I need a Martini

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3leggedturtle
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I need a Martini

Post by 3leggedturtle »

Why I have such yearning for one is beyond me, don't care what caliber, just dont want 577/450. Missed out on a 310 303 22 and 218, not necessarily In that order. On a sad note, the Gent has not shown up with the Remington 14 in 25 Rem yet.. Gonna be a long lustful weekend with no satisfaction! Todd/3leg
30/30 Winchester: Not accurate enough fer varmints, barely adequate for small deer; BUT In a 10" to 14" barrelled pistol; is good for moose/elk to 200 yards; ground squirrels to 300 metres

250 Savage... its what the 223 wishes it could be...!
windy
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by windy »

I gotta say, hoss, that you'll wanta take it everywhere, if you get one. One of the cheapest ones out there is the 32 special conversion, which was one of the most common; they don't shoot well as 32 specials, but loading 'em to 32-20 specs by using trail boss powder and cast bullets--or Mrs Huntington's 100gr jacketed Nambu bullets--makes 'em delightful trail companions. And they even got a lever! Mine goes with me every time I go to the range with the Marlins and Winnies; I shoot it at 50 or 100 yard targets while waiting for the others to cool. Reloading is just neck-size and thumb-seat a bullet, or lee-load it; in a pinch you don't even hafta neck-size, just re-prime and dump in a measure of powder, especially if you're using the heeled bullets that're made for 'em. The triggers on these things are marvelous. Of course, the ultimate is one in 7-30 Waters or, better yet, 25-35--but I ain't that rich yet.
mind yer topknot!
windy

sonny, whar I growed up, "magnum" wuz just another name fer "lousy hunter"!
sonny, whar i growed up, "magnum" wuz another word fer "lousy hunter".
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6pt-sika
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by 6pt-sika »

I need a martini also ! I'll take mine in liquid form :lol:
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
barbarossa
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by barbarossa »

Image

Here is mine it is a franchotte martini made in Belgium retailed by j vennables and sons ,England.It has a 26 in ovate contour barrel with a full length matted rib ,express sights and is in 22lr.It is a beautiful handling gun ,I could just carry it all day.

One piece of advice if you want to hunt with it get one with a safety it will make things easier.I hunt with mine but since I only hunt rabbits and it is not a big deal if I miss a shot I. Normally carry mine unloaded until the need arises
yooper2
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by yooper2 »

Can't help you any but my first centerfire rifle was a martini cadet "rechambered" to 32-20. Fired cases didn't look a whole lot like a 32-20 but the brass worked and you could reload for it with a Lyman 310 tool which only neck sized. My only bullet was a 3118 my Grandad had on hand and about 90% of my loads were a caseful of 2f as he felt that was the safest way for a kid to learn loading.

He sold that rifle when I was 14 not realizing how much it meant to me as I was shooting other rifles (leverguns!) more often at that point, think he always felt a bit bad about that.

They are great rifles with a cool history, best of luck on your search!

Eric
piller
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by piller »

Those rifles are cool, but the prices leave me shaken, not stirred.
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2ndovc
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by 2ndovc »

They can be quite addictive. I had quite a few for years, but thinned them down a bit awhile back. I still have a large frame Greener .22lr conversion that will shoot circles around anything else I have. I also have a Cadet model that I bought as a barreled action. I had it rebarreled to .25-20 and it's a hoot. I need to find a new gunsmith to work on the new project when I figure it out.

jb 8)
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Nicknack
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by Nicknack »

I have three, two are proper 22LR target rifles (thick sided receiver) a model 12 & model 12/15 and a converted BSA 310 converted to 218 BEE, I have yet to finish the BEE, it has a Green mountain .22 lr octagon barrel, I welded the firing pin hole and redrilled the block, then fitted a small diameter firing pin. Martini's have great triggers. The 22 target rifles are very very accurate the 12/15 has a Parker Tube reline.
In Australia the going price for good 310 Cadets is around $350, I am keeping an eye out for a good one with Queensland markings, one of my best mates is going to give me a .297/230 Morris Francotte Cadet but sadly the bore is buggered but I have a spare .357 Green Mountain octagon barrel, love a 357 MAX. Though I could convert it to .22 LR with a reline tube but they have a long thin barrel.

Regards Dallas
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saddler
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by saddler »

A mate here picked up a nice one in .22 Hornet.
Another shooter I know has a private purchase sporter in .577-450 - was used by an officer in the British Army - he used to load it with a 45 round ball in the front of the case & bowl rabbits over at 100 yards on a regular basis.

The dedicated target models fell out of favour for a while here but they are coming back into their own as collectable rifles for either vintage shoots or just some fun nostalgic type shooting
Bruce Scott
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by Bruce Scott »

One of mine in .357 Magnum

Image

It was originally a W.W. Greener Cadet that had been roughly sporterized, chambered for 32-40 and drilled for a receiver sight. I had her upgraded a bit.
Image
Daisyman
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by Daisyman »

Here's mine.
BSA Cadet rifle, marked 10/11 I've shot mine a few times with 32-20, and the bullets keyholed. I'll have to reread your suggestions on what to reload and give it another try. I haven't shot it in 20 years.
Irv
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Stevie
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by Stevie »

I actually own three Martini Henry rifles! Two BSA Mk.II rifles and one Mk.IV rifle...all out of the 'Nepal Cache'....got some reloading dies..a biger diameter press and a .465 bullet mold and all,,,,brass is a problem..however CBC 24ga shotshells can be converted...powder capacity is too large...will kick like a mule...

I'm new here and should keep my mouth shut...but it ain't a bad rifle or .577/.450 is definitely a reloadable blast! IMA(International Military Antiques)..or Atlanta Cutlery should be checked out if you want to shoot this sort of stuff
Bruce Scott
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by Bruce Scott »

Daisyman wrote: Sun Jul 23, 2017 6:37 pm Here's mine.
BSA Cadet rifle, marked 10/11 I've shot mine a few times with 32-20, and the bullets keyholed. I'll have to reread your suggestions on what to reload and give it another try. I haven't shot it in 20 years.
Irv
This discussion may be of some help too:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthr ... patibility
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model55
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by model55 »

IIRC the 310 cadet had a .321 bore similar to the .32 Winchester Special and not the smaller bore of the 32-20 ( .318 ) so re-chambering to either american cartridge had mixed results because of the bore size and twist.Shooting 32 Winchester in a cadet will get your attention and not be too satisfactory in my limited experience with it, I'm guessing the answer would be to get a hold of the 310 cadet bullets then work up loads or re- barrel.The cadets will handle 30-30 size cases but more than that is pushing it as the barrel shank is not very large .IIRC a well known gunsmith (Hass ?) wrote a book on single shots and suggested 30-30 or 25-35 but not the 219 zipper due to pressure and possibly pistol calibers up to .41 magnum because of shank size.I have a Martini Enfield trade rifle which was proofed but not marked as to who manufactured it.Had a lot of feed back about it possibly being a Khyber Pass rifle but it is too well made.Watch out for fakes.
Pete44ru
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by Pete44ru »

.

When you posted that you need a martini, I thought that you wanted to do some drinking........ ;)

:mrgreen:

I had a .22LR BSA Model 12 takedown for a year or two, but since I'm primarily a hunter, I tired of lugging the weight around the Squill woods and sold it.

It did, however, significantly scratch my similar itch for a Martini to shoot.

If it had been as nice & lithesome as Bruce Scott's or Barbarosa's Martini's, I'd have kept it. (Nice rifle, guys - thanks for posting them)


.
Daisyman
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Re: I need a Martini

Post by Daisyman »

Bruce Scott,
Thanks for the info on .310. Boy that's a LOT of info for an old phart like me that doesn't reload at all. I'll have to mull that around and see what happens. I have no way of knowing, but I'd almost bet mine is still in the original chambering.
Irv
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