38-55 - Marlin CB and Lee Dies

[Whit Spurzon]

In anticipation of the arrival of my Marlin 336 Cowboy in 38-55 I've been casting the Lee 379-250 and the Ranch Dog TLC 379-235 RF. I have a few friends with the same rifle and both bullets seem to shoot very well in their Cowboys.

I found a set of Lee Dies for the Caliber at the local Fun store and decided to load up a few. While visiting the home of one of those cowboys I discovered the loads I had made would not cycle with either bullet in Winchester brass. The cartridges wouldn't would make it about 2/3 of the way in before stopping.

We were able load my brass with his RCBS (not the cowboy dies) 38-55 dies and get it to cycle but it was pretty tight.

I've ordered the RCBS cowboy dies and I'm trying to find some of the thinner Starline brass.

Wondering if anyone else has had that experience with the Lee dies? They've worked well with other calibers I've tried.

[Doc Highwall]

I have a Winchester 1885 in 38-55 and I have to use Starline brass also. I believe the chamber is .392" so your loaded cartridge has to be smaller to chamber.

[Buckshot]

.............I think if you look at the Lee dies you'll see they are for the 375 Winchester. However they 'should' work as they would size a case more then required for a 38-55. Most 38-55's will have a groove of .379" or larger. I have a 1893 Marlin in that chambering with a .380" groove. Even my modern made Uberti Hi-Wall 38-55 has a groove of .3804".

The Winchester 38-55 brass I have (2.020") has casemouth walls of .012" thickness. My 2.125" Starline brass has casemouth walls of half that.

................Buckshot

[1Papalote]

I load my 38-55 CB with the LEE 250/ Wincehster brass with LEE dies. My boolits cast at .380-.381. I punch the primer with a universal decapper, reprime, bell the case, add powder and seat the boolit. I use the LEE sizing die as a "taper crimp" (decapper removed) as the last step. This works well for me.

1Papalote

[enfield]

I have to nudge my winchester brass back up into the Lee sizer die with the decapper removed when I load the Lee 250 grain boolit otherwise I can't chamber the rounds in my 1894 winchester ( 1910 ) or my 1893 marlin (1893)

[Whit Spurzon]

Great insights guys. Thank you!