Curious here

[country gent]

Heard back from C Sharps today and talked to Pat Im going to order a C Sharps High Wall in 38-55 1-12 twist 30: barrel length upgraded wood to Fanvy grade cheek piece and pistol grip. Spirit level front globe with just the soule base ( I have a long range soule I can use on it) drilled and tapped for my malcomb scopes 17" spacing. and steel butt plate. Will order a mould also for 360 grn bullets. Single set trigger. I was looking at 1877 Sharps rifle but the side hammer with the scopes are tricker to load. with the hammer in the way. I think this will be a fine rifle for me. I was thinking about another Hepburn but Kind of wanted something diffrent also. ( I could see showing up at the range with 45-90 hepburn and 39-55 ammo or vise versa LOL) Now for dies, moulds and accesories. The rifle is probably the cheap part of this.

[Don McDowell]

Did you ask him if they chambered for the long or the short brass?

[country gent]

Not yet I have it in my notes to ask when I order it. I was surprised it was almost 6:00 when he called this evening. I need to send an e-mail of to Old West moulds order a die set Thinking RCBS cowboy dies if available. Make a new end up for my blow tube. Order some jags and patches. check my wiping rod also. May make a new drop tube up with smaller ID dia tubing.

[Lead pot]

You might to think about having them also tap the barrel for the 7.2" spacing for scope blocks along with the 17" incase you get one of the fine DZ scopes someday or a short Winchester scope. I did this to my latest rifles incase I have to go using a scope someday. I have two scopes, one for the 17 spacing and one for the 7.2.

[Gunlaker]

I would imagine that it would be chambered for the short brass. I ordered an unchambered .38 from them a few years ago. They accidentally chambered it in .38-55 so I agreed that they set it back a turn and send it to me. It turns out that their reamer was set up for the shorter brass. The short WW brass is much thicker at the case mouth bigger than the Starline 2.125" brass. As a result th chamber is several thousandths larger at the case mouth. I wasn't able to finish it with my longer reamer. The .38-55 is pretty capacity challenged already. I would consider sending them a custom reamer. That's what I did with my .45-90 and they were happy to do it.

Chris.

[Gunlaker]

That's a good idea Kurt. I should have had them put blocks on mine so I could shoot on our poor visibility winter days.

Chris.

[Don McDowell]

Yup having the gun drilled and tapped when it's built saves a bit of hassle later down the road.
Interesting thing about Winchester 38-55, I have a box of 38-55's in the old red and yellow boxes, 2.59 price tag. Those brass when you fire one come out at the 2.125 length.

[Gunlaker]

How old do you think that stuff is Don?

[Don McDowell]

Chris, guessing from the 50's.

[Lead pot]

I had a guy come up to me when I was shooting my .45-70 and asked me if I would swap some empty cases for his factory .45-70. He had two boxes of 405 gr Remington green dog bone box .45-70's I told him I don't shoot jacketed bullets, why don't you pull the bullets and dump the powder? naw just trade me some empty cases if you would. So I gave him 50 cases and when I got home the price tag on the box was $9.38
Don't know how old they are and they are still laying on the shelf

[45bpcr]

Carolyn's 38-55 works well with Starline "short" brass.
After fire-forming new brass it measures right about 2.075 / 2.080.
I cut it back to 2.075 and then prep it.

Craig

[Gunlaker]

Chris, guessing from the 50's.

That's older than me Don . I'll bet they have a more normal thickness at the case mouth than the Starline long stuff. I do like the Starline stuff though, and understand why they went the way they did.

Chris.

[country gent]

Well friends and Gentleman Ordered the rifle today. C Sharps Highwall case hardened reciever 30" taapered octagon barrel 1-12 twist. Upgraded wood to Fancy, had drilled and taped 7.2 and 17" spacings (just in case I aquire a short scope) base on tang for soule vernieer I have from them. Spirit level golbe front ( I hate drifting out sights.). Cheek piece and pistol grip stock. C Sharps are using McGowen barrels now for 38 caliber. Also was told their reamer was ground for 2.080 brass so ordered 250 starline 2.080 cases. Midways had a set of 38-55 cowboy dies with my name on them also. Now to make up a compression plug, 38-55 end for my blow tube, And check to see if wiping rod and cleaning rod will fit small bore.

[Gunlaker]

That sounds like a nice rifle. I imagine you ordered it with a set trigger too? I wonder why they switched from Green Mountain for the .38 barrels.Chris.

[country gent]

From what I gathered green mountain is stopping making the black powder barrels like badger did. McGowens are a good blank though. I was hoping they would offer a krieger perferably the alexander Henry form LOL. I know several using McGowens on high power rifles and bench guns.

[Hiwall55]

You're going to have so much fun with that gun, Dad might still not get to shoot.

[country gent]

Got that covered to Highwall, Im building a roller in 38-55 also with a GM tapered octogon 1-12 barrel. I had the complete action in the gun closet a stock set and other pieces parts. A few days at a friends with his lathe and mill. And off to a friends to fit the stock and forend for me.

[country gent]

Well the C SHarps rifle is still 2-4 weeks away, getting antsy here now. I have 2 diffrent bullets cast up to try and cases preped and ready to go. Im hoping the Local shop will call soon saying its in.

[griffiga]

I make .38-56 cases all the time for my 86 win and have found for some reason the Hornady Leverevolution (sp) cases are about 1/16 to 1/8 inch shorter than all my standard .45-70 cases. Those are a beauty to resize and they come out to perfect length. I really like the bottle neck cases over the straight, it seems to hold the powder blowback forward. As a comparison I have a Uberti 1873 and 1866 rifle I shoot cowboy action with. One is in .44-40 and the other is .45 colt. The .44-40 comes out the cleaner case after firing and I use the same powder and pretty much the same charge. If I were going to spend the money to have C Sharps build me a custom rifle, I would really like to have a rifle built in the .44-77 bottleneck - now that would be the creme de creme. Good luck and congrats country gent on your rifle, I hope it shoots very well for you, it should be fun. Like they say, "The worst day shooting is better than the best day at work!"

[ascast]

good read - I would have gone with the Hepburn