Gentlemen for some reason (might be a sign) I have ran into 3 different Winchester model 94’s chambered in 38-55 here locally and I want looking. I have always wanted one and are not priced too bad. I found 2 full length magazine tube rifles and one half mag although that one is consideredably more. I’m really considering picking one up it sounds like a fun old cartridge to load and shoot.
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Is the half magazine gun a "button" magazine, or does it extend several inches past the stock?
Hey Tatume it is a button magazine tube. It was made in 1907 and is in beautiful shape.
Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry
Those are the prettiest rifles Winchester ever made, in my opinion. Are you going to buy it?
Does the button magazine gun have a rifle or carbine-length barrel?
Everyone should have a .38-55 rifle (if not several ...). It's a wonderful old cartridge ... accurate and easy to load for. The big thing is to find boolits big enough to fill the bore. Some of those old Winchesters have BIG barrels. (I had a 1894 Winchester round barrel rifle mfg in 1899 that slugged out at .384"!) I currently have an original '94 SRC, a large action Martini custom rebuild, and I'm having an original High Wall action with single set trigger re-barreled and re-stocked in .38-55. Can't have enough of them!
I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't reached my "Expiry" date!
It has a full 26 inch barrel I took a picture with my phone hopefully it shows. It’s the Winchester at the top.
Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry
Tatume It is a 26 inch barrel. I attached a picture. Are you a Winchester fan?
Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry
Reverend Al I’m hoping to pick one up here soon have you ever hunted with yours?
Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry
I’m hoping to! It’s a little steep on price but they don’t make them anymore and it’s in fine condition. Seems like the button mag has a premium over a full length magazine tube.Originally Posted by Tatume
Proud to serve, U.S. Army Infantry
Originals are hard to come by in my area. Some of the Win special edition 94 were put out in
38-55 and they are bringing $1000 here. That is legal deer caliber in Ohio. Cheapest way to get
a 38/55 was to buy a nice 94 and swap out barrel. You also have to switch forends and tenon.
Also shell guides. The first couple I did were Win barrels they worked out nicely. Numerich then
had some aftermarket barrels that were more trouble to fit although thet shot good. About. $250
in parts for conversion. Not counting cost of a donar 94.
I've hunted with lots of other calibres over the years, but I'm afraid that my knees and back gave out long before I had a chance to take one of my .38-55's out hunting. My days are spent up at the range now ...
I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't reached my "Expiry" date!
Ken Waters wrote about his, and I've longed for one ever since.
Like so many here, I sent a not so special .30-30 Win 94 to JES and had him do a conversion. $225 was his price but add shipping and such. Fantastic work, and I love the cartridge. Still working out the loading. Looking at the Barnes 255 gr bullet, Sierra (which I have shot and like) 200 gr. bullet, and the Lee cast boolit. Waiting right now for a .376 sizing die to move forward with cast.
Lot to be said for the JES rebore. You know what your getting for one thing. More than one individual has posted about the oversize bores in the originals. You also likely will have a stronger action. The JES permits use of different J bullets if desire. The original has a 26" barrel which would be attractive to me.
38-55 is a ideal cartridge for one that likes cast bullets. I get very good results using an old Lee mold with bullets weighing in at 258 grains ave. Then there are precast available that work for some. A 250+ grain bullet does not have to be moving all that fast to be effective. An original should not be hot rodded too much.
DEP
.............I have a couple 38-55's. My first one was this 1893 Marlin:
I bought it in the late 1980's (I had an 01 FFL until 2001) from a gunshop in upper NY State. It was in an add in the "Shotgun News". I called the shop and spoke to the owner of the place. Apparently it had belonged to an old gentleman who had recently passed. The price (which I thought was exorbitant) was $550 + shipping, and I'm glad I did. The barrel is VG-Exc, and the rifle was made in 1906. It must have been a special order rifle as it has 3 special order items. One is the half round, half octagon barrel, the half magazine, and the 'S' type buttplate.
It was in very good condition. Not perfect, but then again how could it have been since it was owned by someone who actually used it? But then again that fact is a positive in my book, as the previous owner not only used it, he also took care of it. While the case colors are still rather nice in the few protected areas, there is absolutely no pitting or signs of rust anywhere. As a person would expect, it has evidence of having been carried at the balance point. The wood has a couple small honest dings, but no cracks or splinters missing. Best of all the screws are in pristine condition, so the previous owner wasn't one to use a butter knife or any old screwdriver when one needed to be removed.
The rifle came with this scope mounted to it, so it had a couple extra holes D&T'd in the top of the action. It is apparently the first model of scope that Leupold offered. It has a ring each for elevation and windage and sports a post & crosshair recticle, and remains bright and clear. A couple times I've thought of sending it off to Turnbull for a restoration job, but have been successful in resisting. It would possibly be prettier looking, but then it would not really be the same rifle, would it?
The 2nd 38-55 was this Uberti Hi-Wall copy, which is a very nice rifle. However it doesn't have the same 'Feeling' to it as the Marlin does, if you know what I mean?
Oddly enough, the Marlin has a groove of .378", and the Uberti slugs .380". I size my cast lead to .380" for the both of them and they both shoot exceedingly well.
Left photo: Is an excellent load in the M93 (shoots well in the Uberti too) and that is the common ole Lee 250gr FNPB sized .380" (actually drops from the mould at that dimension) over 16.0 grs of 2400. Right photo: I made up a swage die for paper patching, and these I mainly use in the Uberti. The Marlin also shoots them well but I have to single load them. To me, the 38-55 is a very attractive cartridge in both it's manners and it's dimensions. I looks like a 45-90 that has been scaled down in length and girth. It's simply pleasing to look at!
...............Buckshot
Last edited by Buckshot; 05-11-2018 at 02:49 AM.
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What about a newer made commemmorative ? They are some of the best made winchesters in the pre '64 time frame (Legendary Frontiersman is a good one) -, I have a Oliver F winchester - its a real good shooter (a bit gaudy looking for some - but its well built, smooth action, really nice wood) ---these usually sell reasonable price and most of em been safe queens.
Did you buy the button magazine Model 94?
IndianJoe, you meant to say post 64, didn't you? I always wanted one of the NRA commemorative sets that included the musket and the pistol grip rifle.
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yeah I did mean post 64 !! had a rough day today ......
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