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

[Just Duke]

I have read on thread the the Browning 92 44 Magnum has shallow rifling HERE the bullets need to be .433 which is bigger than the production molds available. My NIB 200 grain SAECO mould is the correct size but the bore of the Browning is to big. Also 2000 Unfired Starline Cases.

I have also read where fellas are sending off their 1894 Winchester's rifles to Jesse Ocumpaugh for reboring in a three groove cast bullet conducive configuration to 38-55. HERE
I had the Lyman 250 grain 375248 but at the time it didn't work with any rifle I was looking at. HERE
I still really like this style of bullet.
Brass? 500 for $249.00 Ouch! https://www.starlinebrass.com/brass-...ng-Brass-2125/

The price difference is considerable between the two also

Preowned 1892 Browning $700.00 + $800.00 {background check + tranfer + shipping=$70.00}
Preowned 1894 Winchester $300.00 + $225.00 for reboring.

Neither one of us have shot a 38-55 and no clue what recoil would be like. A 250 grain moving at shy of 1600 out of a 6 pound rifle might just rattle what's left of our fillings.
Thanks for letting me think out loud.
Duke

[starmac]

I have a question about the 38/55 conversion. I have understood this is basically the same as the 375 win, that was marketed in the heavier big bore. Is the standard 94 strong enough to use with no problems?

Another question is, is the 225 bucks the total cost of the conversion?

[Just Duke]

Another question is, is the 225 bucks the total cost of the conversion?

From what I read it is. If not, please someone correct me.

[Nobade]

Yes, that is what he charges for the whole job.

I have both rifles, actually the Marlin in 44 mag and another Marlin 336 that he rebored. I find the 38-55 to be more pleasant to shoot and more accurate at long(er) range, but I also shoot it almost entirely with black powder so ballistics are more like 250gr. at 1250 fps. Recoil at that speed is nothing. It is possible to load it up to 375 Win ballistics, i.e. 225gr. at 2100 fps, but that really stresses everything and I have other rifles that are better suited to that if I feel I need the power.

The 44 mag is funny - it also is extremely accurate with black powder and soft boolits. But trying to get it to shoot with smokeless is sometimes tough. It too needs .433" boolits, which I have a couple of custom moulds for, but it likes to lead the bore anyhow and is only accurate at full power. The best thing I have found for smokeless is to size the boolits to .427" and paper patch them up to .434". Then they are extremely accurate, don't lead at all, and a 240gr. does 1800 fps over a case full of IMR4227. But the downside to that is the boolits need to be seated out to engage the rifling so they are WAY too long to feed through the magazine. Plus it kicks a bit.

So which to get? Pretty much depends on what you want to do with it. Either one works, 38-55 is likely easier to get to shoot well, 44 mag is nicer to carry around, both will require handloading to see their potential. Neither is terribly useful past 200 yards. You takes your pick....

[Guesser]

I built up a 38-55 on a late model Angle Eject M94 receiver, it weighs right at 6 pounds with the button magazine loaded. I load a 265 gr. cast bullet to 1800 FPS at 10' from the muzzle, chronoed on a Pact unit. The recoil from a benched gun is a little uncomfortable after 10 rounds or so, afield, hunting, plinking, whatever, the recoil is easily managed by a 150 pound shooter of slight stature. In essence; don't be afeared of 38-55!!!

[runfiverun]

hmmm i don't know about getting 1600 from the 38-55.
i have the browning 92 and it's a solid smooth levergun.
it however will absolutely positively not feed anything longer than 1.610 [saami spec]
you could just find a win big bore rifle in 375 and just load it to 1600 fps easy nuff.
both the browning and the 375 run about 700-750.00.
i looked over a decent marlin in 375 win a bit ago for 650.00 but i allready have one of them.
the marlin is a bit easier in the recoil dept when you put the steam to the 375449
i size to .379 for both of my 375 win rifles.
and swage 40 brass to 430 diameter bullets for the browning.
and just turn the canellure in the right place for the oal to feed
i use those same bullets in my 94 win 44 mag as iiiit has a goofy oversized shallow rifling bbl too.
a lot of work for those two rifles, when my rossi's just take cast at normal diameter with no drama.
i must like the browning.
i have been hearing about the new rossi's having .432 bbls since taurus took over too though.
hope this helps a little.

[wch]

I own and shoot a Model 94 Winchester take-down rifle (originally ordered with a semi-pistol grip stock from Winchester in 1925) and I have never experienced any sign that would lead me to believe that the '94 has a strength problem with the 38-55 cartridge.
That said, when I load for this rifle I stay within the suggested parameters for the rifle and cartridge case.
Data is available in many places, but I usually look at suggestions from Ken Waters in his "Pet Loads" article.

[TXGunNut]

I have a minty .375 Big Bore that I no longer shoot so have been hankering after the 38-55 conversion you're considering. Awesome cartridges. I've looked hard at a few Browning 92's but just can't pull the trigger, so to speak. I have tons of .38 brass and a love for the 45 Colt so when I finally buy a 92 it won't be in 44, especially if it requires special moulds or loading techniques. I'm thinking I'll have a Rossi 92 someday but a Uberti 1873 has been tugging at my checkbook as well.
To answer your question more directly I'd go for the 38-55 but that wouldn't keep me from looking for a pistol caliber carbine if the right one was to happen along.

[runfiverun]

just remember when you look at the taurossi's you are the final inspector.
the 45 colt bbl's tend to run @ 454 now and the twist rate on the 38's has been slowed down.
if it doesn't have a good finish and the action is rough/jerky i'd pass.
on the other end if it looks and feels good they are usually good [sometimes i think taurus has 2 different plants they make guns in]
the 38-55 is a good fit in a good 94.
i'd stay away from the cross safety rebounding hammer ones though.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
If you are patient you can still find the Rossi's that Interarms impoerted. Those are some nicely assembled rifles. I have one in 45 Colt and it compares in function with my Winchester (jap) 45 Colt. Both shoot very nice. The Interarms cost 1/2 the price of the Winchester.
I also have two Jes rebores. One is a 38-55 . Very nice and has a .379 groove so easy to find fat enough cast Boolits. The other was done in .412 and I chambered it to 414 Supermag. Both are fine shooting barrels. Getting together the stuff to get another barrel JES reamed and grooved.
Mike in ILL

[Just Duke]

Barbie bought a Rossi .357 magnum. You could not load it. We were at Bass Pro Shops and one of the fellas we know in the gunsmith section tried to load everything they had into the magazine and it would not take it. Finally they found some 38 specials and they functioned. She took it to the gun shop and put it up on consignment and she lost $200.00. Overnight........ Steves Guns runs a pretty lucrative business fixing these gun problems. We will never purchase any ever again.

[JFE]

The B-92 is a nice rifle and once you understand how to feed it, it does work fine. The main issue is getting it to shoot well with cast as with jacketed bullets it is fine. The action is brilliant and is the main reason I still have it. I have been thinking of turning it into a 45 LC, but that's another story.

I don't have a 38/55 but do have a Win 94BB in 375. The top eject 94BB's are the pick of the bunch in my view - they are a little lighter than the AE models and a little stronger as they don't have the frame cut out that the AE models have. The 94BB's also have deep rifling and the twist rate will easily stabilize heavy bullets. If you want use bullets at the lighter end of the spectrum then I would suggest looking at mould designs that Ranch Dog developed.

In the 375 you can push 300gr cast pills over the 1800 fps and is much more gun than a 44 IMO. You can also load down to pussycat levels: 6.5 gr of Red Dot behind a 250 gr PB pill is subsonic and is accurate enough to hunt rabbits with. The rifle is close to the same weight and size of the B-92, so it's easy to carry around. Accuracy with the 375 with cast is excellent.

If you do a search you will find several posts on this cartridge. To my mind its a very under-rated cartridge.

[JFE]

If you do go down the re-boring route I would suggest you specify a 375 groove diameter and reasonably fast twist if you want to shoot heavy weight bullets. the 375 Win eg has standard 1 in 12" twist.

Most commercially available moulds drop bullets around 376-378. If you use the traditional 38/55 diameter (379) you will need bullets that measure 381+. The problem then is one of having these bullets fit the chamber. If you do a little checking you will find quite a few complaints of tight chambers in 38/55's. There are several ways around the problem, but specifying 375 bore is the easiest and provides wider loading options.

[bigted]

another 38-55 fan here!!! get a 38 and that with a 14 inch twist and your set for any common length boolits...also get the .375 bore as this will be far easier to feed accurate boolits for. as far as the recoil depr is concerned...the loads for a 38-55 are very easy to control and with reassonable care they will deliver very fine accuracy. i think id go for a marlin tho but thats just me...i like the marlin considerbly better then the winchester. an old model 93 will not set ya back too much more then a rifle and a re-bore job and then you also have another connection to the ODG's...they are also a very fine shooting rifle to boot. just my thoughts...stay away from a 44 mag rifle!!! they will kick considerablely harder then the 38 will...had both and will never have a 44 rifle again...except for my marlin .444 which will NEVER leave my sweaty hands.

[brstevns]

For 38/55 brass it is easy to fire form 30/30 brass. 6gr Unique fill case with cream of wheat or grits , push brass into a bar of soap to seal. Piont gun straight up and fire. Instant 38/55 brass. or you can just fire 30/30 loads and they will form out to nice brass.

[Nobade]

Except they're way too short.....

[Just Duke]

Except they're way too short.....

That's what I heard also.

[brstevns]

Way to short not really. I have use these for years with no problem. Still that is me. I was just trying to show that getting brass to use is no problem.

[Nobade]

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.

[John Taylor]

I don't know why anyone would worry about a 38-55 on a 94, that's what the 94 came out in before the 30-30. The 30-30 has 42,000 psi chamber pressure which is quite a bit higher than the 30,000 psi of the 38-55 and 32-40. Factory loads for the 375 Win. are 52,000 so they most likely would be unsafe in an old model 94.
Might also try http://www.deltagunshop.com/ for rebores.