Winchester 38-55 330gr?

[warren5421]

Looking at a Winchester 94 or a Marlin 336 cowboy in 38-55. I have a custom RCBS mold that was made for my Browning High Wall that drops a 330 gr RNFP. Will it load and shot in either one of the lever guns? Anyone know what the max OAL can be used in them. I load long and use long Star Line brass, so I would like to keep my OAL that works in my High Wall.

[Nobade]

The lever guns should have a 1:18 twist rate, which probably is too slow to stabilize a 330. Plus they would have to be seated so deep you wouldn't have much room for gunpowder. I'd go for a levergun bullet.

[earlmck]

In my Marlin Cowboy I can get away with a max of 2.56". That means I have to crimp pretty deep to get them short enough if I use the long cases with my Lyman 375449 boolit. And the Marlin want's boolits at least .380 diameter by the way. And that 275 grain Lyman is the heaviest boolit I have used, so I don't know about the stability of a longer boolit.

[warren5421]

I will have to buy some small samples of the venders then. See what design and weight works then. Have both short and long cases. Just didn't want to have to work but that is how it is with a new gun.

[oger]

You need a quicker twist than 1 in 18 or the bullet will not stabilize at all. I use Hoch 330s in my single shots with a 1 in 14 twist and they work great.