38-55 questions

[sghart3578]

Hello friends,

I want a 38-55. I have found a 336CB from 2002. It is pricey. I have also found an old 1893 with a 24" octagon barrel that is much cheaper. It is chambered in 30-30 so I would send that to JES for a rebore.

My third option is the 336 that I own now. It is chambered in 30-30 and built in 1966 (I believe). I am considering having that one rebored.

My questions are:

If I go with the 336 CB am I pretty much limited to .380" cast bullets and Starline brass?

If I go with the JES rebore can I use .378" bullets and Winchester brass? It seems to expand my options.

My current 336 30-30 seems to have a cold barrel flyer issue. I am experimenting on that with different lubes, velocities, etc. Have any of you experienced cold barrel flyers fro a JES rebore? Should I be concerned?

Thanks in advance for your time.

[Bill in Oregon]

Much as I love the Cowboy, you may be ahead to have JES rebore a rifle to .375. Some years ago, I went into the swaging business -- Boer Bullet Co. -- making a jacketed .378 bullet to fit the Cowboy (which followed original specs for the .38-55 Ballard). Sold off all my stuff, but boy the Cowboy was accurate with that bullet. First test shot:

[Rockrat]

What were they asking for the Cowboy rifle? Just curious

[sghart3578]

What were they asking for the Cowboy rifle? Just curious

Actually there are 2 near me. One for $1400 and the other is $1600. By comparison the 1893 30-30 is $900.

[Rockrat]

If you got the 1893, once you ship it to JES and have it re-bored/rechambered, you would be at about $1,300. All depends on which rifle you really want. Having your 336 done would be the least strain to your wallet.

[FLINT]

The JESS rebore will be .376 or .377 I think. I think .376

I had a barrel done by him and he does a great job. Actually, I need to sell that barrel now, but it's a winchester barrel so it won't help you.

I think if I was in your shoes now making this decision, I'd buy the 336CB and be done with it. You aren't going to be ahead by buying a different rifle and then having it rebored, and you'll have all the shipping to deal with.

I think buying the CB or reboring your existing rifle are the best options, with the CB being the best option for sure I think. The other benefit of the CB is value. That rifle will continue to increase in value and does not need modification.

I didn't have any flyer issues with the JES rebore I had.

Honestly $1400-$1600 for a 336CB doesn't seem like a terrible price to me. They aren't going to get any cheaper. They might as well go up in value in your cabinet instead of someone elses.

[AJMD429]

.
"...Honestly $1400-$1600 for a 336CB doesn't seem like a terrible price to me. They aren't going to get any cheaper. They might as well go up in value in your cabinet instead of someone elses..."

AGREED...!!!!!

[Lastmohecken]

You're probably wanting to stay with Marlin, but another option is to buy a Winchester Model 94 Big Bore in 375 Winchester. You can shoot 38/55's in it. I recently watched a video by Tim with Buffalo Bore, that was pretty interesting about shooting the 33/55 out of the Big Bore. I have thought about buying one myself. You can find the pre safety Big Bores on Gun Broker for maybe a $1000 or a bit more. Marlin would be better if you need to scope it, however.

[Rockrat]

Plus, you might be able to haggle with the CB owner and get it a bit cheaper

[marlinman93]

You'll likely also find any old 1893/93 Marlin to have a larger ,380"-.381" groove diameter. So if you're stuck on wanting to use smaller bullets you're best to have one rebored.

[Lastmohecken]

Hello friends,



My questions are:

If I go with the 336 CB am I pretty much limited to .380" cast bullets and Starline brass?



Thanks in advance for your time.

I don't know about cast bullets, you may be right. In that same youtube video, by Buffalo Bore, he talked a jacked bullet he was loading for the 38/55 that he said would slug up to fit the bore and shoot accurately, but was also capable of slugging down a little but and shoot well in the 375 Big Bore. However, I think he also mentioned that he couldn't do that with a hard cast bullet, nearly as well. You might want to do a search on his channel, for that episode, because it was pretty interesting.

[Griff]

This points right at the reason I've never wanted a .38-55. Old guns were all over the map dimension-wise... newly minted rifles were then made in the .375 Win mold, .375-.377 seemed the norm. Older firearms used the 2.125" length brass, but new brass seems to run 2.208". But... if I were ever to buy one, it'd be the Marlin 336CB or the Uberti 1894. Reboring a std 336 with their 20" bbl doesn't seem to really take advantage of what the .38-55 is capable of. I suppose that a carbine in .38-55 has it's uses, but a 26" rifle length bbl, just holds greater appeal for me.

[Old Savage]

The Marlin 375 Win is actually chambered for the long version of the 38-55,

[marlinman93]

I've lost track, but I think I've got probably 10 rifles in .38-55 now. My rifles with factory barrels all are Marlins and all slug to around .380-.381" groove. I own a few custom barreled .38-55's done back in the late 1800's and they slug around .381"-.383", but one is a breech seating muzzleloader Schoyen with the very large .383" groove, so designed to have the bullet muzzle loaded down against the case mouth.
I love the .38-55 cartridge myself, and with a fast enough twist and a heavy bullet around 300-315 grains it performs out to 1000 yds. very well. It can be pushed around a bit with heavy crosswinds at longer distances, but still does pretty good with the right shooter.

I'm selling one of my .38-55's with a George C Schoyen barrel on a restored first year Model 1885. Has a Winchester 8x scope on it currently.