BSA Cadet in .32-20

  • 1K Views
  • Last Post 24 July 2021
bigbore805 posted this 07 December 2020

I have acquired a Cadet that had been rechambered for .32-20 on the original barrel. The groove diameter seems to be about .316 (hard to measure five lands properly). I need a bullet mold but am having trouble picking the size. It looks like I will need a heeled bullet between 100 and 120 gr. and Accurate Molds sells some. Any suggestions on a proper mold for this rifle?

Attached Files

Order By: Standard | Newest | Votes
Squid Boy posted this 08 December 2020

BigBore, I think you should slug the bore because it should be much bigger in grove diameter if it is the 310 Cadet barrel. It may be better to do a chamber cast and take a few inches of the bore with it. That will give you an idea of what the throat looks like as well. I use a CBE 130 grain heeled bullet with very good results. Good luck, Squid Boy

"Squid Pro Quo"

Attached Files

tony1960 posted this 08 December 2020

Bigbore, I'm with Squid Boy, if you are measuring five lands (or trying to) then it's going to be bigger than .316. I would make that chamber cast pronto and see just what you have. CBE's 130 gn proj shoots flash in my cadet too.

 

Tony

Attached Files

JeffinNZ posted this 08 December 2020

You will need .320 on the driving bands as a minimum. Ideally the heel should the inside diameter of a fired case.

Cheers from New Zealand

Attached Files

rjmelehan posted this 27 June 2021

 

I Have a similar issue in a 310 cadet that has been re-chambered  to 32 Winchester special.

With factory ammunition the rifle will not hit the inside of the barn. I thought the twist was too slow for the long factory bullets so my next step is to, as you suggest, slug barrel.

Of course I could just load some lighter shorter bullets and see how they work out

 

 

 


I have acquired a Cadet that had been rechambered for .32-20 on the original barrel. The groove diameter seems to be about .316 (hard to measure five lands properly). I need a bullet mold but am having trouble picking the size. It looks like I will need a heeled bullet between 100 and 120 gr. and Accurate Molds sells some. Any suggestions on a proper mold for this rifle?

Attached Files

bigbore805 posted this 30 June 2021

I have been working on this for some months. George De Siato was extremely helpful with advice on this thing. I purchased a Accurate Molds 32-125H heeled bullet that drops at 124 gr and .122 diameter with a BHN of about 10.5 (I was always going to powder coat them so it is a bit small). I have used various lubes to try to get it to work: powder coat, liquid alox, LBT Blue soft, and even no lube at all. People say that they can be loaded without a press but that's not my experience. The cases blow out to almost straight-sided. I neck size, flare slightly, then crimp the bullet lightly with a Lee factory crimp die.

The best group at 50 yards so far is about 3 MoA with powder coat and 4.7 gr Unique. It wants to be above 1200 fps. The problem with PC is that the bullet is a bit too long to go in the chamber all the way without persuasion. I have to load to a COL of about 1.7" which puts the case up on the lower band. It still works OK but I need more experimentation.

Attached Files

pisco posted this 01 July 2021

I use a .320 130 mould from cbe 

I done a chamber cast and sent it to cbe there are different bore diameters in the 310

good luck with the 32-20 conversion I have read where you shorten the case to get away from the healed projectile that is where the chamber cast comes in

Attached Files

Squid Boy posted this 09 July 2021

I had to come back to this thread today because I shot my Martini Cadet 32-20 today with an experimental bullet I designed. I was stunned by the results and never expected it in a million years. Here is the target with the data. I shot a second with another powder that was just over 0.8" for five shots. Thanks, Squid Boy

Martini Cadet 32-20 Target #22

"Squid Pro Quo"

Attached Files

  • Liked by
  • M3 Mitch
  • Spindrift
TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 09 July 2021

and the bullet y'all designed is?

Attached Files

Squid Boy posted this 09 July 2021

Accurate Molds #32-133D. I had a crazy idea about putting a lube groove in the heel. Shot as is from the mold and dip lubed. Thanks, Squid Boy

"Squid Pro Quo"

Attached Files

  • Liked by
  • M3 Mitch
  • TRKakaCatWhisperer
WINCHESTER 71 posted this 10 July 2021

this does NOT make sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  why mess with a hell bullet when you have re-chambered to 32-20????????  seems like 

by simplifying going to 32-20 chambering you get away from 310 Martini you jump back in the fire ..........Heel bullets are a pain and create more problems then the original chambering

had????????????

Attached Files

Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 10 July 2021

..heeled bullets ...

22rf are heeled bullets ...

not bad company ...

ken

Attached Files

Squid Boy posted this 10 July 2021

The primary reason, at least for me, is to match the .323" groove diameter of the old 310 Cadet bore. The heel is set to fit the neck of a fired case and is .312". If I made the bullet case neck diameter it would rattle around the bore. The heal/overall length and nose diameters are set so that the bullet just engages the rifling when the breech is closed. The case length being set first and the bullet built off of that. The idea of the grease groove came from a discussion about the heels expanding to contact the groove diameter of the barrel and some bullets that I managed to recover show that they do. At least with my gun and loads. Heeled bullets can be a PITA but this one surprised the heck out of me. Thanks, Squid Boy 

"Squid Pro Quo"

Attached Files

  • Liked by
  • delmarskid
pisco posted this 10 July 2021

Got to be happy with that well done

Attached Files

Dukem posted this 21 July 2021

I took a different path. I trimmed my .32-20 brass back until I could seat a 90 grain .322" bullet from a Saeco mould for the 8m/m Nambu. 

Long Hunter has that rifle now. I don't know if he has shot it yet. I think I was shooting about 4 grains of Trail Boss in it.

Attached Files

JeffinNZ posted this 21 July 2021

this does NOT make sense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  why mess with a hell bullet when you have re-chambered to 32-20????????  seems like 

by simplifying going to 32-20 chambering you get away from 310 Martini you jump back in the fire ..........Heel bullets are a pain and create more problems then the original chambering

had????????????

 It makes perfect sense as Cadets need a .320-.325 diameter driving band to shoot and you can't seat bullets of that girth in a .32-20 chamber.  So many Cadets have been ruined by American "gunsmiths" who had no idea what they were doing.

Heel bullets are not a pain at all.  Just a matter of knowing how to load them properly.

Cheers from New Zealand

Attached Files

hporter posted this 21 July 2021

32-133D

 

What a great idea to get around the chamber and groove diameter issue.  I have always wanted a cadet, but didn't want to fool with the issues of a converted 32-20 chamber.  I reload for 32-20 already - so I might have to put in a Gunbroker daily search/watch for a Cadet now.

And you mentioned you shot them as is - with no sizing - that is even better.  No sizer die needed.

Attached Files

Squid Boy posted this 21 July 2021

Yes, that is the bullet drawing from Toms catalog. I do shoot it just as it comes from the mold. I dip lube and after they cool wipe the bases clean then let the case neck take off what is on the heel. Then carefully wipe off the excess. I plan to load some into my 310 Cadet this week and will report after I shoot them. This all happened because of a discussion about heeled bullets expanding into the bore. Thanks, Squid Boy

"Squid Pro Quo"

Attached Files

barra posted this 23 July 2021

Well done.

Nice to see.

you must be a good shot.

‘I’d be happy with that from any cast bullet gun.

looking forward to your report.

 It always makes me think how well the 0.310 could have shot 100 yrs ago when all new and pristine.

Attached Files

MP1886 posted this 23 July 2021

Nice shooting Squidboy.....you can shoot "rateyes" out with that!!!

Attached Files

Spindrift posted this 23 July 2021

Very good results, congratulations! I notice you use Vectan A0. I also use this powder for many light loads in my bottleneck rifle cartridges, with good results. I like it!

Attached Files

Show More Posts
Categories
Search
Popular Tags
This Weeks High Earners
Hot Topics
Close