Post by: JDHasty on June 10, 2025, 08:43:33 PM
https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/a-martini-cadet-project-i%E2%80%99m-working-on.1299963/
Post by: JDHasty on July 19, 2025, 05:30:14 PM
It doesn’t weigh much. Even with the STS it is probably right around 7lbs.
Post by: Dan-o on July 19, 2025, 07:11:04 PM
More cool work on your end.
Post by: greenhead_killer on July 19, 2025, 07:59:19 PM
Post by: JDHasty on July 19, 2025, 08:18:54 PM
I had a couple friends stop by this afternoon who want one just like it real bad. To start with a Cadet action that hasn’t been altered to shoot high pressure rounds yet and get it going by March ‘26 just isn’t going to happen. If they want one by ‘27, they better start looking for. action right now, buy one and get into the queue at their gunsmith pronto
I got a hella deal on the action, used a spare 26” long CZ 457 HMR barrel I had here on it and my buddy Mike had that stock in his This might come in handy someday pile since the 1980s.
That is a brand new 1:9 barrel, so it should really shoot. There are a couple pages on it at the link.
Post by: JDHasty on July 19, 2025, 08:26:39 PM
Quite the glass there! Cool little project gun
It is a real nice 20 power Super Target Spot.
Post by: JDHasty on August 17, 2025, 05:15:08 PM
So, the five bags of 32-20 Winchester brass go back into the crap that might come in handy someday pile and that saved me a LOT of time and effort.
Both the 500 Starlinebrass and 200 Winchester 218 Bee cases went through the Redding form die and RCBS FL sizer without losing a one. That don’t happen often. Here’s a trick for anyone who wants to try something like this. Put the parent cases into a gallon zip loc bag and hit them with Hornady One Shot Case lube a few times shaking them up to bring new ones to the top between sprays. That takes care of the inside of the case neck when it comes time to drag the expander back through it. You still need to use Imperial Size Die Lube on the outside while forming though. I could run 200/hour through my annealer and it took longer to anneal them after they were formed than to form them.
The necks look kind of cruddy, that’s because I’m lazy and didn’t tumble them to get the lube off before annealing them. They are looking pretty good though.
We are getting right at 3,600 fps out of our CZs and Contender Carbines in 17 Hornet with 20 Gr V-max. The 17 Ackley Bee should be good for that with a 25 grain bullet or 4K with the 20s.
The fore end is for another thing I have going on. I cut a deal on a nice 17 A&M Bee barrel for a Stevens 44 1/2. That barrel would have been made by Bill Atkinson who had an outstanding reputation as a barrel maker. His barrels were recognized as among the top barrels back then. He suffered an injury and could no longer make barrels and went to work for his good friend Bill Ruger managing the Prescott operation.
The fore end didn’t look like much when I got it. Linseed oil never really dries w/o a bit of Japanese Drier added to it and I think that is what had befallen it. It was almost black from oxidized linseed oil and probably crud that had adhered to it. It cleaned up nicely though. It had a little chip, I was able to do a bit with it, but the stock is so thin right there that I’m reluctant to do any more. The perfect is the enemy of the good in too many cases like this and it looks OK at this point.
The 17 A&M Bee is nothing more than a blown out 17 Ackley Bee, if the barrel would spin on either of my 44 1/2 frames I could fire one and get a case to have a die reamer ground from. It doesn’t and would have to be fitted to one of my actions. I have a line on a 44 1/2 action and butt stock I’m am going to take a look at it. I’ll probably get it and fit the barrel to it if it doesn’t spin right on and order an extractor from CPA to fit the Bee rim.
Post by: JDHasty on August 17, 2025, 05:20:34 PM