Feeding issues

[oneokie]

Am on a fishing expedition for suggestions on how to cure feeding problems with a Winnie 1894.
Am using Meister 246 gr. boolits for 38-55. Using the new short 2.080" cases, the rounds feed from the magazine to the chamber fine when crimped in the crimping groove. (.379" dia. boolit which will chamber)
When using the longer old cases, (mine are 2.107"), the cartridge will not turn the corner from the lifter to the chamber. The ogive? on the boolit jams against the upper part of the chamber.
Does someone make a boolit that has a different nose profile? Am thinking something like a trunceated cone might work.
Want to keep the longer cases, as the neck wall thickness is thin enough to let me use .380"dia. boolits and still chamber the loaded round.

[jtaylor1960]

I believe I am correct in saying that the longer cases you mentioned were the correct length used in single shot rifles in the early days of the 38/55.The 2.080" were the correct length for newer rifles .I have a 38/55 in a model 336 that will feed the shorter cases but won't feed the long ones just like your rifle.My suggestion would be to trim your cases to 2.080 and load them up as I did with mine.

[McLintock]

If you want to use the longer cases you need to open up the feed rails so the rim can come up earlier. Here's a couple pictures of M-94 actions. The first is a pre-64 30-30 action (1950's), that's now a 38-55, that I use with black powder and the longer cases, but if you look close you can see where I've lengthened the feed rail slot. I use the Lyman 375449 bullet loaded for the crimp groove to be used. The second picture is an old 30-30 action (1909), but with an old original 38-55 feed rail held in with a bristle brush to show the difference. Not much difference, so back then I guess they used the longer feed rail on everything. That's the easiest way to do it, and it's a permenent fix alowing you to use a lot bigger variety of bullets.
Photo 1
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1620/1303399/6857234/248382085.jpg
Photo 2
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1620/1303399/6857234/248382110.jpg
Hope this helps,
McLintock

[Pepe Ray]

There is another point to check before you do something not reversable.
The boolet ! Boolets for the .375 Win are many times confused w/those for the 38-55. There noses are different lengths.( to the cannelure ). The .375 Win. is longer and when used in a long 38-55 case will make a ctg. too long to feed well.
Check it out. Pepe Ray

[oneokie]

The boolet ! Boolets for the .375 Win are many times confused w/those for the 38-55. There noses are different lengths.( to the cannelure ). The .375 Win. is longer and when used in a long 38-55 case will make a ctg. too long to feed well.
Check it out. Pepe Ray

We are talking cast boolits here aren't we? The Meister boolits are identical to some boolits that came from a defunct company in Kansas. Both makes of boolits are-were listed for 38-55.
Nose looks the same as the Lyman 375248 boolits. >crimping groove to meplat<

Really old factory ammo with j-word bullets (long case length) feed fine. Sierra and Hornady j-bullets feed fine.