Okay, first Martini. What to do? What to do?

rstreich · #1 10-03-2008, 01:52 AM

I just got my first Martini today. I've thought about it a few times, but the two at the top of my list are the 17 AH and the 20 Killer Bee. I'm leaning the most towards the 17 AH 'cause you can't really have too many of those.

Any recommendations?

robert

jim barker · #2 10-03-2008, 03:47 AM

Man this a tough one - ok, how about this, buy another one and do both.

rstreich · #3 10-03-2008, 04:09 AM

Hey, I didn't say it was going to be my only one! I just said it is the first

Ladobe · #4 10-03-2008, 05:32 AM

Nothing against the 20KB at all, but when an option being considered is a 17AH, there really isn't any other option now is there? LOL

A17Shooter · #5 10-03-2008, 05:44 AM

Congrats on the Martini.

Is yours a rimfire or centerfire?

Kinda wish I had acquired one or more of those.

rstreich · #6 10-03-2008, 11:32 AM

Ladobe, Yeah, to be honest, I'm probably just going through the motions considering anything other than the 17 AH.

A17Shooter, Thanks. It's a centerfire. Bought it from drewh on the board here.

rick w. · #7 10-03-2008, 01:28 PM

I saw that rifle one early morning, it looked pretty nice, but the slush fund was just too low; good to see it found a new home.

I would vote for the 17 hornet, with the 17 bee a close second. If the extractor is original to the 310, then the bee will be less work, while the hornet will be perhaps a bit of lengthening of the hooks. DeHaas' book has a lot of information on extractor mods. As I remember the lever is already shaped, so might be a good time to learn hard silver soldering(extractor) if not already in ones background.

I have never owned a small martini other than the BSA MKII's which I have seen renditions to centerfire. Hope you will post pictures of the cadet project as it progresses as lots of folks interested in the little cadets.

Rick W.

Cranky Bugga · #8 10-03-2008, 10:17 PM

I have done one in 17Mink, its as sweet as

Its set up as switch barrel with the other barrel in 20 max

357 max. 20max, 17max.

I used shortened 204 R dies and the smith ran a 204R reamer in short. This project has been set aside as I got jack of the poor excuse for an extractor on the Martini. I was not able to load the 20max to its full potential as anything over about 20VT velocity saw the cases stuck and had to be removed with a cleaning rod

Anyone have any tricks for improving the extraction on Martinis?

Cheers

elalto · #9 10-04-2008, 10:59 PM

I've built up a few Martini wildcats and have always had the extraction problem. I've tried a few things like reducing the body taper, polishing the chamber, and finally reducing the loads was the only thing that worked, SOMETIMES.

I just received a Martini chambered in 222 rimmed and I was checking out the chamber with some of my own fired cases, the case fit a little tight but chambered. When I went to "extract" the case I pushed the lever down sharply and to my surprise the empty FLEW out of the chamber!! I broke a nail getting the action apart to see what was different and found that the extractor was altered. The extractor has had a bead of steel welded on it which appears to add some leverage as the breech block comes down to extract the fired case.

It seems that the little bit of leverage help from the steel bead increases the "pull" on the fired case. I have not tried it with some of my hotter loads but I have a feeling that it is going to make it possible to use the hotter loads with out the cleaning rod assist. Sorry about the quality of these photos but I spend my money on bullets and powder not cameras.

Kiwishooter · #10 10-04-2008, 11:54 PM

the centrefire conversions I have seen on the Martinis use the rimfire extractor and not the Cadet .310 extractor.

I haven't had an problems with the rimfire type extractor but have had problems with the forked extractor on my MkII International 22 Hornet. The forks seem to spread and ride over the rim when using hot loads.