38-55 WCF reloading question

[bobcat93]

So I'm picking up a new Winchester 1885 highwall 38-55 WCF..I want to order reloading components before the gun arrives home..I'm very confused about brass..as I have read the article on starline brass website..do I need the long brass for the Winchester Chambers in there new guns?.
Any suggestions on dies?.. I prefer Redding dies..
Or do I need to get the gun, make a chamber cast and go from there..
Never really been confused about things like this since I've been reloading..and that's about 23 years..

 

[SSL]

I would call either (or both) Starline or Winchester for suggestions. I'm sure they would help you decide.

Best of luck.

 

[Witchhunter]

I just got one in 38/55. It is a pleasure to shoot. I have Winchester brass for mine, it seems to be working just fine. Starline is good brass too, especially if you are using lead bullets only. i would recommend RCBS cowboy dies as they have a neck expander for lead bullets too if you are going that route. PM me when you get it and i will share what loads i have worked up for mine.

 

[wapiti25]

I love my 1885 in 38-55. I use the winchester 38-55 brass and have made some out of 30-30, both are of the short family. Is your rifle a "new release" version or an original. My rifle was made in Japan for Winchester.

 

[bobcat93]

I love my 1885 in 38-55. I use the winchester 38-55 brass and have made some out of 30-30, both are of the short family. Is your rifle a "new release" version or an original. My rifle was made in Japan for Winchester.

I couldn't tell you..haha..I've always had a single shot rifle in my collection..and sold my Ruger #1 ..so this is my replacement..I plan to use it for mid range target work ..

 

[wapiti25]

bobcat, are you going to shoot cast or a jacketed bullet? Also are you going the black powder or smokeless loads? I have a friend that shoots the Black powder cartridge competition, he uses cast bullets and blackhorn 209. What do you call mid range? 600 yds?

 

[bobcat93]

bobcat, are you going to shoot cast or a jacketed bullet? Also are you going the black powder or smokeless loads? I have a friend that shoots the Black powder cartridge competition, he uses cast bullets and blackhorn 209. What do you call mid range? 600 yds?

I plan to mostly shoot lead cast bullet 255 gr..with smokeless powder
My gun club has a 100, 200, & 300 yrd ranges..
I like jacketed bullets best because I can increase velocity..but I believe cast bullets are probably better for the rifle..

 

[wapiti25]

Check the bore size. My rifle is .376, some I have read are as big as .380. I have not found many jacketed bullets for the .376 or .377 barrels. I have part of a box of the Hornady bullets for the 375 winchester, they shoot good in my barrel. I have been shooting some 245 gr cast that I bought, they are just so so. Good luck

 

[COLT45SA]

I love my 1885 in 38-55. I use the winchester 38-55 brass and have made some out of 30-30, both are of the short family. Is your rifle a "new release" version or an original. My rifle was made in Japan for Winchester.

How does it shoot~? I just bought one of the 50 made for Winchester by Miroku,

 

[Larry Koch]

smokeless 5744 powder.

 

[hoosiermike]

If you want jacketed bullets Vollmer Precision makes some in different weights for the 38-55.
You will probably have to back order them but they are excellent bullets and you can specify
the diameter you want. It might take as long as 4 or 5 months to get them but he will come
through with the goods.

 

[451whitworth]

One thing I wouldn't do is start buying components before the rifle arrives. The barrel groove diameter will be anywhere from .375"-.380" with somewhere around .377"-ish common in the Miroku made 1885's. All 38-55's will accept the "long" 2.125" length case, same case length as 32-40. The reason for the 2.080" length brass is that the ammo companies dropped the 32-40 and 38-55 (2.125" length) as obsolete 70-80 years ago. When demand for 38-55 ammo/brass came back in the 1960's Winchester used the cartridge brass blanks from the 30-30 to form the brass as that's what was the most expedient/least expense way to do it. It came up short as that was as far as they could go starting with the 30-30 blank. As far as jacketed bullets go they are a waste of money in a 38-55 IMO. There is no velocity that cartridge is capable of that a cast bullet can't handle with aplomb. I wouldn't buy dies until you get the rifle because of expander stem diameter and how big a bullet the seating die can accept. I have Lyman dies that came with a .374" expander and a set of older RCBS dies that have a .377" expander. I also have a set of Lachmiller dies where the seating dies will not accept any bullet over .377" diameter. In my 38-55's I use Starline 2.125" brass and cast bullets @ .381" while in my Marlin .375 Win I use Winchester 38-55 brass and cast bullets @ .379". Reloder 7, IMR 3031, or either 4198 work great.

 

[Cochran]

In my Miroku highwall I use long Starline brass, .379 cast bullets and IMR 4227. Shoots great. I really like the RCBS Cowboy dies.
I find both 38-55 and 45-70 smokeless loads work better for me with a light to medium crimp

 

[COLT45SA]

I just got one in 38/55. It is a pleasure to shoot. I have Winchester brass for mine, it seems to be working just fine. Starline is good brass too, especially if you are using lead bullets only. i would recommend RCBS cowboy dies as they have a neck expander for lead bullets too if you are going that route. PM me when you get it and i will share what loads i have worked up for mine.

Please share that reloading information with me as I have one of those very authentic looking 1885s built by Miroku. I have both Winchester and Starline cartridges.