new guy, with a question

[polardaddy]

hello from a new guy. was directed here because of a question I asked on a different foum.
short story, I have a model 1886 chambered in the 38-56, made in 1889, I have a few rounds for it, and after my gunsmith gives me the high-five sign I'll be at the range with it, i will be needing to reload it and I guess get some 45-70 shells to resize, but still coming up short on recipes and which bullets to use for reloading. I have been a reloader for just shy of a decade, so not a newbie on that.
thanks for any advice.

[LeverBob]

Welcome to the fire pard...from the badlands of NW Nev. One of the guys should be along to answer yor question.

LB

[Streetstar]

sounds like a very cool rifle Polardaddy ! cant wait to see a pic! Love the pre- 94's (well, i also love the 94's a lot too)

[bsaride]

Ken Waters Pet Loads from Handloader pg 773

Article: Loading the "Old ones"

.38-56 Winchester: form cases from 45-70 brass using special form and trim die.
Trim to 2.10 inches and fireform. Cast bullet diameters are .376 to .378 inch,
.001 inch larger than groove diameter; jacketed bullet should be .376 inch.
Use only flatnosed bullets in tubular magazines.

weight/bullet/charge/powder

248/Lyman 375248/30.2/IMR-3031 (target load)
265/Lyman 375296 GC/ 36.0/ IMR-3031 (deer load)
255/Winchester FNSP/31.0/RL-7
255/Barnes FNSP/37.0/IMR-4895
220/Hornady FNSP/38.0/H-4895
220/Hornady FNSP/36.0/RL-7

[CEMENTHEAD]

Welcome aboard Friend....hope you enjoy your stay....Thanks, Tom

[Old Savage]

Welcome.

[kimwcook]

Welcome to the forum.

[Borregos]

Welcome, keep us posted on progress

[allhands]

If you want new brass or loaded ammo, check reedsammo.com, or buffaloarms.com and they might get you some more brass/ammo............Welcome aboard...........

[Ysabel Kid]

Welcome, keep us posted on progress

+1 on both!!!

[rjohns94]

Welcome to the fire. I believe it was ALNITAK that invited you over here. Hope you find it to your liking. Blessings.

[BenT]

Welcome to the fire, you learn more here by accident than on purpose.

[Kansas Ed]

IME rifles of that era have pretty wide tolerances for groove diameter. So slugging your barrel is a must. Some of the .38 calibers I've run into go as far as .379, and just won't take a jacketed bullet well no matter what you do. There are precious few cast GC bullets available in the .379-.380 diameter out there, though both Leadheads, and Beartooth offer both in the heavier weights (265ish gr.) As for the loads above, I would advise that you steer clear of the Reloader-7 loads, as this is a double based powder and is rumored to be hard on the early steels. Stick with the single based IMR series and you'll be fine.

Williamsons book "The Winchester Lever Legacy" lists similar loads using the IMR powders as what is above, so I won't relay his data on those, but he also does list loads for Unique, and IMR-4198.

Lyman 375449 255gr, 11.0 gr Unique, Velocity 1390
Lyman 375449 255gr, 27.5gr IMR-4198, Velocity 1650

He also pushed the IMR 3031 up to 37.0 gr with the same bullet for a velocity of 1738.

BUT BE WARNED THAT WILLIAMSON TOOK LOADS TO A MAXIMUM, SO START WELL BELOW HIS PUBLISHED LOADS!!

He also suggests the teflon wrap on the bullets if you are having accuracy problems, and didn't feel that jacketed bullets were very good in this cartridge.

Ed

[KirkD]

Mike Venturino has published a load using 20 grains of 5744 under a 255 grain cast bullet for 1,382 fps. That is a pretty mild load. For the 38-56, I'd be tempted to look at IMR 4198 as my main powder.

[Gun Smith]

I have been able to form 38/56 brass from 45/70 without the aid of any special forming dies. I do not try to form the brass in one try. I raise the resizing die up and work the brass down to 38/56 in two or three steps. Even though 45/70 cases are 2.10" when new, they may stretch when being formed, so you need to check their length and trim to 2.10" as was mentioned above. However, you chamber may accept slightly longer brass with no trimming. My '86 did.
As warned above, Williamson's loads are HOT. Back off at least ten percent or more. There is no need to hotrod your reloads in any of these old Winchesters. I have never been able to understand the need to shot as hot a load as can be stuffed into a cartridge anyway, to prove --WHAT?
Since you are not a novice reloader, just pass over the information below that I've also included, for others less familiar with reloading, that may be reading this post too.

Note:
A simple way to slug your bore is to buy a few oval, pierced, fishing weights and a wood dowel at your hardware store. You can carefully start the weight into to muzzle with a hammer (don't hit the muzzle) and finish driving the weight through to the chamber with the dowel. Measuring the bore and groove diameter is simple and the results are quite accurate. And use cast bullets .001-.002" larger than the groove diameter for best results.
I recommend that any reloader purchase a chronograph (about $100.00) to check their work and fully enjoy the advantages of reloading.

[Hobie]

I would probably anneal those reformed cases as well.

Welcome, glad you made the "trip" over here.

[polardaddy]

Well you all have been really helpful, will definately slug my barrel, and here are some pics.
the first three are close ups on the 1886, then for grins I have the twins together, my 30-30 was made some where around 1945ish. the first part of the serial number is 130***















thanks again, will also check out the websites

[AJMD429]

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k189/ ... oys003.jpg

Use [ img] before and [ /img] after the above type line and you get this:

[ img]http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k189/ ... oys003.jpg[ /img]

Leave out the spaces I added after the "["'s, so the lines would show up as above, and you get this:

[Griff]

and WELCOME to THE Forum! YeeHAAAAAW! A 1st post I don't have to say:

hehehe, even if it did take a lil' tutorin"! Without namin' names... SOME still ain't got the hang postin' their toys for the rest of us to drool over!

Well you all have been really helpful, will definately slug my barrel, and here are some pics.
the first three are close ups on the 1886, then for grins I have the twins together, my 30-30 was made some where around 1945ish. the first part of the serial number is 130***















thanks again, will also check out the websites

[dr walker]

Welcome to the forum.

[JReed]

Welcome . Don't mind Griff he is our local picture police.