Australian Cadet Rifle

C

Codye

Inactive
I have an Australian Cadet Rifle SS#60888. It's well over 70 yrs old. Also as the image of a kangaroo engraved. On the stock it reads C. M. F. N. S. W. 23.425 10/11


Can anyone provide me more information about when it was made?

I believe it was made by Martini and I think the caliber is 310.
 
If it has not been rechambered, the cartridge is .310 Cadet. Brass can be hard to find but .32-20 brass works. More difficult is the bullet. The bullet is a heeled design, like a .22rf bullet. Diameter is .312- .313”.
 
library
 
There's a whole forum on Martini Henry's at .milsurps.com. (Add the 'W's.) Including a bunch of guy who were Aussie Cadets.
There's this too.
https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/371716
Note the stock letters mean "Citizen Military Forces N.S.W" The NSW being New South Wales. Made between 1899 and 1949. Used until 1955 only in Australia.
Buffalo Arms wants $51.19 per 20 for smokeless powder ammo. When they have any. Uses a 120 grain "heeled" bullet.
Bertram makes the brass. Graf's wants $38.99 per 20. Also when they have any.
 
At one time Australia had a system of compulsory military training for boys, and these were purchased for it. Many originally had cleaning rods in a rod channel underneath like the early Krags - unfortunately many cadets found it irresistible to launch these with a blank cartridge and some fatalities occurred.
 
Yep, BSA Australian Cadet rifle, in 310 Cadet. You can make brass out of 32-20, although the rim is thicker and likely will not chamber in stock form. DKT used to make heeled bullets, and Hornady makes a .314 wadcutter that works well.
 
I had a Martini a couple years ago. It was marked BSA and Austrailia CW. It had
the Kangaroo on reciever. A local gunsmith in WVa had made up a lot of these rifles in 218B and 22jet. New barrels, sporter wood and he formed monkey tails
into a loop. I think some guys chambered them for 32/20 and shot factory 32/20
through original 310 bores. I have herd of 30/30s but I never saw one. I would
think a cartridge that long would have problems making it into chamber over the
breech block.
 
There is a good deal of Internet Lore on loading and shooting the .310. You can reform .32-20 to suit (or buy it from Buffalo Arms for $1.89 a pop) or you can rechamber to .32-20 but you need to use the right bullet.

Some were rechambered to .32 Winchester Special which seems too big, but it must have worked to some extent.
 
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