Mold for .38-55 WCF

[Ithaca Gunner]

My Winchester 1894 SRC is at J E S being rebored to .38-55 WCF. Bore diameter will be .376, 5 groove, 1:15" twist.

I have dies, crimp die, and brass coming. What mold do you .38-55 guys recommend? I don't have the need for a gas check mold as velocities will be in the black powder range. I've been thinking of Accurate's 38-255B. What say you?

83496

[ColColt]

Tom always has great moulds. A Lyman favorite as well...

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mould-details-rifles.php?entryID=59

[TXGunNut]

I like it! If I was interested in a lower-velocity load I'd order it or the Lyman. I ordered the GC'd 375449 Lyman for my 375 BB because I wanted to be able to go a little faster. Please post your results, one can't have too many plinking loads. OTOH a 250gr boolit @ 1200fps is hardly a plinking load.

[Ithaca Gunner]

The Lyman looks like a good one also, (the same really). I just wonder what diameter I would get playing the Lyman lottery.

[TXGunNut]

I only have five Lyman moulds but all have dropped at a diameter I expected. Some haven't worked out in a given rifle but can't blame that on the mould or the folks that made it. I've been wanting to give Tom a try, hear he makes excellent moulds using good designs.

[williamwaco]

I use that Lyman mold.

I am looking at a three shot group I have mounted on my wall ( Mamma will not let me post it on the refrigerator ).
Shot it about a month ago. 9 grains Unique - 1300 FPS 0.54" at 100 yards.

Yes, that is my bragging group. Average is about an inch and a quarter.

[Marvin S]

I have both of the mentioned molds. I can get .379 from the lyman and had the accurate spec'd at .382

[missionary5155]

Greetings
I have three JES 38-55 barrels. One on a Winchester 94 and the other two on Marlins. One is the 3 groove and the other are 4 groove. All get fired with the Lyman 375248,37583,375449 and numerous other 375 boolits. They all will shoot well if you match the mix to the base pressure. The fun is knowing the throat and bore are properly dimentioned and any boolit that will drop .377 will work if it has enough lube. All my JES barrels are easy to clean and seldom have any lead issues to speak of. Have two of his barrels in .412 groove in Marlins.
Recently I purchased a 375-06 JES had for sale that I am looking forward to working with next time up. I guess now I have 8 or nine of his barrels and have not yet seen any problems. The one Marlin barrel (30-30) was horribly rusty but JES took care of that just fine.
So be prepared to have a good time with a fine caliber in a configuration that is easy to get shooting well.
Mike in Peru

[w30wcf]

[QUOTE=Ithaca Gunner;2416686]My Winchester 1894 SRC is at J E S being rebored to .38-55 WCF. Bore diameter will be .376, 5 groove, 1:15" twist.

I have dies, crimp die, and brass coming. What mold do you .38-55 guys recommend? I don't have the need for a gas check mold as velocities will be in the black powder range. I've been thinking of Accurate's 38-255B. What say you?

Ithaca Gun,
There is a thread here about the Accurate 38-250B. Check the groups he is getting....
http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/32-40-38-55-375-other-great-non-standard-calibers/83879-new-38-55-bullet-hoping-proves-good-one.html

With the 38-250B one can crimp in the crimp groove. With the 38-255B the crimp would be applied over the front driving band.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/img/bullets/catalogue/38-250B.png

w30wcf

[bigted]

take a mold from buff arms # 380275 and size .380 and lube with SPG. load this 275 grain boolit ahead of 27 grains IMR 3031. prime your Winchester case with a cci # 200 primer and look out for the fun factor. my old re-lined Marlin '93' loves this load and allows me to be a marksman with this rifle. it most certainly shoots better then I do.

[Ithaca Gunner]

As usual, I'll probably end up with several molds. The last Lyman I bought was "in spec" but I really would have liked it to be a few thousands larger. If I find one, I may buy it if the price is reasonable. I guess I just come to expect "Ideal" quality, few of my Lyman's cast like my Ideals.

w30wcf, I may change my mind and go with your suggestion. I do like having a crimp groove. Thanks for the Marlin site! Looks like I'll gain some good info there.

Mike, sometimes you can get to know a man pretty well in a ten minute phone call, Jesse is that kind of man. From our conversation, I trust I'll end up with a real good shooti'n carbine.

I'm happy to read you guys have good luck with your JES rebores. Are you guys shooting rifles or are there a few carbines in the mix also?

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I have two Marlin carbines in the caliber .405 (.412 grove) and one marlin carbine caliber .375. Barrels are very uniform in diameter and all mine were very polished.
They all shoot fine with the normal powders associated with 38-55. 3031 would be about the slowest I would consider but if I needed to I would give some 4895 a try. 2400 is the fastest I use unless I am looking for a slow (1000 fps) plinker then Unique is my choice. 1800 fps is a potent round. But that can be easily surpassed. When you consider the origonal BP load was happily chugging along at 1200 fps anything faster today is plain icing.
I have shot the old Ballard boolit 37583 (150 grains) 40-1 with 3F and 2400 at 1200-1300 fps. Expansion is too much. 50-50 is far better.
The heavier boolits are the same. 40-1 with 3F doubles diameter at 50 yards on 35 pound ground hogs. 50-50 is far better for heavier animal penetration. If I was going to shoulder pop a corn cruncher I would use WW with 2 % tin. For 1500 fps and faster again WW plus tin. If all you are going to do is rib shots 50-50 will open up.
My first "get together " with JES was on the phone also. I told hi what I was interested in and he told me what he could do and how it would work. That was several years ago. The only time he wondered was when I wanted the .405 bore for a .414 Supermag Marlin. But it sure worked out well. A .412 265 grainer chugging at 1965 fps (avg cronographed) is nothing to dismiss as worthless. He offers the much better .405 JES (.412-444 Marlin) that adds 300 fps to anything my 414SM can do. I have one of those.. a good caliber.41 thumper in a Marlin 336 carbine .
So anyway... You will not be dissapointed. And if you are.. I will buy it off you.
Mike in Peru

[Ithaca Gunner]

Mike, I've heard nothing but good things about JES reboring and I'm certain I'll have a very good shooter when it comes back. I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. I've always wanted a .38-55 Winchester 1894 and now I'll have one! Not only in saddle carbine, but with the slickest action I've ever had on an 1894. I may even take up deer hunting again just to down one with it.

[DEVERS454]

If you are going to load with a crimp groove, you need to know the length of brass you will be using with your chamber. Get a chamber cast before buying a bullet with a crimp groove!!!

Otherwise, the Accurate mold looks to be a solid choice. you have enough play keep yourself happy.

Even if you don't use a gas check, most don't with BP, do think about going with an over-powder card to protect the base of the boolit. It cuts down on the lead fumes and does aid in accuracy (a bit).

I've gotten really good results with GOEX Express duplex loads (5gr of FFFg and 42gr FFg) but I didn't get there overnight. :(