38-55 - 375 Winchester

[eagles]

I have read quite a few shoot 38-55 brass in the 375 winchester levers getting a few grains more poweder and 150-200 fps increase at the same pressure . I realize the 38-55 brass is a tad longer but the OAL of the 375 win is longer . Since the 38-55 brass is a bit longer to keep OAL the same would not I have to seat the bullets deeper in the 38-55 case and therfore compromise the increased case capacity ? In the levers what would be the OAL I could shoot the 38-55 loads in the 375 Winchester lever at ? I know some say do and some say dont but everyone on the forums I have read who tried it have no problems so if you are one of those whio have please tell me about the AOL and then the case capacity . it is for the 94 XTR Big bore with the reinforced frame good at 62,000 cup. Thanks

[1886]

Many do shoot the "short", 2.085", .38-55 brass in .375 chambered guns. The extra brass length occupies more of the available chamber area. One is still limited to 2.550" O.A.L. in an unmodified arm regardless of the brass length. All else being equal, any velocity gain is essentially zero. As a general rule more velocity usually means more pressure so unless one has a reliable means of accurately measuring chamber pressure.... So stick with reliable data. Many have found a 220gr slug at 2100-2200 F.P.S. muzzle velocity to be quite the killer. No need to "push it". Be safe, 1886.

[JFE]

As 1886 said the OAL is the same. While 38/55 brass is somewhat thinner and hence provides a bit more capacity, 375 brass is stronger and is my preferred option for heavy loads. The main advantage I see in using 38/55 brass is that a lot of moulds were made to suit the 38/55 and you can achieve the right OAL using the crimp groove on the bullet. Starline makes slightly longer 38/55 brass but not sure how it compares to WW 38/55 brass.

To get a view on chamber dimensions check out the drawings in the reference section on this site.

If you're into casting, CBE (Australia) makes a couple of useful heavyweight moulds (300 gr)
for the 375 Win with crimp grooves in the right location for 375 brass.

Joe

[1886]

[quote="JFE"]As 1886 said the OAL is the same. While 38/55 brass is somewhat thinner and hence provides a bit more capacity, 375 brass is stronger and is my preferred option for heavy loads. The main advantage I see in using 38/55 brass is that a lot of moulds were made to suit the 38/55 and you can achieve the right OAL using the crimp groove on the bullet. Starline makes slightly longer 38/55 brass but not sure how it compares to WW 38/55 brass.

To get a view on chamber dimensions check out the drawings in the reference section on this site.

If you're into casting, CBE (Australia) makes a couple of useful heavyweight moulds (300 gr)
for the 375 Win with crimp grooves in the right location for 375 brass.

Joe[/quote

Starline offers 2.125" and 2.085". W/W offers only 2.085". The Starline brass also features thinner case walls. This feature is of special interest to those who shoot the Marlin CB .38-55. The thinner necks allow one to load bullets of the proper diameter, approx. .380"-.381" and still chamber in the Marlin CB. The W/W cases are too thick in this critical area. 1886.

[Hobie]

I will throw more on the fire. I shoot in my .38-55 loads which equal the .375 Winchester and they do so at lower pressures. There is a difference between the .38-55 and .375 Win brass. Courtesy of Norm Johnson...

[eagles]

Sent a thank you post but it did not seem to make it ? Anyway thanks for all the info . The pictures of the brass was very clear . I currently shoot a 300 grain hawk jacketed bullet from Grizzly at 1950 fps which I will stick to for heavy loads . Got a 400 pound Boar this month and it performed perfectly . I am going to try some of the newer woodleigh 230 grain Hydrostatic rounds designed foer the 375 Winchester as well .

[shdwlkr]

First the 375 max pressure is 50,000 or 52,000 not 62,000
Second some of the early winchester big bores seemed to have been reamed with the 38-55 reamer for length not caliber diameter as the winchester big bore is a true .375 diameter
Third just because you can do some thing doesn't make it safe or smart to do. I have read by the likes of Ken Waters that yes you can fire a 375 winchester in a 38-55 and a 38-55 in a winchester big bore but that doesn't mean it is safe thing to do.
Fourth I have often wondered if the the shorter 38-55 brass was made to be fired in a winchester big bore in 375 winchester if not why make the case that length as the original length case for the 38-55 was 2.125 which works in the early winchester big bores because of my thoughts on the early winchester big bore in 375 winchester of which I have two.

[eagles]

Yes that is correct typing to fast !!!!! . I was not sure it was a good thing to do hence the question .

[Harry O]

Shortly after I got my .375 Win, I weighed a bunch of new, unused .375 Win cases and a bunch or 30-30 cases. The .375 Win cases weigh, on average, more than the 30-30, but not by much. The average difference was almost exactly 5%. There were one or two of the heaviest 30-30 cases that were heavier than one or two of the lightest .375 Win cases.

[edsguns]

Perhaps some of the confusion/disagreement on this subject could be caused by information shown on this link to Buffalo Bore's hot loading for the .38-55. It's rated at nearly 2,000 FPS with a 255gr SP bullet and it clearly states that this load is suitable to shoot in.... "any firearm chambered for .38-55 OR .375 Win that is in normal working condition and designed to be used with smokeless powder"......

This .38-55 load is pretty much on a par energy-wise and also similar velocity-wise with the Winchester loaded 200gr .375 Win loading, but with the heavier 255gr bullet many prefer.

It's a comment printed underneath the "Technical Information" for this round.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?p ... ber=497245

[Hobie]

They must be using the Winchester short case. It is easy to achieve 2000 fps with the 255 gr. jacketed bullet. I do so in my .375" .38-55. I don't believe pressures are any greater than a .30-30 factory load.

[shdwlkr]

Hobie
I think that is where so much of the issue with the 375 winchester and 38-55 has come from is that no one really knows what you can really do with the 375 winchester or 38-55 and still be in safe loading limits.
I am not convinced that the brass in either is not up to high pressure levels for one and only one reason from a manufacturing stand point it just doesn't make sense to order you brass at various levels of strength and then to from brass shell casings from said brass. Why what happens if you make and label a million pieces of brass as either of the two we are talking about and use used the wrong strength brass? In one case you have less powder space and in the other you have less strength or we are told you have less.
I really think that brass is bought at the best price and all brass casings are formed from it.