doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Ideas for a project, single shot .38 special

I am a shotgun guy, but have an idea for a project and I need help getting up to speed. I used to shoot cowboy action, and I have about 5-6 thousand loaded rounds of 38 special around, and since I quit shooting I sold all the guns. I would love to build (help build, have built...) a single shot rifle I can shoot the 38 specials out of. I am aware that you can buy a Ruger no. 1 that is chambered for .357, but I would rather have a vintage action. I can wood butcher, checker, and do some metal finishing but not machining so that will have to be farmed out. I imagine a relatively long barreled "adult" sized rifle that serves next to no practical purpose. I am a cheap bastard and would love to do it without mortgaging the house.

So, any suggestions on what action to start with? How about a source for a barrel? Reasons I shouldn't do it in the first place?

Thanks,
CHAZ

How about a nice little BSA Martini ? This ones in 357 Mag. Regards, Roly.

nero,
i love your little martini. Did you build it or buy it that way? I am thinking about a project like that too.

Jerry

Nero,
How about a close up of the action.
Hoof,
I have one of the cadets that were rebored to 357 in the 60s and it seems to have been chambered with a pistol reamer rather than rifle reamer. Because of this I shoot 38 spec.cases because I can seat bullets where they should be seated.You can still find these neat little rifles off and on and you wouldn't have to worry with having one re barreled.
Mike

That is just what I had in mind. So the search is on! $10 to Dave if I end up getting a good lead on one from this thread.
Thanks to all.
CHAZ


http://www.assra.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1301988598
A little rooting around online, same gun?
Martini

I have a half dozen or so cadets coming in to the shop in the next few weeks.
Steve

Hi Hoof, yes thats the one, felt I had to show it off and you ought to get your order in quick to SKB if the Cadets he has coming in are for sale.
This particular Martini was converted from a thick wall 22R/F as BSA centre fire Cadets are pretty few and far between in NZ these days and also command a premium price.
I can't do this sort of work but I am lucky to have a local gunsmith who does quality work, even if he does take a year to do it !
He does the machine work and fitting and feels safe in letting me do the metal polishing before the bluing and also the finishing of the wood so that I can as he says bond with the rifle.
The barrel is not new but came off some kind of 9mm rifle, I forget which but when the gunsmith said I could have for a song and It slugs out at 357 I said lets go for it. I have eight of these custom built little Martini's and thought a 357 would be something different.
Now I have it in my hot little hands I am not sure about it and thinking of re-barreling in 5.6 x 50R Mag.
Regards, Roly.

This would be my top choice for the Cadet except for the brass availability problem.

Another suitable action choice is the original low wall, except that they're getting hard to find.
Regards, Joe

I saw a beautiful original Winchester Low Wall done up as a Special Sporting Rifle in 38 Special. I do not know if it came from the factory that way, but it sure caught my attention.

Nero,
5.6x50R is a wonderful caliber.I even used mine for Whitetail,with 60gr.Nosler Partition bullet(expanded to 40cal and weighed 48 gr when recovered).Great for .223 class varmits.Brass may be a little pricy,but it lasts a long time with care.
Mike