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Thread: Winchester 1894 38-55 Conversion or Browning 1892 44 Magnum?

  1. #21
    Boolit Master Just Duke's Avatar
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    How hard would it be then to just rebarrel with a Green Mountain octagon profile and a longer magazine tube?

  2. #22
    Boolit Master Just Duke's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Weddle View Post
    Original 1894 Winchester in 38-55 re-bored any day before a Miroku want to be. I had a B-92 when the first came out. Bought it on Lankershim Blvd in N.Hollywood at the old B&B Guns. Down the street was a old surplus store that had boxes upon boxes of 1894 Marlin carbines on sale for $79.95. My brother in law bought one of those and it still a great gun. NOooo I had to have the shallow rifled Browning. It was smooth as silk (unlike the Marlin) but it was inaccurate as he!! The Marlin smoothed out with use but it shot circles around my $250 browning. I could of bought 3 Marlins that day for the one browning. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.


    Looks like I'll abandon the 92 then and go with the 38-55 conversions.
    That leaves me with 2000 unfired Starline 44 magnums.

  3. #23

  4. #24
    Boolit Master brstevns's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nobade View Post
    Yep, I have done it that way too. It works but the real stuff ends up about 3/16" longer and accuracy is much better. And remember there are two lengths of 38-55 chamber, so use the correct case length.
    You are right about the chambers. I have a marlin Cowboy and it has a shorter chamber. I did luck out and it has a .376 bore.

  5. #25
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    Duke
    I have two 375 winchester bb and one is factory and one is built to my specs. I was told by my smith because of the fact they were made early on that most likely they will take the longer 38-55 brass. Remember you can get 38-55 and 375 winchester brass that are almost the same length or original length referenced from starline brass 38-55 BRASS (2.080") (LARGE RIFLE PRIMER) or the original 38-55 LONG BRASS (2.125) (LARGE RIFLE PRIMER and the .375 winchester is .375 Winchester Cartridge length : 2.02"

    The 30-30 blown out will work in the .375 winchester,
    I use .379 diameter bullets in my .375 just cause and have not been sorry, I am working on using 350 grain bullet that I got from our own Bullshop. Don't assume because the company never loaded that heavy that it can not be done and used as a hunting round.
    The only issue I have noticed is that the wall thickness on the .375 is thicker than on the 38-55 but I am not totally sure it really matters when using cast bullets.
    I like my .375 winchesters but would most likely grab a 38-55 if I found one I liked just cause again.
    As to the 44 mag do a cast of the throat and chamber and send it off to a mold maker to create a mold that will work in it. Veral made me a 300 grain one for my .375 winchesters that I have not found since my divorce so will most likely have to pony up funds again and have a new one made.
    Have you noticed I like big heavy bullets in those big bores??
    The beauty of cast bullets is that you can have them that fit your exact firearm and have a heck of a lot of fun with them when others are dumping them.
    My factory .375 is in mint shape for now and I got it for less than it sold new, the custom one was really only the action that was worth saving and so I put a 26 inch octagon barrel on it, full length tube mag and duracoated it, new wood also.
    As to the recoil neither of mine seem that much more than a 12 gauge shotgun, Now if we are talking my 338 things are a little different as it speaks well only issue I have found is it works best with J-word bullets.

    Duke remember these things are made in an assembly line and so tolerances are within a range and you could get a tight one or a lose one or one anywhere in between. I have 30-30's from the early part of the 19th century through the 1980's and yes there are some differences but not enough to make me say one is better than the other. Craftsmanship now that is a totally different story, fit on mine is good but I have seen some that I would only take the action and then it would need some love and care from a good smith to create a good rifle to me.
    Heck I even have 2-92 winchesters one complete and one being rebuilt and a miroku and I like all three 2 have 24 inch barrels and the new one will have a 22 inch barrel and is going to be a 256 win mag. Yep like those non commercial calibers. Actually I like the fact there is no over the counter ammo available makes it so much more fun when you fire it as you did as much as you could to create that round. I form, cast and load for many of my firearms as there is no factory load.
    Last edited by shdwlkr; 01-04-2013 at 12:53 PM.
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  6. #26
    Boolit Master northmn's Avatar
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    Have a Marlin 38-55 adn agree that if I were to order a custom barrel it would be 375. Would want it properly throated also. I have to use Starline brass and as cast from my Lee 250 grain mold to get the accuracy I want. Been steadily downloading from the hot loads to the ones more original to the 38-55. Been doing the same for my 32-20. If you want more power get a Marlin 35Remington. 30 -30 brass may work with very light laods, did not work for sour owl droppings for me.

    DP

  7. #27
    Boolit Man
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    The 38-55 rebore is a great way to spice up a 30-30 lever gun. I have two Marlins (an 1893 and a 36) with JES rebores and they are outstanding! The tunaround on my last JES job (two rifles in 38-55 and 35x30-30) was only 3 weeks!

    Cheers,
    Tim Janke

  8. #28
    Boolit Master Just Duke's Avatar
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    We just got set up as dealers at Green Mountain Barrels. Were going to look for donor actions for a 3 gun 38-55 build.


    Not mine but I would like to build a similar model.


























    http://www.collectorsfirearms.com/wi...e-38-55-w5359/


    Case Hardening would look great.


  9. #29

  10. #30
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    seeing those screws on that takedown made me want to cry.

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
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    Duke:
    I have a model 94 Magnum .44 and it runs nicely with cast bullets. It may not handle and feed those short cartridges quite as slick as a 92 but it's not bad. Best of all the rifling and throat dimensions work well with "normal" .430 bullets loaded to SAAMI lengths that actually feed through the magazine. No leading, good accuracy - it's a nice little rifle and fun to shoot. They aren't so rare that you couldn't maybe find one...
    <
    I also have a 94 Big Bore in .375 and it has stubbornly refused to deliver much better than minute-of-paper-plate accuracy with anything I've tried - jacketed or cast. I like the rifle - or rather I'd sure like to like it if only it would shoot. It's left me kinda sour on .375s although I can't say they'd all be like that of course.
    <
    If I was you I'd go with the .38-55 option. I have no experience with the conversion so it's just empty talk - but it sure sounds like a good idea and I've long thought that a nice .38-55 would be a premier "medium" cast bullet rifle.
    <
    Good Luck:
    Uncle R.

  12. #32
    Boolit Master Just Duke's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by runfiverun View Post
    seeing those screws on that takedown made me want to cry.

    This is how I have restore screws.
    Drill a hole in a piece of metal the screw will just fit into with the head above the surface. Cut a small sliver of steel and fit it to the screw slot. With an upholstery hammer or cross cut saw tooth setting hammer peen the screw back into shape. I then chuck it up in a drill and sand all the aberrations out then polish and then cold blue.

  13. #33
    Boolit Master Just Duke's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Uncle R. View Post
    I also have a 94 Big Bore in .375 and it has stubbornly refused to deliver much better than minute-of-paper-plate accuracy with anything I've tried - jacketed or cast. I like the rifle - or rather I'd sure like to like it if only it would shoot. It's left me kinda sour on .375s although I can't say they'd all be like that of course.
    <
    If I was you I'd go with the .38-55 option. I have no experience with the conversion so it's just empty talk - but it sure sounds like a good idea and I've long thought that a nice .38-55 would be a premier "medium" cast bullet rifle.
    <
    Good Luck:
    Uncle R.
    I have heard this way to many times and very true.

    <BIG FRUSTRATED SIGH>
    I have read countless threads on this forum the good fellas at cast bullets have posted about rifles that are built out of spec just so the firearms companies can CYA. That new Lyman Mini Sharps come to mind as we speak.
    I have read and seen to many instances where the bore was to big, the bullet mould was to small, throat to long or the chamber was to long. This is all so they can cover themselves to avoid any civil liability.
    I do ask them as I have asked many former employers, "when you wake up in the mourning and go to work, why don't you think of what you can do or make to benefit your brother instead of how much money you can make."
    And of course GREED is like nitro******* sitting on the back of a wagon going down a rough road. One big bump and it goes off. i.e. Winchester Repeating Arms, Marlin etc..... 125 years is just flash in the pan as far as history goes.
    I also view these looser tolerance as an manufactures opportunity to employ less skilled employees at a lower wage.

    Anyway from all I have read here I can surely see why there is a multitude of gent's in the "Special Projects" section acquiring lathes and milling equipment.
    Seems like anytime Barbie or myself want something that is correct we have to build it including our new house.
    Greed, Alcohol abuse, recreational narcotics, fast(fat)food, MTV and Hollywood has turned the majority of the US into Sloths seeking entitlements.
    Threading a barrel and cutting a chamber is not rocket science so I guess the lathe Barbie's GF's hubby has for sale is coming home with us.........


    The take down is in this model is nice but our will be solid frames. Heck as cheap as 30-30's are and now that we can get barrels for cost I might even build six. That's two per shooter at our house.
    I have to go make 12 holsters today........
    Last edited by Just Duke; 02-07-2013 at 07:25 PM.

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