Timmy asked...

[eljefe]

Gday People.
Timmy asked in another post about the work I had done on the Martini Cadet in 7.62x39.
It is a BSA made Cadet for the Australian Cadets during early part of 1900. Usual caliber is .310.
These are very prolific and an Aussie classic. They’ve been rechambered to many calibers, .357, .222Rimmed etc. I had this .222 Rimmed bench rest rifle laying around , wanting to make a wildcat- 7mm/.222 Rimmed, with grandiose plans to name it 7mm El Jefe.
Following a discussion on castboolits.com about the ability of a cadet action to take the pressures of a short russki, My gunsmith friend and I decided to have a go.
DarwinMauser (Pete) here donated a 2 groove .303 bbl in VGC to the cause.
It came out fantastic, using factory 123gr surplus Chinese FMJ, 150 gr hornady reloads, or Lee 155 gr cast with 11 gr Blue dot.
Because the new stepped bbl profile was too skinny for the BR forend, took me a while to get a smaller schnabel- ish forend done.
What started as a bit of a rub, stain polish and a touch up blue progressed to stripping metal to the ‘white’ and wood down to bare form.
The huge big ‘Trashco’ 3-9 was removed and I surrendered a short profile 1-6x which suited the petite lines better.
Because I had no boiling tank or carding brush, I used oxphoblu cold blu. First time on metal which was taken down to ‘the white’ having only used it in the past for a touch up.
Wood took a few days, from 320 to 600 grit. Followed by a walnut stain - a very diluted and light coat, then danish oil 2 coats at 4 days intervals.
Metal was also scrubbed down with 600 grit and I realised thy my beater / truck rifle was made in 1909 and did have more than a few character marks.Many of which I did not make an effort to take off.
The metal was degreased with degreaser, acetone and oxphoblue applies on hot metal. 2 days between coats
The 30mm rings came in today from Sydney- took all of 13 days because of the lock down.

[eljefe]

I’m blundering about trying to post a few pics taken during the work. They’ll be up soon

[timmy]

Asif, I don't know how I missed this bit of loveliness! The oxphoblue looks good -- I will use it on my 2A. How many coats did you put on it? it looks very deep. Incidentally, I love the brass buttplate -- you have to get an occasional comment on that! When it comes to single shots, there's nothing, in my mind, like a Martini Henry. Simple, quick, and with great lines. Your Cadet is a perfect example. Your caliber choice, I like, as well. Easy to get ammunition for, and I'd expect decent accuracy. After all, 6mm BR is based on that same case. Are you casting for it? I've got the Lee 155gr mould for that caliber, and figure on using it in both the SKS and the AK.

I'm sorry that I didn't see this post; this was when I was at my worst as far as being under the weather. I'm glad I caught it, as going through your pics is a real feast for the eyes.

[eljefe]

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About 3 coats of oxphoblu , Timmy. Wasnt able to get the stock refinishing kit due to covid lockdown. Will do it now.
Its a RFI smle bbl, mikes .313” And gives me clover leaves with the Lee 155 atBHN of 12 and 11.4 gr Blue Dot.
I lucked onto some 150 gr 0.313” SN - vintage local stuff, and have taken it out to 313m on game - on a bloody whim, i must add.
Changed to Leupold Low rings yesterday when GS opened. So it needs another zero after the bore sight.
The brass butt plate? It was a gift from my gunsmith. He is the type who makes guns, knives and his latest is a ‘Gandalf‘ long stemmed pipe.

[timmy]

It looks like an ideal backpacking rifle, as it is not large and bulky. It's not that I'm complaining about my Martini Henry, as I love it as the attainment of a childhood dream. But the small Cadet action is so nice to look at, and it is said that it's every bit as strong as the large action. I do like the brass butt plate. I wish my 2A had one, but of course I'm not about to change it.

Almost all of the 7.62x39 we get here is the greenish-brown steel-cased shellacked stuff, as in your pic. Some is zinc plated and looks silvery in color. Awhile back, I did find a box of brass cases that I'll used for range work and reloading. I gues it must be Mendeleev or something, but those Russians do have a knack for metallurgy!

[Vikram]

Awesome job, Jefe. I too managed to miss it somehow.

[eljefe]

Lets not get into Martini rifles, people.
2 days ago when i went to pick up the rings, i nearly came home with a 1908 Long lever Martini Henry and a box of original, wire wound 577-450 cartridges. And i’m already sitting on an offer of another MH in .450-400 ,3” take down model AND have my eye on a 577-500 No.2. A custom job. Lucky me, my spirit may be willing, but my flesh is weak. If i have big boomer, I will shoot it. Often. And my shoulder may pack up for good. But the exhilarating feeling of the recoil of a big caliber...it aint mean no thing, if it aint got no zing!

[timmy]

It must be great to be confronted by such dilemmas! There is something about these rifles, big and small, from .22 on up to cavernous, that I like very much. Maybe it's the history, or maybe it's the clean, efficient design, or perhaps it's just everything, but Martinis are my favorite single shot rifle. By far!

[dev]

Very pretty rifle. Please post some groups when you can.

[timmy]

El Jefe, you didn't forget us, did you? Please let us know how this Martini project is going, if you've had a chance to touch it off recently.

[eljefe]

El Jefe, you didn't forget us, did you? Please let us know how this Martini project is going, if you've had a chance to touch it off recently.

Esta Bien, Senor.
As soon as I get to a range. Currently Working on the 7mm-08 at a friend’s acreage. I’m happy to see it giving clover leaf with a little bit of tweaking.
The 145gr RCBS 0.285 cast with 21 gr 4227 gives me a 2” spread at 100 and the same POI as the 120 gr Barnes ! I’m glad i didn't use the action for a .338 Fed as originally planned. Its a pleasant shooting, accurate rifle which will be good for the kids. The .338 Fed does boot a bit...

[timmy]

I can see where 338 Federal would both kick and be a pretty efficient cast boolit case.

2": someone has their casting technique down pretty good!

[eljefe]

Finally, got around to check a couple of years of lockdown tweaking

The 7mm-08 is an ordinary Remington Model 78.
I cheated. A bit.
After a epoxy bedding job, I fixed a Burris 3-9 i had.
Ammo:
New rem cases, trimmed to length, flash hole cleaned up, primer pocket squared. Necks were skim turned. Mouths chamfered and annealed.
The bbl twist rate is 1:9”
Throat was not short, unlike some European 7mm-08 ive seen and handled.
Loads:
120gr speer, 139gr Hornady PSP, 150 gr hornady PSP.

All using one powder- an Australian version of 3031 , labelled 4740 here. The can I have must be about 20 years old.
Seated with a jump of 30 thou.

After initial 50 yd zero, the fun began. The 3 in the centre were 150 gr Hornady. The 3 to the right were cast Lee 130gr, with gas checks and coated with a local epoxy called HiTek. Powder was 2205
Final zero was for 200m. As seen in the pics, it seems to like the 150 gr.


Second rifle was the Cadet martini in 7.62x39

Cases- S&B. (Which lived up to their name of ‘sodit and buggerit’ the primer pockets go loose in about 2-3 reloads) and,
Norinco,Berdan primed, steel cases. Someone pulled out the 123 fmj projjies and gave me about half a pillowcase of primed cases.
So i dropped a charge of 2205 and 2207 from the book, seated the projjies- hornady 123 and 150 gr and some copper washed south african .312 150 gr.

The scope is a Minox 1-6x with a very different 1click = 1/5 mil NOT the usual 1 click = 1/4”

After the 7-08 zero was done, started with the 7.62x39at 50 m to check if Bullets were on paper. Then zeroed at 100m.
The groups are as seen in the pics.

I came back from the range - a 120km drive each way, walking/driving on a cloud.

I had picked up some very expensive Barnes 120 gr and Noslers white tip 150 gr to prep this rifle. If it performs like this with ‘plain jane’ hunting bullets…

As usual ,Vikram will be imposed with loading the pics. I am technology retarded.

[eljefe]

Look like i did manage to resize one!

This is 200 m zero

[eljefe]

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The initial 50m check. 3 on the right are 130gr Lee cast,with ADI 2205

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