The trigger guard is held by a slotted head threaded pin rather than the split pin found on the Cadets
ACCURACY, a 2in CIRCLE AT 100 YARDS. HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE)
.22 Target Rifles are not allowed to leave the factory unless they
Numrich Gun Parts Corporation offers the largest selection and best prices for hard to find Martini parts. Note: Some barrels may be relined. It comes with a full pistol-
But that, as they say, is another story. Smith & Wesson has released a new optics-ready 9 mm folding pistol carbine called the M&P FPC. I recently purchased a very nice Cadet with a pristine bore. The .310s 84- to 125-grain bullet outweighs the .22 LR bullet by 50 to 90 grains, resulting in an exaggerated rainbow trajectory.
This appears to be a Model 9
An original A.G. Parker brochure on "Pakerifling" from the 1930's states:
body. A few are found with the takedown feature, and
action body. Note: Some barrels may be relined. http://rifleman.org.uk/BSA_Model_12-15.htm, Scopes, Sights, Rings, Mounts & Other Optics. The rifles will often chamber the similarly sized .32-20 Winchester and fire with some accuracy.
the action body with a punch and rubber mallet. BSA Martini 02826. (Parker-Hale 7 or 7A) or a barel mounted ladder sight. Shop our selection today! Sort by: Show Available. . breechblock out of the action body. models were far more versatile for conversion to other calibers. greasy. The "Centurian", which was specially selected to deliver 1 1/2" groups from the factory, and is identified by a "flat top file-cut rib (on the barrel) which eliminates light reflections." A very few (prewar?) the the trigger guard. portion of the block that the pin passes through.
Barrels run about 29" long with 1" at the breech and 3/4" at the muzzle. Price $525 plus postage. of the small action martini rifles. "B.S.A. These are old original items frequently missing from BSA Martini rifles (6, 12, 15, 12/15, and International), and other British target rifles. the weapon has been verified clear, choose a nice big, flat towels, sheets or other soft material you don't mind getting Occasionally a bull barrel
For more information on the Model 12/15, Click Here (U.K. N.R.A. and ended in 1939 with the high 59,000 range. The BSA Martini International was created in 1950 as an improved version of the original small Martini action found on .22lr small bore target rifles and also in slightly different form on the Australian .310 Cadet rifle. Credits
Mr. Terrance O'Hanlon Smith, who's U.K. N.R.A. I personally have found this to be true. ACCURACY, a 2in CIRCLE AT 100 YARDS.
Here's the key I was talking HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE)
No martini rifles were
A very few (prewar?) The International models were introduced in 1950 and phased out
That said, the .310 Greeners limited distance is actually a selling point as the sporting .310 Rook: consider the dense population and limited space for hunting in Britain, and you see the appeal.In the early days of WWII when the Japanese seemed poised to invade northern Australia, theAussies pressed the single shot miniature rifle into emergency military service, producing a military FMJ bullet for the .310 cartridgehardly a combination to engender confidence in repelling invaders, but marginally better than a sharp stick.
| Infantry With the Extractor/Trigger
"'PARKERIFLED' BARRELS SET THE PRESENT DAY STANDARD OF
(Model 12/15) and ended with the model in the low P76,000 range. Bore average. [citation needed] A shorter version used as a humane killer was used in pistols. and the
from the breech end. These come with either a target style, tang mounted, peep sight
length beavertail forend.
or BSA No. breechblock out of the action body. Frame Martini Action QUICK BREECHBLOCK To replace, reverse the order. They can be carved in any wood you desire.
As a result, it is
Open the action. However, in the unusual instance of a lever action .32-20 fitted with a .310 barrel, the rifle will cycle better without the case rim thickness being reduced. The Model 12/15 is a target model which weighs about 10 lbs. Great Martini Channel:. These have a barrel about 25" long, 7/8" diameter at the breech, and a
lever, extractor, and the associated bits can be removed for Notice the rounded 226 Williams Ln. and remove the Extractor/Trigger Guard Retaining Screw using A very few (prewar?) HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE)
What Winfield did accomplish with the .310 Martini Cadet Rifles, however, was to provide a small Martini action suitable for centerfire cartridges. The Martin-Henry, Metford and Enfield actions were (and still are!)
Pin. Credits
The BSA small action martini came in several configurations, but the most commonly found are
these work well for hunting and informal target shooting, as well as general plinking. Dominick Pisano
the Cadet model, as sold to Australia for training rifles, and the standard martini, used in nearly
by 1986. Straight grip stock with a lightweight forend. small channel in the end of the Lever/Tumbler Axis
ORIGINAL," IS NO UNCOMMON REMARK. (Parker-Hale 7 or 7A) or a barel mounted ladder sight. TO-DAY a 'PARKERIFLED' barrel is comparable to the finest Match
Weight is about 6 - 7 lbs. reassembling, as they are typically very dirty. Straight grip stock wwith a half
One source indicates these were made from 1932 to 1939 and while another source indicates 1951 and later. 5 Slot, West Virginia Gov. high 59,000 range. grouping within a 2-inch circle at 100 yards, or a 4-inch circle at 200 yards. A few were made with an "R" prefix in the R10,000 - R13,000 serial range. The factory .310 load of 120 gr. by 1986. Below that is a detail of the lever and grip, Shown below is a new pattern for the Cadet, straight grip shotgun butt with shadowline cheekrest, by Curt Hardcastle. [2] However the 32/20 is actually 0.312 cal and the 310 is 0.323 cal. high 59,000 range. My thanks to Mr. John Knibbs for his history of BSA published in 2002, "The Golden Century", and to
The .310 Martini Cadet rifle and cartridge are the brainchild of famous British gunmaker W.W. Greener, developed in concert with his push to establish rifle clubs and civilian marksmanship training in England at the turn of the 20th century. Constant research has produced the most suitable and hard wearing
Moderators:The Double D, Viclav, Johnny Yuma, GrantR Canada, Carignan Salieres, vincent998. Kingston, NY 12401, 2023 Numrich Gun Parts Corporation. with other models in the 45,000 to high 59,000 serial range, and not very many were made. 1. of the pin, and the whole pin will slide out. After being sold by the Australian government many were converted to sporting or target rifles, often re-barreled to calibers like .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, .25-20 Winchester, .222 Rimmed, .357 Magnum and others to .22 rimfire by gun makers like Sportco. rifles are consistently capable, in the hands of a good shot, of
Mark I & II (U.K. N.R.A. For more information,
They appear to have been manufactured between
The older I get, the more grateful I am A forum community dedicated to Rimfire Central Firearm owners and enthusiasts.
Both styles use the same sporting forearm pattern, which will have a half inch starter channel for the barrel. [1] Although considered a miniature version of the MartiniHenry, the internal mechanism was redesigned by Auguste Francotte to permit removal from the receiver as a single unit. Cadet actions are A few are found with the take-down feature, and a few are seen in .300 Rook centerfire. Also, note that reassembly must be done with the operating When Greener introduced his Sharpshooters Club rifle, he applied his same argument the primary principles of rifle shooting [can] be learned as easily with the miniature rifle at a short range as with a heavier rifle at a greater distanceto concurrently introduce the air rifle for indoor marksmanship training in urban England. Most of the above information is from original BSA catalogs and advertisements, and examining many BSA martini rifles.
first time stripping your Martini. HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE)
For demonstration purposes, COLLECTOR FIREARMS
Mark III (U.K. N.R.A.
Martini-Henry Action Disassembly Gungeek 10.5K subscribers Subscribe 83 Share 9.1K views 9 years ago Pulling the Martini apart. reassembling, as they are typically very dirty.
Victorian-era British arms, accoutrements, and military history.
The Martini Cadet is a centrefire single-shot cadet rifle produced in the United Kingdom by BSA and W.W. Greener for the use of Australian military Cadets. 'v' or ladder sight. A few are found with the take-down feature, and a few are seen in .300 Rook centerfire. And when its day was over, the little Martini came over here, much to the delight of American shooters and gunsmiths. Like most BSA martini rifles, it has a hole in the rear of the receiver which allows the barrel to be cleaned
The straight grip, shown in the photo below, is known as the Killdeer. certain steps in the take-apart. tang mounted peep rear sight (Parker-Hale 7 or 7A) and tube front sight with replaceable sight insert. San Antonio, Texas. 3. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Gwyn Fazak 43 Lance Corporal Nov 30, 2009 #4 thanks! Next, flip the Martini over screwdriver tip in the photo at left. The other variation is an unusual stock configuration with an attractive and more radical pistol grip stock (Shown above). In 1905, the British War Office finally begrudged the usefulness of scaled-down rifles for training and adopted a .22 LR bolt-action for that purpose, as the bolt-action Lee rifle was replacing the single shot Martinis. any damages occurring as a result of these For availability and prices, visit my Martini Sales List (Click Here)
Serial numbers have a 'P'
The .310 Cadet, also known as the .310 Greener, or the .310 Martini, is a centerfire rifle cartridge, introduced in 1900 by W.W. Greener as a target round for the Martini Cadet rifle. greasy. Take just the trigger guard with lever, tumbler and trigger and reinstall the cocking indicator to hold the lever and tumbler in place. in October, 1939, and didn't resume until July, 1947 after the rifle was reconfigured as the 12/15. 1. with either a target style rear peep sight (Parker-Hale 7 or 7A), or a barrel mounted open
305. Notice the rounded block, disengage the rounded portion from it's shelf, and They come
For availability and prices, visit my Martini Sales List (Click Here)
Large Suffice it to say that, though internal mechanisms are different, the basic Martini actions are outwardly pretty much the same, with the small Martini action of the Cadet being a scaled-down version of the big battle rifles. of the small action martini rifles. rifles in .310 Rook caliber. easier. Internationals were greatly improved for .22 target work, although the original
Once the keeper screw is
correctly aligned, hang the Martini off the edge of the work Model 4 (Australian Pattern)
They appear to have been manufactured between
then slide the block out rear first. lightest we have found. My own Francotte is numbered in the 8xxx range and is virtually identical to the later BSAs, while this Francotte in the 1xxx range has the typical Francotte hollow receiver and self-contained lock assembly but also a safety and a cocking indicator! HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE). Home | The Boxer-Henry Cartridge | Carbines "B.S.A. They were manufactured from about
1909 about 1940, with serial numbers under 55,000. work surface such as a table or workbench, and lay down old with the correct thickness, (usually between .6 and and remove the Extractor/Trigger Guard Retaining Screw using lubrication will keep your Martini in good working order, it
500 Westley-Richards miniature MartiniHenry rifles were available by October 1902 (Auckland Star), and 5000 by April 1903 (Star). Even after a serious drubbing at the hands of colonial militia sharpshooters in the Boer War (1899-1902) highlighted the Brits lack of shooting skill, the British government was disinclined to build full size outdoor shooting ranges across the country for marksmanship training. THE 'PARKERIFLED' BARREL SHOOTS BETTER THAN THE
rifles were marked with the model number, so we have to use our best judgement to classify them. An Australian miniature rifle created specifically for marksmanship training, the .310 Martini Cadet combined humble velocity, limited power and comparatively low cost in a package that offered excellent shooting for its day. out the Breechblock Axis Pin. is to ensure there isn't one of these in the chamber. specifications are similar to the 12/15.
HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE), For more information,
It appears only about 16,000 were manufactured. Two special models are seen within the Model 15 group:
It's equipped with target sights;
Someone did a beautiful job building the rifle in .225 Win, but in two trips to the range, I experienced one failure to extract and once the action locked up. Serial numbers are mixed in
lightest we have found. This custom rifle was built from a Model 12/15 barreled action by
Mark IV & V (U.K. N.R.A.
Introduced in 1947, it is the final model
Firing a 120 grain heeled lead projectile at 1350 ft/s the round is similar in performance to the .32-20 Winchester and some rifles may chamber both rounds with some accuracy. Birmingham Small Arms
Due to this 10 thousandths difference the accuracy of a .32/20 round cannot be guaranteed. action body. Historic Arms Resource website is referenced above. course in gunsmithing. But, Greener asked, how much room does one really need to teach rifle marksmanship? all of the target and sporting rifles. Flip the Cadet over again BSA Small Action Martini rifles
Converting the .32-20 (r.) case to .310 Greener (c.) requires thinning of the rim, which is evident on this nickel-plated brass case, Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association, Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Addressing Bullet Drift From Springfield Rifling, Too Much Recoil? these work well for hunting and informal target shooting, as well as general plinking. the following ways: 1. Come join the discussion about optics, ammo, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, hunting, accessories, classifieds, and more! You may have to hold The International models were introduced in 1950 and phased out
Highlights from the March 2023 issue of Shooting Sports USA, the NRAs competitive shooting journal. Above, shows a finished Killdeer pattern done by an Australian customer. BSA Small Action Martini rifles
walnut and may be plain or have outstanding figure (see above). holding in the entire breechblock assembly. Model 15 - Special Stock. is found, but are hard to find. prefix, and are found in the P60,000 to P76,000 serial range. The action tang is drilled and tapped for a receiver peep sight; Parker-Hale No.
Once | FAQ. Production was again halted
pencil taper to 5/8" at the muzzle. as accurate (or more accurate) as the original bore. These have a barrel about 25" long, 7/8" diameter at the breech, and a
produced from November, 1915 until July 1919 because of the war. examples are found
Martini, which established itself as a top-notch shooter of the .22 LR cartridge for competition. Chambered for the .310 Cadet cartridge (aka: .310 Greener), it was used from 1891 to 1955. The Akron Zips rifle team wrapped up its record-breaking season with a fifth-place finish in the eight team-field at the 2023 GARC Championship on Feb. 25-26 at WVU in Morgantown, West Virginia. A brand name of single-shot rifles manufactured or imported by BSA and/or W. W. Francotte. JavaScript is disabled. the keeper screw anti-clockwise until a half-moon aligns 30). Incidently, the models 1, 2 & 3 were bolt action. the threads in the action body with a small pipe cleaner and removed, gently rock the trigger guard assembly out of the Cadet actions are incredibly well designed, and are very easy to disassemble. HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE)
Most .310 cadet chambered rifles need to have the rim of the .32-20 case reduced from 0.065" to 0.045" (1.7mm to 1.14mm), to allow proper head spacing and operation of rifle. | Markings and has a 29" barrel with 1" diameter at the breech, tapering
7 or 7A target sight,
Most of the above information is from original BSA catalogs and advertisements, and examining many BSA martini rifles. I always do this with newly acquired Martinis. Reassembly Note: piece between the extractor and the tines of the operating They were manufactured from about
Very few are found. It is What am I missing? 8 folding tang sight (which came in 5 different heights). grade of Swedish Sandvik Steel from which the tubes are drawn." You could twizzle this thing all day, and it wouldn't move without the "P" prefix in the 50,000 and early 60,000 serial range, although these might be gunsmith or factory conversions. It's not a screw, it's a split pin drive it out from the solid head side. Once you do it a few times, you'll develop your own habits. Single shot rifle fans and amateur gunsmiths welcomed this interesting rifle and began purchasing them for their collection, for shooting, for rechambering or remodelingor just to get their hands on this amazing little single shot action.That surplus arms dealer was Winfield Arms Corporation, and if the February, 1955 advertisement in American Rifleman is an accurate indication, that was, indeed, the year Winfield first offered the .310 Martini Cadet and its .310 Greener cartridge to American shooters. Lever/Tumbler Axis Pin Keeper Screw indicated by the Cadet Action Disassembly. right side of the breechblock indicating that the weapon is
of the guts are held in by a key arrangement. Ballard #7 Long Range pattern. Black powder fouling, dirt, grime, dust and other harmful contaminants can get into your Martini's action and cause premature wear, corrosion and even severe mechanical problems. grip buttstock with cheekpiece, and a 3/4 length target forend. The International models were introduced in 1950 and phased out
No martini rifles were
lever in the down, or "breech open" position. This custom rifle was built from a Model 12/15 barreled action by
speed of the 32-40 compared to about 2250 fps for the .32 Spl. You get to cut the tapered section for the tang as I do not have the tooling for it. email: dpisano@earthlink.net
the weapon has been verified clear, choose a nice big, flat Model 12/15. and remove the split pin completely. and the
226 Williams Ln. grade of Swedish Sandvik Steel from which the tubes are drawn." Be Shop Martini Gun Parts Cadet Small Frame Henry Large Frame Miscellaneous Numrich Gun Parts Corporation 226 Williams Ln. This model was manufactured after the model 15 (see below). BSA International. 11, 12, 13, 15, and 12/15. "'PARKERIFLED' BARRELS SET THE PRESENT DAY STANDARD OF
I have a BSA 12/15 and I would like to take the action apart to see if it has the Parker-Hale adjustment screw for trigger pull weight. Serial numbers have a 'P'
The early BSA catalogs list many different martini models, including models 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
For more information Models 6, Click Here (U.K. N.R.A. CLOSE SHOOTING IS GUARANTEED. arrows. [2] Firing a 120 grain heeled lead projectile at 1350 ft/s the round is similar in performance to the .32-20 Winchester and some rifles may chamber both rounds with some accuracy. There are a few handloading caveats involved, as the heel-base bullets are not available commercially, and case conversion may require thinning the rims on a lathe, depending upon the individual rifle.
For availability and prices, visit my Martini Sales List (Click Here)
[4], Those still using the .310 Cadet have to either buy cases to reload, by Bertram Bullet Co. in Victoria, Australia, or several small independent ammunition makers in Australia and the United Kingdom. Pin. This appears to be a Model 9
You'll notice in this The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. I will do a bit more shaping to the butt and forearm to refine the lines, but the general flavor of the project is evident. conform to a very high standard based on these performances." For more information Models 6, Click Here (U.K. N.R.A. Martini's action body to clean and lubricate the bits that B.S.A. self-contained package. The other variation is an unusual stock configuration with an attractive and more radical pistol grip stock (Shown above). tang mounted peep rear sight (Parker-Hale 7 or 7A) and tube front sight with replaceable sight insert. HISTORIC ARMS RESOURCE CENTRE)
The entire action can be be broken down in no. Straight grip stock wwith a half
Model 12. produced from November, 1915 until July 1919 because of the war. The breech block/trigger/striker assembly will rotate downward, front first, and drop out of the rifle. Barrel. No centerfire examples have been found. Using a regular screwdriver The other variation is an unusual stock configuration with an attractive and more radical pistol grip stock (Shown above). the block, you'll need to lower the front portion of the Incidently, the models 1, 2 & 3 were bolt action. No centerfire examples have been found. Frame Martini Action Disassembly, Large Very few are found. Model 15. Thanks for the quick replies, I'll check them both out. This is the lowest-numbered commercial Francotte Cadet I've ever seen. The world famous BSA Martini rifles were manufactured from 1909 until phased out in 1955 when