38-55 which length brass do i buy????

[coyote nose]

Purchased a first year of issue 1894 Winchester rifle last saturday in 38-55 and am really anxious to try her out. Checking my usual suppliers I find they have 3 brass sizes, Winchesters new brass at 2.075, Starline at 2.082, and starline at 2.125". This has probably been rehashed here before but my dial-up hookup is slow and it is next to impossible to search for any past threads. Can anybody help? Sure hope I do not have to do a chamber cast. Is there a serial number cutoff that determines which length case is for which rifle??? I will not use smokeless in it, probably pyrodex only based on my experience with other older rifles from this era. Bore size is 0.374", groove is 0.379". Thanks to all!!

[Lefty Dude]

For a piece of that age I would do a chamber cast before Starting a reloading program. You will know what your true trim to length will be. Do this before you order your brass.

This is one piece you do not want to add stress to the action.

[Don McDowell]

I'ld go with the winchester or the short starline. The longer starline is primarily aimed at longer single shot chambers, and might be to long to work thru the 94.
But making a chamber cast and measuring will help you figure which length of brass, and what diameter of bullet,before you start into ordering.

[Sixgun]

Your rifle was made for the 2.125 length brass. If your using BP, and want top velocities, go with this length. personally, for me BP is a pain and your rifle will safely handle smokeless--just use common sense and keep your loads in spec.

You can use any length brass, just seat your bullets accordingly for oal. I use 30-30 brass for all of my 38-55's, which are all antique Savages' Winchesters and Marlins. The brass comes out short but as I use mild loads of smokeless, I can use the heavier 275 grain bullets with complete satisfaction when shooting NRA silhouette.

A dose of A.A. 5744 and an NEI 275 gr. gas check bullet really slams down the 200 meter rams with authority. -------------Sixgun

[1886]

Simple solution. Your rifle should freely accept the correct length brass at 2.125". However to be sure call Starline and explain to them your concerns and ask for a free sample of both lengths. You should have your samples in several days and life will be good. Let us know how it works out. Regards. 1886.

[Hobie]

First year issue needs the 2.125" brass. Starline's product is excellent but be certain to size and trim EVERY case before loading. Wonderful stuff.

[tabingcolt]

Who is your usual supplier?

38-55 is often hard to find.

[Don McDowell]

Anybody ever wonder why SAAAMI shortened the length up by that whopping .05 inch?

[coyote nose]

Thanks to all. My usual supplier is Grafs, and they have both sizes in stock. I was leaning towards the starline long, figuring I could always trim it if I need the short size. Based on what i read the early 38-55's were the long case, but I was also wondering why the case was made shorter. Was wondering if it was a safety concern or something. Sixgun, I realize the 1894 can safely handle smokeless pressures, but my concern is the barrel. Didn't Winchester have problems with the barrels getting shot out with smokeless until they came out with "nickle steel" in 1896 or 1897? This gun would have the softer steel so I am thinking I should avoid jacketed bullets and smokeless powder. Also, I did read a post here where they say Madis figures are way off. My serial number is 11XXX and Madis shows the year 1894 ending in 14759. I guess I have to write to Cody and get a letter to find out for sure. Also, guess I should do a chamber cast but I really hate doing that. I know, it isn't that hard but for some reason it is just a gun chore I detest doing.
Just measured the 7 cartridges I have in my "old time cartridge collection". 6 of them are 2.125" (UMC, WRA, REM), 1 is 2.080" and that one is marked "UMC SH".

[Sixgun]

Coyote Nose,
Jacketed bullets (and lots of 'em) wore the old barrels fast along with the old type smokeless powders which were very errosive. The corrosive priming at the time did not do a lot to help matters.
Go ahead and shoot that '94 until the cows come home. Use lead bullets sized to groove diameter and mild doses of smokeless. Try for a velocity of between 1200 -1500 and you will be shooting that gun until you buy the farm. I shoot original Colt Lightnings, 1873 Winchesters and 1886 Winchesters all made in the 1880s with no wear whatsover. In fact, continued shooting with cast bullets actually polishes the barrel and they get better with age. One Lightning has over 7K rounds out of it. A first year 1892 in 32-20 is pushing 10K.
Once again, common sense here. Keep your guns clean and don't beat 'em. Dirt accelerates wear and beating them causes them to go out of wack.------Happy shooting----------Sixgun

[Lefty Dude]

When the .375 winchester came out in the 1980's the length was shortened for the new caliber. As the 38-55 became popular again because of the Cowboy Action shooting Side match explosion, many case suppliers applied the 38-55 to the case head of the .375. They had the brass already and did not have to re-tool for the old 38-55 length.

They caught a lot of flak over this and Starline re-introduced the standard length back for the 38-55 shooters. BP shooters want to stuff as much in the case as possible. Some of the recent Mfg., like marlin & H&R also used there .375 reamers instead of new 38-55. Thus the short chambered 38-55. Many have taken there piece to GunSmiths and have the Chamber lengthened. Some shooters returned there's to Marlin for this service. The bore size is also varied in this caliber with the new pieces. This can vary from .375 - .382.

When I had my Winchester 94 Big bore & my #3 Ruger in .375 I made up light loads and used 30-30 cases. I had a round ball load that used a .36 caliber ball, paper patched, Unique powder and it was my plinker round.

The Round ball load is in the Lyman cast bullet manual.

[Don McDowell]

Hmmm just read on another forum that Winchester shortened it up in 1906 so they could just draw one size brass......
Might neet to get w30cf to weigh in on this one.

Coyote I think sticking with bp and cast in that rifle would be a most very good idea.

[Leverluver]

If it were me, I'd take a real close look at the bullet I wished to use and see what case length would match the bullet to crimp and come out to the correct OAL. With the long case, there may be some bullets that won't crimp and stay within those OAL limits. Although, you can't go wrong with the long length if you don't mind maybe trimming later.

[1886]

The Marlin CB .38-55 will accept the proper length .38-55 brass. Do not run a reamer in the chamber to open it up. This is absolutely not necessary. You will be altering a fine rifle that does need this procedure. In all likely hood you will be harming the rifle's accuracy potential. If one goes to sell such an altered rifle one has an obligation to tell the prospective buyer of said alterations. I will get off the soap box about altering the CB .38-55. In addition to being the correct length, the Starline brass also has the correct wall thickness at the mouth. The W/W brass while good quality is not appropriate for the CB. The case walls are too thick at the mouth to allow one use the proper diameter bullets. The Starline brass does not suffer from any of these problems. It does not take much imagination to realize that the W/W .375, .30-30, and .38-55 brass are all the same case with different headstamps and slightly different lengths. It is much cheaper to manufacture one basic case than three individual cases. Just one guys thoughts. Regards. 1886.

[oldgerboy]

I have to use different length brass with different bullets depending on their cantelure. Some .38-55 bullets are really .375 Win bullets and are too long from the cantelure to the tip giving a too long overall length. My chamber will take the long brass with the "longer" bullets but, if I want to eject a loaded round, the Marlin does not have enough internal length to the ejector to let it pass by the chamber mouth.

I've ordered a Lee factory crimp die like 1886 likes but for now have been using .375 Win length brass.

Be careful of the bullet design you use or get the Lee die.

[1886]

No problem where one crimps on the bullet when using the Lee FCD. The standard .38-55 FCD will work with the 2.080" case. Lee will make a FCD for the 2.125" case but one must custom order the die. Cost is $29.00 plus a dummy round. Mine arrived this past Saturday. 1886.