Re-assign a 30-30

Rockydoc

Rockydoc

Well-Known Member
KeithB said:
What do you plan to do with it?
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I may hunt deer with it. Otherwise just informal target shooting at targets of opportunity (plinking).
Almost all of my shooting and reloading nowadays is cast bullets. I have a Ruger #1 in 30-30 so the '94 doesn't get much love these days.
 
Rockydoc

Rockydoc

Well-Known Member
CZ93X62 said:
The 250 grain gas check bullets by Lyman and RCBS can run safely to 1700 FPS, past that point Starline brass primer pockets start getting expanded. BE CAREFUL with published data for this caliber, start low and work up. When bullets fit well you can get to a given power level with less powder than the data specifies.
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Thanks for the warning.
I don't think I would enjoy the recoil in that area of this cartridges velocity spectrum anyway. Ouch!
I think the 1300 to 1500fps velocity would do anything I would want to do with this rifle.
 
Rockydoc

Rockydoc

Well-Known Member
Nobody has mentioned 375 Winchester. I have already dismissed it in my mind because I assume it will have more recoil than 38-55. They are quite similar. It looks like the 375 was designed for smokeless powder, less volume, more pressure?

Can 30-30 brass be used to form 38-55 cases?
 
Glaciers

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
The 375 is to much for a standard 94. It will take it but, if you want a 375 buy a big bore 94
 
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R

Rushcreek

Well-Known Member
I'll vouch for the 38-55 operation done by Dr. JES.
My 94 is much more fun now than it was as a 30-30. The Lee 379250F sized to .377" is the only bullet I use, but I've developed shot loads and round ball loads, too.
I wish he did .30 and .32 caliber rebores, but .338 is the smallest size he does.
I almost went with the 35-30, but I have no regrets with the 38-55 at all.
 
Glaciers

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Rushcreek said:
I'll vouch for the 38-55 operation done by Dr. JES.
My 94 is much more fun now than it was as a 30-30. The Lee 379250F sized to .377" is the only bullet I use, but I've developed shot loads and round ball loads, too.
I wish he did .30 and .32 caliber rebores, but .338 is the smallest size he does.
I almost went with the 35-30, but I have no regrets with the 38-55 at all.
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If you check Jess's website: 35caliber.com that he has expanded his offerings to .223 and up
 
O

obssd1958

Well-Known Member
John,
I went to the page you were talking about, and the way it's worded is a little confusing. It says: ** Currently we are setup to rebore .223 & up**
but it means - they can start with a bore from .223 and up, and change it through reboring to .338 to .458.
I have a Jones for a .32 special, built on a Savage 340 platform, and would already have one if JES would do it!!
 
Glaciers

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Well looks like I missed that small detail. I guess I was being hopeful when I read it.
John Taylor might be someone to check for Reboring, I think he does relining as well. I just might have a faulty memory on that as well, so check with Taylor. He just moved to Lewiston Idaho from Washington.
 
CWLONGSHOT

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
Brad said:
I have a 94 BB in 375 Win and I prefer to treat it like a 38-55. My shoulder prefers that too.
A 270 gr bullet at 15-1600 FPS is not very fun.
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This is what I was gonna say when I read that you dismissed the 375. As a handloader what do you care what the cartridge is designed to travel? I mean you're going to load it to what you want regardless of what you buy , right?

The 375 case is actually a stronger case. It has thicker walls and web area because of the higher pressure so yes it has less case capacity. But as you've already stated you intend on 1500 as a top velocity you can easily easily reach that with no problem associated with case capacity. Yes you can make both 3855 and 375 from 3030… But the 375 cases will have more capacity and 3855 cases will be a little short.
 
L Ross

L Ross

Well-Known Member
I understand all of the love shown the .38-55 and I too would share that save for the fact that all of my .38-55 experiences were largely negative. A Remington Hepburn, a 1909 vintage Model 94 rifle, and even a H&R .38-55 buffalo rifle or whatever they called it. All required cast bullets that were bigger than the chambers would allow. Mediocre accuracy was the result unless I loaded 1/30 over Swiss BP or breech seated. Recoil was too stout in the Hepburn for schuetzen work over long strings of offhand work. They are all gone.
 
RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
L Ross said:
I understand all of the love shown the .38-55 and I too would share that save for the fact that all of my .38-55 experiences were largely negative. A Remington Hepburn, a 1909 vintage Model 94 rifle, and even a H&R .38-55 buffalo rifle or whatever they called it. All required cast bullets that were bigger than the chambers would allow. Mediocre accuracy was the result unless I loaded 1/30 over Swiss BP or breech seated. Recoil was too stout in the Hepburn for schuetzen work over long strings of offhand work. They are all gone.
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Mostly I agree with L Ross's experience with one exception. My shooting buddy has a Marlin Cowboy in 38/55 that is a really good shooting one. The chamber is big enough for reformed WW 30-30 brass to hold .378" bullets. We have both won lever gun matches with the rifle using 10 grains of Unique and the Lyman 375248.
 
Dimner

Dimner

Named Man
If you guys wouldn't mind, can you please break it down for my muddled brain on the differences of 35-30wcf vs 35/55 and also what JES offers for his bore sizes?

I'm trying to track all this and I'm just getting confused.
 
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Ole_270

Well-Known Member
Don't know much about the 35-30 but on the 38-55 JES runs a .376 groove size. Helps with those who insist on using jacketed bullets as well as the chamber fit issue with cast bullets. Mine works great with .377 sized cast bullets.
 
RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
35-30 WCF = 30/30 case with neck opened up to .357" inside diameter with not other changes.

35-30/30 Improved = usually the case body to straightened out and still has the sloping shoulder to feed in a Winchester Mod94.

38/55 Ballard/Winchester = 30/30 rim and case head that gently slopes down to a neck .375" diameter and is 2.120" long. Made from 32/40 cases.

.375 Winchester = 30/30 rim and case head that gently slopes down to a neck .375" diameter and is 2.020" long. Made from modern 30/30 cases.
 
Dimner

Dimner

Named Man
RicinYakima said:
35-30 WCF = 30/30 case with neck opened up to .357" inside diameter with not other changes.

35-30/30 Improved = usually the case body to straightened out and still has the sloping shoulder to feed in a Winchester Mod94.

38/55 Ballard/Winchester = 30/30 rim and case head that gently slopes down to a neck .375" diameter and is 2.120" long. Made from 32/40 cases.

.375 Winchester = 30/30 rim and case head that gently slopes down to a neck .375" diameter and is 2.020" long. Made from modern 30/30 cases.
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Thanks Ric

So if I were to ask JES to do 38/55 it would be a .376 bore.

I think I saw someone talking about mold availability having an input on what rebore choice they would go with. Can someone let me know what that info is and how it fits in?
 
J

JustJim

Well-Known Member
The more I think about it, the less a factor mould availability seems to be. In general, there is a greater selection of off-the-shelf moulds for .35 cal, followed by .32/8mm, with .375 coming in a distant 3rd. This was a big factor in the '80s, but today we have a much greater selection of custom mould makers. A re-bore would give you known chamber and bore dimensions, avoiding the often random situations where you can't chamber a round with a bullet sized to the bore (which is just really REALLY annoying).

Go with what you like. Order a mould to fit your chamber and bore. Have fun.
 
CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
if there is a "problem" with 38/55 bullet moulds, it is that most of them cast too small for most throats & grooves in existing/older rifles. JES' .376" grooves not only supports jacketed .375" bullets, but also fits virtually all of the commercial and semi-custom mould cavities that hew closely to the .375"-.378" standard. Again, BE CAREFUL with published load data for the 38/55 caliber--a lot of it was generated using undersized bullets in over-sized bores, so make haste slowly with laddered loads, and start out conservatively. Even the 250 grain Lyman and RCBS castings get right sporting at the 1650-1700 FPS level in a Model 94. If it wasn't for that infernal bevel base on it, the Lee 250 grain plain base would be the ideal general-purpose bullet.
 
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