Need advice on how to team my H&R .38-55 target classic.

[mcooper]

So I got the 4d .400 reamer in the mail Monday and no local smiths are interested in doing the job for me in a reasonable time frame. I’ve seen where folks talk about doing it themselves by hand and wanted to know if someone could give me or direct me to some clear instructions on how to do it myself.

As you guys may know, when I load .380 bullets into my cases they stick and won’t extract if unfriend. I even have issues with my starline brass loads some.

Do I literally just put the tap handle on the reamer and slowly ream with oil, clean the chamber, and test fit a loaded round, and keep reaming until it extracts fine? I just don’t want to ruin a family heirloom.

[cwtebay]

Give this video a gander. I have done exactly what Larry is doing here twice - both with hand power. Trick seems to be to keep track of depth by plunking your cartridge frequently.

https://youtu.be/KfFxjX4jMkU

Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Nobade]

Pretty much. Put the barrel in a padded vise pointing straight down, use the biggest heaviest tap wrench you have, oil it up good and start turning letting the weight of the assembly generate the feed. Under no circumstances turn it backward. Clean and inspect frequently. I'd avoid letting the rim cutting portion touch the barrel so as to not increase headspace. If you see it cut the blue on the rim cut, stop immediately.

That said, I do understand your wanting to fire groove diameter bullets in your rifle. But are you aware that those chambers, as delivered, are about as perfect as could be designed for firing bore diameter paper patched bullets and black powder? That may not be something you are interested in but if you are you might think twice about cutting your chamber bigger. I very much enjoy shooting my rifle that way, and can certainly get much better performance at long range than I could with normal fixed ammunition. But it's not for everybody.

[akajun]

It’s not a hard job, tap wrench and cutting oil. Your not removing much at all just a bit of the throat
In fact I’d say if you go to hard at it you’ll egg the bore or extend the headspace

[RickinTN]

Maybe I'm out in the dark here and don't fully understand the issue. If a .380" bullet seated sticks why not try a .379" bullet. or outside turn some brass. Either of which sounds like a pretty good alternative to cutting on a family heirloom. I always try to cut on the cheapest/least valuable part.
Good Luck,
Rick

[waksupi]

Sounds like an over size bullet, or seated out too far.

[akajun]

Maybe I'm out in the dark here and don't fully understand the issue. If a .380" bullet seated sticks why not try a .379" bullet. or outside turn some brass. Either of which sounds like a pretty good alternative to cutting on a family heirloom. I always try to cut on the cheapest/least valuable part.
Good Luck,
Rick

because the bores on these rifles are .380-.381. If you want to shoot cast bullets you have to open up the chamber "neck" area or else the rounds will not fit. Shooting .377 jacketed bullets worked though.

[country gent]

The chd 400 38-55 reamer is this neck dia or cutting a longer throat? the "Mcphearson" 38-55 reamer actually cuts a .350-400 longer throat. This allows the bullet to be loaded out farther.

Hand reaming the chamber isnt a hard job and can be done with patience and care. cut a little check a lot. a solid tap handle and lots of oil use a good cutting oil here the old black sulfur cutting oils really shine. Make sure the reamers pilot fits the bore good. dip or liberally brush a heavy coat of oil into reamer and in chamber, set a can under the muzzle to catch what runs out. Always turn clockwise dont ever reverse a reamer it dulls them quick. remove and clear chips often Keep oil on the reamer.

I would recomend making a chamber cast before reaming to see just what you have for the chamber before reaming

[andrew375]

Didn't Starline do a run of thin neck. 38-55 brass to solve this problem a few years ago? I seem to remember an article in Precision shooting about it.

[RickinTN]

Thinner neck brass or neck turning .0005" in my mind would be much better than cutting the rifle, but, it's not my rifle.
Rick

[Led]

I reamed a 357 mag handi rifle to 357 max. I turned the reamer with a tap handle and went slow. It turned out great.

Later,
Stephen