doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Single shot actions

I would never tout it as a �best� design for a big game rifle, but the Martini Cadet action can be made into a very attractive custom rifle chambered for the .30-30 family of cartridges or one of the wildcat .24 or .25 caliber cartridges based on the .222 family of cases. The .30-30 family of cartridges are fully capable of taking deer or black bear and were often employed to take much larger game back when they were state of art and the advent of modern bullets and powders enhances their performance. The Cadet action is a good more attractive than the full sized Martini action, at least to my eyes, being shorter and trimmer. With nice wood and engraving, it can be made into a rifle that makes its owner proud.

Do your guns have safeties? I had a 577-450 guild gun which had no reasonable safety and I did not much care for that. I have seen various modifications to allow for them, but not sure how well they worked.

With regards to singleshots, I don't think that actions really make a hill of beans with regards to accuracy, but CPA knows how to barrel and chamber a rifle, so they do really well. No question about that. If they did the same to an 85 or a Sharps, it would not matter. They shoot.

craigd, you have not seen an MVA 1885 Winchester. They are near perfect. Nearer to perfect than original 1885s.

Brent:

I�ve owned one small frame Martini with an aftermarket safety on the rear of the. trigger guard. It blocked the trigger but nothing else. All the rest of my small frame Martinis are either varmint or target rifles, so the absence of a safety is not so much of a concern to me. If I ever get the deer rifle built on the action I have for that purpose it will have a safety of some sort.

Rem

Yes, I have. I've had the suspicion they use the same basic casting made by the Shiloh foundry and also used by CSharps. In any event, I think MVA does the nicer machining and finish.

As far as I knew, MVA just sells the action? My comment about the CPA was that they built the entire rifle and have sustained production over an extended period of time. MVA had one of those actions at the Quigley shoot at an attractive price that had a minor appearing machining blemish on the upper tang. Very smooth, nicely made action that I was tempted to buy.

I agree it's how the rifle was put together and less so design related accuracy shortcomings. I don't have a CPA, but I suppose maybe some day, it's a nice option to be able to approach a company and configure a more than capable single shot. On a side unrelated note, I've never warmed up to Martini actions because I have the preference to clean from the breech end and it's easier to look down the bore, just in case.

craig, some Martini actions have a hole in the receiver for a cleaning rod (e.g., my old 1215 I think it was). But I am not a great martini fan. The International Marks, however are often ridiculously accurate with the barrels they used.

I think MVAs are all their own, but I never asked. They make configurations (flat springs and also take downs) that CSharps does not. I don't now where C Sharps gets their actions but I doubt the Shiloh foundry as the two do not get along well. CSharps are fine actions and as complete rifles also.

I am a fan of the small Martini action, but it does have some limitations. Regarding a safety, the various add on safeties work, subject to individual fitting. The rifles will not fire if the underlever is slightly open, but spring tension keeps it closed enough that centerfire cartridges won't fall out( rimfire might). There are rimless extractor conversions, but single shots " belong to be chambered for a rimmed cartridge", to quote an old friend who is gone now. The actions are limited as to overall cartridge length, really a combination of OAL, diameter, and taper. For some "blown out" cartridges on 30-30 cases, it helps to turn rim diameter to .468" or less( but more than .422").The little German 5.6x50R is a great case for the cadet action. They often need firing pin bushings, however.
Mike

To the best of my knowledge: MVA HWs are all machined in-house, C.Sharps machined in-house and Shilo doesn't make a HW. MVA are the only reported to have interchangeable parts...and there is no collusion or collaboration between any of the three Montana companies.
I suspect, but don't know that there might have been some shared design, programs between Ron Long and MVA(?)

My fav small, low pressure action is the flat sided Low Wall and large/high pressure the dish sided high Wall. Both of these without modern scopes because of the extreme drop of the upper tang.
For a modern, hammerless scoped rifle action the Hagn, in any size format, simply has no peer.

THE FIRST AND LAST TIME I WILL EVER PUT A MODERN SCOPE ON A HIGH WALL!


LARGE HAGN ACTION, .30-06





I have also built some handsome and accurate rifles on Dakota action, this one a .257 Roberts with proprietary trigger and trigger guard.

I wouldn't complain about any of those and I agree about the best format of a highwall, but I prefer the thick-tang, scalloped low wall simply because it feels better in my hand. A thicker wrist just works for me better for some reason. But those are hard actions to find -although MVA will be or already is making them. That said, your .22 low walls in your first rifle book were the inspiration for mine. I don't think there is a better looking cartridge rifle anywhere than the 1885 Winchester.

I have heard that the Shiloh foundary does cast actions for someone else, including highwall actions (not to be sold under the Shiloh name or even made in house after casting). I heard this before MVA came on the scene. Maybe that wasn't factual. I have not heard it from Kirk but never asked either.

I don't think the MT rifle/action makers are mixing their businesses in any way other than the two folks that sell 1885 actions are buying their raw castings from somewhere. It's been a bit, but I thought there was mention on the Boulder River forum about at least one customer maker sourcing raw castings from them?

I've wondered if Shiloh has gotten any nibbles from potential buyers. I'd guess if the right person was inclined to take the ball and run with it, splitting off the foundry might be a good bet.