38-55 , should I ?

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Obturation

Obturation

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Ha! Silliest question to ask you bunch of bad influencers!

Hey all,

Hope everyone feeling good.
I'm considering an endeavor into 38-55, there are a few options bouncing around in my pea brain and I figured I'd bounce them off the smartest fellers I know- THR!

I was kind of unaware of the 38-55 cartridge , I had heard of it a time or two but never saw one or fired one or knew anyone who owned one. But now I'm interested, it's like a 45-70 on a diet . use would be medium powered , medium bore general use rifle . a job currently occupied by a marlin 336 in 30-30. I prefer heavier bullets and cartridges without shoulders, I don't currently hunt but I plan to as soon as I can get my ducks in a row. If I have a 38-55 I think it makes the 30-30 unnecessary for my current needs.

Questions I have are-

#1- would it be better to have my 336 rebored or barreled VS buying a new rifle?

#2- will a rifle chambered for 375 winchester be a better way to go? Can a 375 win fire the 38-55?

#3- am I really gaining anything significant over the 30-30?

#4- is it true that 38-55 cases can be formed from 30-30 brass? Sounds fishy, that's what I've been told.


What would you do? I'm not rich by any means and don't want to spend more than I need to. I don't "need" any more guns, I have plenty but I'm always looking for something new to complicate my life.

Thanks!
 
Lol. 375 HH or 416 Ruger. But with this stuff it’s not about money.
 
Obturation said:
#4- is it true that 38-55 cases can be formed from 30-30 brass? Sounds fishy, that's what I've been told.
Click to expand...

I've heard that too. Since the 30-30 came from necking the 38-55 down I guess you could neck it back up. I don't think you will gain a thing over 30-30 except be able to hunt where straight walled rounds are all thats allowed. I really like the 30-30 round and have over a thousand rounds loaded and three 30-30 rifles on hand. I'm pretty sure the 30-30 will kill everything a 38-55 will.

I would learn to hunt and get a couple of deer in the freezer first then worry about getting a straight walled round if you find you really like to hunt. If you like bigger bullets a 44 mag will shoot around the same weight bullet and shoot it 300+fps faster.
 
Another thread a couple of weeks ago about straight wall cartridges in lever action rifles got me looking at cartridges other than the .45-70. I have a Marlin in .45-70 which I enjoy, but I started looking at the .38-55 and the .375 Winchester. Long story short, I won a bid on a Winchester 94 in .375 Winchester with a peep sight, and I ordered 200 rounds of ammo to play with while I gather reloading supplies. I figure with all the other rifles I own 200 pieces of brass should last the rest of my days.
 
Bwana John said:
You better reload, a 375 H&H would be cheaper!
Click to expand...
I do, everything else I shoot is expensive for factory ammo too. No worries.

ThomasT said:
I would learn to hunt and get a couple of deer in the freezer first then worry about getting a straight walled round if you find you really like to hunt.
Click to expand...
Right, it's not exactly as it seems. My state doesn't allow rifles, period. Not looking at this as a rifle to fill a state requirement and I do have a 45-70 that I've shot quiet a bit for the last few years.more of a rifle in between the small and large.

ThomasT said:
If you like bigger bullets a 44 mag will shoot around the same weight bullet and shoot it 300+fps faster.
Click to expand...
I've got a couple 454 casulls and the 45-70 mentioned a few lines back. I've also got a 357 mag carbine for quick handy use.

I like reloading straight cases best, less tinkering around with sizing and I'm not trying to shoot 300 yards , 100 is a decent distance for me, around here there aren't many places to shoot over 100.
 
i recently grabbed a 38 55 in a 26inch cimmaron arms /uberti 1894 replica.
....brass is available but you can run the neck of a 30 30 cases through a 8mm or 32 win to get it started, then a 38 55 neck expander to finish it. cast bullets are cheaper than 375 win big bore jacked ones. (shoot one of them also). trail boss for light loads or 5744 for decent power hunting loads are good powder choices.
 
dieselchief said:
i recently grabbed a 38 55 in a 26inch cimmaron arms /uberti 1894 replica.
....brass is available but you can run the neck of a 30 30 cases through a 8mm or 32 win to get it started, then a 38 55 neck expander to finish it. cast bullets are cheaper than 375 win big bore jacked ones. (shoot one of them also). trail boss for light loads or 5744 for decent power hunting loads are good powder choices.
Click to expand...
Can that Cimarron hadle the Buffalo Bore loads?
 
Obturation said:
I do, everything else I shoot is expensive for factory ammo too. No worries.


Right, it's not exactly as it seems. My state doesn't allow rifles, period. Not looking at this as a rifle to fill a state requirement and I do have a 45-70 that I've shot quiet a bit for the last few years.more of a rifle in between the small and large.


I've got a couple 454 casulls and the 45-70 mentioned a few lines back. I've also got a 357 mag carbine for quick handy use.

I like reloading straight cases best, less tinkering around with sizing and I'm not trying to shoot 300 yards , 100 is a decent distance for me, around here there aren't many places to shoot over 100.
Click to expand...
Ive got a 1912 production .38-55 '73 Winchester takedown awaiting restoration in the garage right now. I did some research years ago and seem to recall that all it needed to run .30-30 was a barrel swap. Could be wrong on that. Its my buddys gun and he doesn't think he will ever shoot it or spend the $$ for a new barrel.
 
Risky buisness said:
38-55....should I...?
The bigger question here is
Why shouldn't I?
Great classic cartridge, coupla options for the launcher, what's not to like?
Click to expand...

Exactly. Why not? BTW, I was looking at a 6 pound Win 94 Short Rifle chambered for 450 Marlin. Now that would be a kicker. Was thinking about buying it just because. 450 Marlin generates about 3,000 ft lbs.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Ive got a 1912 production .38-55 '73 Winchester takedown awaiting restoration in the garage right now. I did some research years ago and seem to recall that all it needed to run .30-30 was a barrel swap. Could be wrong on that. Its my buddys gun and he doesn't think he will ever shoot it or spend the $$ for a new barrel.
Click to expand...

Did you mistype the model number, or am I reading it incorrectly? Model 73 Winchesters were available in .38-40. I think the first Winchester in .38-55 was the 1894.

I have a Marlin 1893 in .38-55. Probably my most accurate lever gun with hard cast 240 grain bullets and a moderate load. Interesting cartridge but not all that much better than .30-30 in my 336.
 
I personally see the 38-55 and the 30-30 as having similar roles. There are certain things that each one is a little better at, but for the most part either one us able to do the job of the other, I would think.

There are some practical considerations. As mentioned, factory ammo is rather expensive for the 38-55 on a good day, and impossible to find right now. Though it's worse now, that's always true to an extent. But I prefer reloading straight walled cartridges, as the process is a lot more straight-forward, so for me the 38-55 wins out on practicality, though it may not for you. One other sticking point is that rifles chambered in 38-55 have varied a lot over the years, particularly in the groove diameter department (I've read of people using bullets anywhere from .376 to .383 in diameter at the most extreme), and even the case length as Winchester started using shorter cases somewhere along the line for their commemorative models. Both are easy enough to deal with once you know what you have, slug your barrel and you should be able to find a bullet that will do well enough for your gun. Better yet if you cast, just size them as necessary.

Another consideration is that you will feel 100% more like a true cowboy of the old west while shooting a 38-55. Maybe that's not as important a point for you, but it is for me!
 
Your going to have to pay if you want to play.
If you want a new straightwall cartridge, the .350 Legend seems to be selling hot and heavy now days.
Cheapist would be a Savage Axis in .350 Lengend.

To do a barrel swap on your old 30/30 it going to run about $350-$400 just in shop rate not counting the barrel blank
Then you have the cartridge lifter tweaking to deal with.
 
If I wanted a new straight wall round to play with it would be a 444 Marlin round. Hopefully I would be able to find one of the newer Marlins with the 1-20 twist and Ballard rifling.
 
I am not the right guy to throw this out because my knowledge base isn’t deep enough. The 38-55 has a complicated history, having started out as a black powder cartridge.

I believe some of that complicated history has been preserved by SAAMI. The chamber diameter is smaller than the groove diameter. This is a hard cartridge to get to shoot straight. Ya need to be an expert on obturation, imagine that.

https://saami.org/wp-content/upload...99.4-CFR-Approved-2015-12-14-Posting-Copy.pdf

Also, there are two different case lengths floating out there.
 
If I am reading SAAMI correctly, the chamber diameter for the 30-30 is the same or slightly bigger than the groove diameter.

Since I prefer to cast my bullets, that alone augers strongly in favor of the 30-30 to my way of thinking.
 
Where the 38-55 really shines is as a mid-range, out to 500 yards, target cartridge. In that role, it is best served in a single shot target rifle like the 1885 Winchester. In my opinion, it is a great mid range target cartridge, especially shooting cast lead, and preferably over black powder.

That's not to say it won't knock deer down with abandon. It most certainly will. Will it so so better than the 30-30, 35 Rem, or 444 Marlin, for example? Not really, no.

But, if you want it, get it. No matter what, it's cheaper than classic cars or younger women.
 
Obturation said:
Ha! Silliest question to ask you bunch of bad influencers!

Hey all,

Hope everyone feeling good.
I'm considering an endeavor into 38-55, there are a few options bouncing around in my pea brain and I figured I'd bounce them off the smartest fellers I know- THR!

I was kind of unaware of the 38-55 cartridge , I had heard of it a time or two but never saw one or fired one or knew anyone who owned one. But now I'm interested, it's like a 45-70 on a diet . use would be medium powered , medium bore general use rifle . a job currently occupied by a marlin 336 in 30-30. I prefer heavier bullets and cartridges without shoulders, I don't currently hunt but I plan to as soon as I can get my ducks in a row. If I have a 38-55 I think it makes the 30-30 unnecessary for my current needs.

Questions I have are-

#1- would it be better to have my 336 rebored or barreled VS buying a new rifle?

#2- will a rifle chambered for 375 winchester be a better way to go? Can a 375 win fire the 38-55?

#3- am I really gaining anything significant over the 30-30?

#4- is it true that 38-55 cases can be formed from 30-30 brass? Sounds fishy, that's what I've been told.


What would you do? I'm not rich by any means and don't want to spend more than I need to. I don't "need" any more guns, I have plenty but I'm always looking for something new to complicate my life.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Look, I understand that you're not rich (as most of us do!). That said, you may be better off buying a new, or second hand, lever action in .38-55 for your hunting rifle.
The fun is in developing the load, and shooting.
You may find that it doesn't suite you, so hang on to the .30-30 for now.
An old rifle, in reasonable condition (and sometimes with a bore that look terrible, but it still shoots well), has character, and was once, and can occasionally now still be, be a good, cheap, buy, as the competition from others for a 38-55 may be less than for a .357 or 30-30.
A lever gun, say a Marlin, can have the sights adjusted to your preference; if wanting the reach out further you can fit a peep sight, or a scope.
And again, we all understand that there is always that 'one more' rifle you would like to get, to fill a hole in your collection (boy, do I understand that!)
 
I don’t believe the .38-55 has any advantage over the 30-30 when it comes to hunting deer. Unless the range is very short.
 
I have an old model 94 with octagon barrel built back in 1896 in 38-55 that shoots well and is accurate. I use to load 250gr .378 gas checked cast and took some deer with it. Nothing better than hearing that slow old bullet slap the target at 100 yds. I finally retired it as I did not want break something or wear the old classic out anymore than it is. As a side note the stock has small notches down around the tang/stock area. Critter kills kept track of the old fashion way...
 
Go for it. But keep the 30-30. I had a Ballard 38-55 back in 1970 and wish I had not been infected with trading fever. Cast bullet, duplex load and unreal accuracy with aperture sights and 26 year old eyes.
 
Obturation said:
#2- will a rifle chambered for 375 winchester be a better way to go? Can a 375 win fire the 38-55?
Click to expand...
The .38.55 bore is slightly larger than the .375 Win bore.
.375 Win has a .375” bore
.38-55 has a .3775” bore

When marlin produced the 336 cowboy in .38-55 there was a huge hullabaloo about inaccuracy with them when firing .375 diameter bullets meant for the .375 Win.

Well DUH! Feed the .38-55 proper sized bullets and there aren’t any undue accuracy issues. So to answer your question about .375 Win ammo in a .38-55 the answer is no.
 
[/QUOTE]Well DUH! Feed the .38-55 proper sized bullets and there aren’t any undue accuracy issues. So to answer your question about .375 Win ammo in a .38-55 the answer is no.[/QUOTE]
Yep I tried some .375s in the 38-55 just because I had some. They made a nice key hole down range.
 
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