Reloading the 38-55win

allhands · Post by **allhands** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:21 pm

Gents,

Got bit by the leverbug again and this time I Have the cash to do something about it. I am looking at 3 guns. #1 Win 1895 in 30-40 Krag, #2 Win 1895 in 30-06, and#3 Win 1894 in 38-55. I currently reload for 30-06, and the 30-40 krag iseasy enough but, in my research, the 38-55 can be a pain due to thin brass, different expander plugs (.377, .380 etc.) and such. Is it reallythat much of a pain? Or are some people just making it out to be harder than it is? Also, is the modern brass from Win or whoever thicker/better? I'm sure that there are a few levernuts here who can opine. Thanks in advance......

tman · Post by **tman** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:24 pm

I'd go with the '06 cause it can do anything the 30-40 can and a lot more. If the 38-55 is a saddle ring carbine, Grab it.

hfcable · Post by **hfcable** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:32 pm

allhands wrote:Gents,

Got bit by the leverbug again and this time I Have the cash to do something about it. I am looking at 3 guns. #1 Win 1895 in 30-40 Krag, #2 Win 1895 in 30-06, and#3 Win 1894 in 38-55. I currently reload for 30-06, and the 30-40 krag iseasy enough but, in my research, the 38-55 can be a pain due to thin brass, different expander plugs (.377, .380 etc.) and such. Is it reallythat much of a pain? Or are some people just making it out to be harder than it is? Also, is the modern brass from Win or whoever thicker/better? I'm sure that there are a few levernuts here who can opine. Thanks in advance......

consider the 38/55; i think it is quite easy to reload. the brass is not that thin, about the same as 30/30 and in fact you can make your brass from that, or if you want a bit thicker i guess you could get 375 winchester brass, which works fine as well.
the real issue is the rifle you are loading for. the older winchesters have larger bores than the new ones. 375 bullets as made for the the 375 winchester, etc. keyhole from my rifle made in 1895. for jacketed bullets i use the Barnes 'old style' which is approx 377; or i use cast bullets of 378 or 379. my expander plug that came with my dies works fine. old 1893 marlins can be problematic with bore sizes around .380 and i have been told that if you use cast bullets that large, chambering can be an issue.
i think you will enjoy it. it is one of my favorite rounds and favorite rifles.

allhands · Post by **allhands** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:38 pm

Thats a beautiful rifle! The one I'm looking at was made in 1900. Are jacketed bulletsavailable?

hfcable · Post by **hfcable** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:45 pm

allhands wrote:Thats a beautiful rifle! The one I'm looking at was made in 1900. Are jacketed bulletsavailable?

yes, for that rifle get the Barnes 'original style' or old style bullets. well jacketed but expands well,, measure .377. shoots beautiful groups from my rifle.

allhands · Post by **allhands** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 9:31 am

thanks for the help...a 38-55 may be in my future..........

southfork · Post by **southfork** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:33 pm

This thread interests me a lot. I have had a Model 94 Winchester rifle in 38-55 for nearly 20 years, but have never fired it. When I got it, I slugged the bore and it measured approx. .380 or .381 in the groves. The gun magazines that I was reading at the time suggested that with a bore that big, I probably wouldn't be able to chamber the appropriate diameter bullets --- if I could find some. So, I have just left the 94 in the back of the safe. I really would like to reload for it and shoot it, though, if I could find the right diameter bullets, and if they will chamber. But I guess the first step is finding some .381 bullets with the crimp groove in the right place to keep the OAL right. Any suggestions?

hfcable · Post by **hfcable** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 12:49 pm

i would just try it with some .378-379 cast and see what happens. also try the barnes old style jacketed if you can find them . there are other jacketed bullets as well, from specialty makers....i have several just try it and see.
things do not always do what i expect them to, so you may be pleasantly surprised.

Rimfire McNutjob · Post by **Rimfire McNutjob** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 1:00 pm

southfork wrote:When I got it, I slugged the bore and it measured approx. .380 or .381 in the groves.

There was a member on the board here that was making jacketed soft points at about .381 I think for people who were trying to build up good shooting jacketed loads for their 38-55's and not wanting to use the newer .375 Win bullets. It's been a while though and I don't recall the particulars or the handle of that board member.

earlmck · Post by **earlmck** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 1:37 pm

hfcable wrote: I would just try it with some .378-379 cast and see what happens.

I'd second cable on this one. I'd bet that even if you have a .381 bore you'll be fine with .377 -.378 jacketed and .379 cast, as long as you are loading pretty close to full-power loads. Getting bullets that are full bore diameter is more critical for accuracy if you are loading light loads, where you may be using plain-base cast bullets and the low pressure may not be enough to swell those bullets up to fit the bore.

Heck, I'd try out the more easily available .375 jacketed with a full-power load before I wrote them off as unnacceptable.

allhands · Post by **allhands** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 2:28 pm

So, I lost out on the 38-55 rifle, but have a chance at a saddle ring carbine for $1250 (made in 1910). Thoughts?

hfcable · Post by **hfcable** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 2:59 pm

well, 38/55 saddle ring carbines are premium items, considered quite desirable to collectors......and it should do quite well as a shooter too.
as to price, it all depends on condition. as long as it is all original unmodified and not terribly worn , then that is a good price.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 3:03 pm

Here we go again!

SRC? It will cost you about twice as much as a rifle and the rifle will shoot better. Remember, if you are buying a 38-55 don't settle for some junk with a sewer pipe for a bore.

Its no harder than any other rifle to load for. Yea, some rifles have skinny chambers and fat bores but in dealing with several dozen 38-55's, I've never encountered a problem putting a fat bullet in a skinny chamber if..........you just neck up 30-30 brass and load it with the bullet seated out. The "stickyness" of a fat bullet is almost always at the mouth of the case and 30-30 brass will come up short when reforming, so.........there will not be any brass in the way to keep you from chambering the loaded round. I guess you could also cut down 38-55 brass just enough until the round chambers.

Life is short so get what "stirs your soul". You don't have to be practical or find a real reason for "needing" a certain caliber. Buy what you want and to he*l with what anyone else thinks.

And I now I have a job for you. Find me a way to rob Harold (hfcable) of his deluxe 1894. Thats a beauty.

----------------------------Sixgun

JFE · Post by **JFE** » Fri Mar 02, 2012 6:07 pm

southfork wrote: But I guess the first step is finding some .381 bullets with the crimp groove in the right place to keep the OAL right. Any suggestions?

Try Bullshop - he has a good reputation:

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/sho ... p?t=100396

If you have trouble chambering really large bullets, then do as 'sixgun' suggested, use shorter brass and crimp to maintain correct OAL. If that means you need to crimp where there is no crimp groove just use a Lee FCD to help crimping.

There are several sources for correct diameter moulds these days if you feel inclined to cast your own.

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