Need advice about boolit fit for my very early Winchester 1894 in 38-55

[strangwn]

I have posted this in the Cast Boolits sub-forum, but maybe it needs to be here.

I have just slugged the bore on my newly acquired Winchester 1894(mfg 1895) in 38-55 and measured the groove diameter at .381-.382. Am planning to do a pound cast as soon as I get some Starline 2.125" brass with the thin neck walls (~.0072"). With such a large groove diameter is there any hope to be able to chamber a lubed boolit that is .382 or fatter? I have read that paper patching sometimes is the only solution for this situation.

[1Hawkeye]

It varies from chamber to chamber. I have a Winchester 1885 made in 1885 and the bore slugs .380"-.381" using the 2.12" starline brass with the bullets sized to .380" sometimes my rifle will not chamber the last almost 1/4" of the round because my chamber is very tight at the throat end. I guess the reamer had a bit of use when they cut the chamber? but with your 94 the round might drop right in. Also the first time I slugged the bore I got a bad measurement of .383" because I used a .395" round ball when I did it again with a larger round ball I got a truer measurement. I know from seeking out the tooling for my 85 that the largest sizer lyman makes for a true .38 is .381" so if you need larger than its a custom one from S&S firearms or Buffalo arms. Good luck, when your done you will have a good shooter.

[strangwn]

I have not yet bought the Starline brass, but have fireformed to my chamber a once-fired and partially sized Winchester case which has neck walls that are .009 - .010. The neck ID of the fire formed case is .378 - .379, so it does not look promising that a .381 -.382 boolit will chamber. Does anyone think that a soft plain base .378 boolit (~ 8 bhn) would obturate enough to produce good results at a modest velocity? The Starline brass ( ~.0072 neck wall) should have a better chance of working, so maybe I'm wasting my time with the Winchester cases.

[northmn]

I use a 379 in my Marlin so I would think you should be able to go to a 380 in your Winchester. Try it. Also obturation will work best with a faster burning powder. The old ones obturated with black powder with bullets at about 1-20 or 1-30 which is a bit harder than 8.

DEP

[strangwn]

If anyone can spare one of their Starline .38-55 2.125" brass cases ( the neck wall is supposed to be ~.0072"), I can pay you for it. This could help me if the Winchester cases just will not work.

[1Hawkeye]

Strangwn, I can save you some time unless you already have the winchester cases just get the long starline ones they are made for over sized bullets in older rifles and they are thinner than the winchester's. Starline has an article on there website about the two different case sizes. They also are a lot easier to find grafs.com has them for 69.94 per 100 including shipping.

[strangwn]

Thanks to Krag1902 and Kylongrifle I have some boolits coming to help me figure it out. Also, thanks to 50target I have in hand a new Starline 2.125" case which looks like it could allow for chambering a boolit up to .383. This place is full of generous people. Will report on my progress.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
WE have a 1894 made in 1896 in 38-55 26" Octagon. It also needs a fat diameter to shoot groups with smokeless. .383 (Range scrap) works the best but is also the absolute fattest I will chamber (lyman 375248 "shimmed" ) in that rifle.
A 40-1 slug from the same mold (shimmed) drops about .381 and will size round at .380 loaded with 3F is the most accurate load to date.
To duplicate this accuracy and velocity we have used 2400 with a cereal box wad on the powder and the case filed with cream of wheat (COW) to bullet base. That load comes real close to the 3F Goex load but not there.
We start at least 5 grains lower than the start load when using COW in the 38-55. It works in our rifles but only in straight wall cases. We do not leave loaded rounds sit for long term either as it has been reported that COW can get near solid in a case so beware.
I would also recommend a GC type slug for these fat diameters. They do help the cast base to support the smokeless pressure. 3F we also use PB slugs.
Mike in Peru
Mike in Peru