Looking for .32-40 lead boolits

[Baltimore Ed]

Hey guys, I am trying to figure out my Martini Cadets odd chamber and even though it?s stamped 32-20 i think the chamber has been opened up as my fired brass necks and what used to be the 32-20 shoulder measures close to a 32-40. This would have allowed the PO to use .321-.322 boolits and not have to mess with heel base loads. I am wondering if anyone would sell me some of their cast .32-40 boolits to try out. 120 to 150 gr would be great but any weight would be something to experiment with. Thanks ahead.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello Ed,

I think if your cadet was opened up to 32-40, your 32-20 would fall right into the chamber.

AntiqueSledMan.

[Baltimore Ed]

Sorry for not being clearer, didn?t mean to say its chambered for 32-40, the case is way too long to even get into a little cadet action. I?m wondering if the chamber was recut with a 32-40 reamer only as deep as the 32-20 case. Looking at case and chamber dimensions there should only be a small difference between a fired and unfired case but my fire formed 32-20 has an almost 10 thousands plus difference. I don?t think just a
.32-20 reamer was used. When my .321 boolits arrive I will seat one in my fired brass and if it chambers then we?ll see what I?ve got. I was going to beagle my 311413 bullet mould but I think that I?ll try to powder coat some of these bullets to make them bigger. They come out of my mould at .313/.314.

[Ranch 13]

 There were a number of 32-20 cartridges that aren't related to the 32wcf.
A chamber cast will probably be a great help, especially if you can catch enough of the throat and rifling to get a good bore and groove measurement.

[Professor Marvel]

As Ranch13 said, get thyself a chamber casting!
If you don't have any cerrosafe, a very hard parrafin wax can do in a pinch, but it is far more fragile.

The Martini Cadet

"Chambered for the .310 Cadet cartridge (aka: .310 Greener), it was used from 1891 to 1955.
The rifles will often chamber the similarly sized .32-20 Winchester and fire with some accuracy.[2] However the 32/20 is actually 0.312 cal and the 310 is 0.323 cal. "

"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."

You mentioned beagling your mold, but I am not sure if you can get it large enough.
If you can't get legit .323-.324 lead bullets, you might try a pure lead 9mm or .38
and rolling it between two steel plates until it squishes down to the desired size.

a a 10/32 drill bit is .3125 and a 21/64 drill bit is .328 so two of these could be used as spacers.... at least it could get you close!

oh, just FYI modern Lee 8mm Mauser molds throw a .323 174 gr bullet, if you
really want to cast a bullet then cut it down....


here are the dims for .310 Cadet
from https://loaddata.com/Cartridge/310-Cadet-Martini/2341


this one sounds just like yours
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?248822-More-Cadet-Talk

and this might helps
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=10326
pf mvl

[Baltimore Ed]

Thanks Professor, that was a read with 259 posts. Sound exactly like my cadets issues. I will try to get a chamber cast before doing any more ?speculatin or spending any more money.

[Baltimore Ed]

Here?s my chamber cast. And a 30 yd target, the upper group were my cut down 130 gr boolits and the tighter lower group is the 150 gr. All were loaded with 3.0 gr Bullseye.