
John
F224
Member
I have a spare barrel for them sitting in my gun safe. If you are interested, I will double check the chambering, and send it to you if you will use it. It might be in the original Rook.
OP
F224, please check out the caliber of the barrel. I might be interested. Thank You
Nice rifles, hope the gun & caliber work out. Have owned a few over the years, Larry
merl67
SWCA Member
I would not want to shoot one of those in that caliber are you certain it isn't in 32-20 would make more sense..
OP
After some looking into, the .32 Winchester spl. was a common conversion as well as the .32-20. We did a chamber cast and it is .32 Winchester Spl. I was really hoping for the .32-20, but it is what it is.
Baltimoreed11754
Member
I have 2, one in .357 mag that’s at the gunshop hopefully getting sold and another in .32-20/310 Cadet that I love and reload for using .32-20 brass and .30 carbine dies. Shoots like a dream. Fine little rifles. Hope you figure yours out.
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Scharfschuetzer
Member
Looks like you have a rifle ripe for handloading cast bullets at moderate velocities.
As an inveterate experimenter, your rifle sounds like a fun challenge. Slugging your barrel for its true diameter and checking what its actual rifling pitch is would be a good first step.
As an inveterate experimenter, your rifle sounds like a fun challenge. Slugging your barrel for its true diameter and checking what its actual rifling pitch is would be a good first step.
The one I had, a 32/20 reamer was used just to make a 32/20 case fit so the rim didn’t have to be thinned to be used to make brass. Not much metal was removed. Some of the rifles 32/20 brass would fit rifles without being reamed. I even had a set of RCBS dies and bullet mold for loading .310. Sold it all, seemed I always had a problem loading the cartridge so I sold it all. Wish it would have worked out, cool fun to shoot round.
Recently found an Al Freeland/Eric Johnson Martini in .22, feel very lucky to have the gun. Still learning about the gun and will send for a letter of shop records on who the barrel number was made for. The stock is beautiful wood, Larry
Recently found an Al Freeland/Eric Johnson Martini in .22, feel very lucky to have the gun. Still learning about the gun and will send for a letter of shop records on who the barrel number was made for. The stock is beautiful wood, Larry
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