38-55 JES rebore just arrived

[Glaciers]

My Winchester 94 arrived from JES yesterday bored to 38-55 from 30-30. The standard 3 groove at .376.

The rifle is a 1954 carbine with a Lyman steel receiver site. Now that it has arrived I am intending to get to casting and loading for this one as well as my original 1885. I have yet to slug the 1885, but I'm sure it will be very different groove dia.

Just have to get a few projects completed first, like 250 yards of rock on the drive from the main road to the house and shop. It will be nice not having mud on my boots everytime it rains. Got to fix the loader as well. Always seems to be a never ending list of projects.

But, I still have hopes of getting get these two working with cast as well as the 348 and a couple of 32 Specials this summer.

 

[Dimner]

Mind me asking how much that run you? I'd like to convert my Teddy Roosevelt 1894

 

[CZ93X62]

Make haste slowly when "laddering" load work-ups. A whole lot of the load data published for the 38/55 is a bit intrepid once you start loading bullets that actually fit well in the barrel. My view is that a whole lot of rifles got loaded with .375" bullets into throats and barrels appreciably wider than that spec.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

 

[Glaciers]

Dimmer - Cost as $250 and that includes return postage.

CZ - Well the rebore is a known quantity. Jess does .376, I inquired about .377 - .378 boring, but he does not have the tooling. Also bored for the shorter brass of 2.020. So the 94 should be relatively straightforward.

On the other hand the High Wall could require some creativity. More then likely it will be like loading two different calibers

 

[CZ93X62]

Yessir. My flatband 1894 is QUITE accurate, from the Lee 250 plain-base at 1300 FPS to the Lyman and RCBS gas-checked 250s at 1700 FPs.. I size at .377", and use an RCBS Cowboy Die Set for the brass work.

 

[todd]

JES does quality work!!!!! you'll fall in luv with the 38-55. he did my win m94(1972) in 35/30-30 and it just luvs 200gr rcbs fn gc at 1726fps.

 

[Ole_270]

My JES rebore is a Marlin. Shot great with the Lee 250 but I switched to the NOE 38-250B in a 4 cavity. Very similar bullets, The NOE has two heavy driving bands on the bottom and a thinner one just behind the crimping groove, without the bevel base. I use the RCBS Cowboy with the smaller expander plug and the shorter Starline brass.

 

[CZ93X62]

That bevel base is a major PITA for sizing/lubing. If that feature could be bought for what it's worth and then sold for what people think it's worth, the profit would be substantial.

 

[oscarflytyer]

Following this one for load recommendations (I know there is some in other threads too). FINALLY got some 38-55 cast bullets. Now to reload. Mine is a Uberti 1894 clone (posted elsewhere). All my bullets are 260 grn. Bore is .379, and I have the long brass. All supposed to be good for the Uberti clone.

Looking to run them somewhere under 1500 fps. Mine is the curved butt, and no real desire to have my shoulder hurt. I want to have fun, and hunt with it. A 260 at 1350+ fps will do perfectly fine for paper and small Southern whitetail in my woods and my distance (usually 75 yds max)

 

[Ben]

A 260 at 1350+ fps will do perfectly fine for paper and small Southern whitetail in my woods and my distance (usually 75 yds max)

I'd say someone in the group will need a sharp knife.
Ben

 

[CZ93X62]

22.0 grains of IMR-4198 gives just a few ticks over 1300 FPS to the Lee 250 grainer in the 20" barrel of my Win 94. Docile recoil (steel shotgun-butt). This is a derivative load from Ross Seyfried's black powder cartridge/smokeless formula using IMR-4198 for fuel.

Take the nominal BP charge weight (55 grains) X 0.4 = 22.0 grains. The velocity and pressures duplicate black powder load performance. This has held true for me in 25/20, 32/20, 38/55, 44/40, and 45/70 calibers using plain-based cast bullets well-fit to their respective arms.

 

[Ole_270]

In my 20" Marlin (JES rebore), 10 gr Universal(most use Unique) with my 250 gr cast gives about 1225 fps. 21 gr 4198 with a tuft of dacron filler goes 1425 or so. Took one of my does last fall with that load. 25 yards quartering away, hit the far shoulder joint and made a mess. Guess I need to miss that joint.
That 10 grain Universal load is my plinker and backyard gong load. Just under the original BP velocity, some use 10 Unique for everything.

 

[Brad]

I went to the Accurate 38-200AG on the recommendation of Tom. Far less recoil than the 265 gr bullets.
My 375 Win Winchester in not very fun with the 375349 at 1500 FPS.

 

[oscarflytyer]

I'd say someone in the group will need a sharp knife.
Ben

Ben - I CERTAINLY HOPE it is ME! lol!

 

[oscarflytyer]

not to hijack this one (I know...). My rifle is the Cimarron/Uberti 94 clone w/ 26" bbl. So, with some cast bullets FINALLY arriving (Lee mold was fubar/another bullet order was 6 mo past due (Western Bullet Co/done with them!)/Midway FINALLY came thru with Hunters Supply cast availability!), and the Starline 'long' brass I was told would work in the Cimarron, I was able to confirm that the rifle WILL cycle/chamber the long brass and ~265 grn cast (RCBS Cowboy die set), BUT COAL has to be <= 2.540"! It breaks in and prob will manage the listed OAL of 2.550".

Now to get a Pet Load that pushes ~270 lead at ~1400ish and will hit a big orange inside 100 yds with irons and hope to blood that sharp knife and eat good!

 

[Glaciers]

Well I slugged the High Wall and it looks like .381 maybe.382. Slug got a little cocked at the start. Will be doing it again just to make sure. I think .381 will be the number, but.... Anyway I checked my stock of brass. There is 40 new Winchester and 18 once fired CIL Imperial brass from Pittsburgh. The Imperial brass is the long 2.120 and the Winchester is the shorter 2.080 brass. Both measured out with .0085 case neck thickness. Right now I can't find any Starline brass long or short. Both lengths are listed as .007 neck thickness. Not sure I'm going to need the thinner brass but with the High Wall at .381 - .382, just might.