A great round for the Winchester 1885 "trapper". Winchester factory ammo is quite tame - 1,350fps/950lbs. But, it can be loaded up to almost 2,000fps with similar energy!
IskMackinac - I quote from the 1898 Winchester Catalog, page 41: .38-55 Winchester, Bullet, 255 grains lead, Powder - 48 grains (black powder). If you wanted a smokeless powder load, it was 19 grains of smokeless powder behind a 255 grain full metal patched or softpoint bullet.
Don't forget that Savage also chambered their 1899 rifles in .38-55 as well, my favorite being an octagon barreled 1899B. I've had a couple of Winchester 1894's and the .38-55 to me is better in the rifle than the .30-30, although in the carbine, the .30-30 is great.
i own a 3855 legendary 94 model win, built 1979 ,reload with smaller 200 gr sierra projectile with 36 gr of adi smokeless powder , kicks ass ! the 255 gr projectile is a lot safer in the bush as it falls pretty quick after 300 yards or so , so not as likely to hit somethin out of sight that you didnt know was there like cattle or farm houses or persons.,great pig gun and a lot of fun
@@ellismidkiff6117 Winchester made a rash of new Miroku Japan built .38-55 in 94 rifles. You can find them floating around Gunbroker, usually going for north of 1 grand to about 1300. Also Cimarron importer has a bunch of great Uberti 94 repros in the same chambering, cost less but arguably aren't going to have the same fit, finish, function as Japan stuff.
Pro tip No 1, if you can't get 55 grains or more into your 38-55, use a 24" drop tube. It'll fit. Pro tip No 2, if you don't have room for the bullet to seat, use a compression plug. This is the proper tool, was used by factories then, should be used by you today. They can be acquired from MidwayUSA (MPS brand), Buffalo Arms Co (their shop makes them) and Track of the Wolf.
There was also a 3856. My father had one that was quite the talk among the fellas at the deer camps back in the 30`s and 40`s. I sure wish he had kept it and handed it down to me!! It was a Win. model 1894 as well. The 3855 was more common than the 3856. In fact I have never seen one in person, only photos or video. If anyone out there has one , let me know about it!
30-30 brass is plenty strong. 38-55 pressures are much lower. Google fire forming 30-30 brass to 38-55, much better than trying to neck up. The end result may be a tad shorter but very usable.
i found some Remington 38-55, F.N. 78, R.A. 90 3, SMI 939,7.65x54, 8mm, and some cariotort DI DA 6.5 partita carcano.(or something like that lol) cartridges in an old cabinet along with a bag of loaded paper shotgun shells of various gauges and manufacture . not sure if they are desirable or who would want them. feel free to message me if interested. i'm going to leave them right where i found them. so even if it's years from now they should be there.
Most of these cartridges you list, I can't decipher. I'm not familiar with a 7.65x54 anything. There is a 7.62x54mm rimmed (for Mosin Nagant), and a 7.65x53 (for Belgian and Argentinian Mausers). 8mm could be a any 8mm round, and there are a few. The FN and RA don't sound like cartridge names. 9x39 is a Soviet/Russian subsonic round
Larry, is it safe to shoot Cowboy 38-55 loads in a model 1893 that was manufactured in 1893? Barrel does not say smokeless. I read today that the first year or two for the model were designed for black powder. Thank you
It should be. There is a modern, more powerful version of this cartridge, with a new name, specifically to avoid loading highers pressure loads in weaker actions.
theres a winchester model 1894 in my local sporting goods store in .38-55 that was made in 1905. what would be the approximate value of this gun? there are lots of scratches and small gouges/dings in the receiver/barrel and the stock is in terrible condition-all the finish in gone and there are many deep gouges in the wood, which looks like someone dumped a bunch of oil on it-it is REALLY dark brown.it reminds me of the bottom of a piece of water-logged wood thats been in a swamp for 60 yrs. Thx
More misinformation about the .38-55. It was not named in accordance with the old convention of caliber of bullet, grains of powder. The .38-55 was loaded with a 255 grain bullet and 48 grains of black powder. The 55 in the name came from the 255 grain bullet.
These cartridge hall of fame videos are just too doggone short, and that's the way it is!
I just learned of this caliber while browsing lever action rifles at my fav gun store website.
I love the History from this series of vids. Thanks for doing them.
He has spoken. Love your videos.
A great round for the Winchester 1885 "trapper". Winchester factory ammo is quite tame - 1,350fps/950lbs. But, it can be loaded up to almost 2,000fps with similar energy!
IskMackinac - I quote from the 1898 Winchester Catalog, page 41: .38-55 Winchester, Bullet, 255 grains lead, Powder - 48 grains (black powder). If you wanted a smokeless powder load, it was 19 grains of smokeless powder behind a 255 grain full metal patched or softpoint bullet.
Don't forget that Savage also chambered their 1899 rifles in .38-55 as well, my favorite being an octagon barreled 1899B. I've had a couple of Winchester 1894's and the .38-55 to me is better in the rifle than the .30-30, although in the carbine, the .30-30 is great.
i own a 3855 legendary 94 model win, built 1979 ,reload with smaller 200 gr sierra projectile with 36 gr of adi smokeless powder , kicks ass ! the 255 gr projectile is a lot safer in the bush as it falls pretty quick after 300 yards or so , so not as likely to hit somethin out of sight that you didnt know was there like cattle or farm houses or persons.,great pig gun and a lot of fun
robby6150 wonder how much that gun cost to buy nowadays
@@ellismidkiff6117 Winchester made a rash of new Miroku Japan built .38-55 in 94 rifles. You can find them floating around Gunbroker, usually going for north of 1 grand to about 1300. Also Cimarron importer has a bunch of great Uberti 94 repros in the same chambering, cost less but arguably aren't going to have the same fit, finish, function as Japan stuff.
Awesome history, i cant wait to see more!
Why don't they make more of these cartridge hall of fame videos? I know for a fact there are more than 15 noteworthy calibers out there...
The .38-55 is a great round. Compared to the .30-30, it's older, has more power, and has more range. In fact, I think it's the .30-30's parent case.
Yes it is, as .30 WCF is necked down .38-55. Safe to say the .30-30 dates back to it's 1884 parent before the .30-30 ever came to be.
1:12 make that lead bullet loads and not led loads.
the yellow rose of texas made this video even better
Pro tip No 1, if you can't get 55 grains or more into your 38-55, use a 24" drop tube. It'll fit.
Pro tip No 2, if you don't have room for the bullet to seat, use a compression plug.
This is the proper tool, was used by factories then, should be used by you today. They can be acquired from MidwayUSA (MPS brand), Buffalo Arms Co (their shop makes them) and Track of the Wolf.
There was also a 3856. My father had one that was quite the talk among the fellas at the deer camps back in the 30`s and 40`s. I sure wish he had kept it and handed it down to me!! It was a Win. model 1894 as well. The 3855 was more common than the 3856. In fact I have never seen one in person, only photos or video. If anyone out there has one , let me know about it!
The 38 56 round was never chambered in the model 94. It was chambered in the model 1886 winchester, and is on a necked down 45 70 case.
I am canadian and I have a Winchester 38-56 W C F modele 1886 and it is four sale
Interesting looking round. Can I neck up 30-30 cases , in case I ever find a rifle in this caliber ?
Old comment but I wouldn’t recommend it. Would require a couple forming steps to get back straight and the necks will be extremely thin and fragile.
30-30 brass is plenty strong. 38-55 pressures are much lower. Google fire forming 30-30 brass to 38-55, much better than trying to neck up. The end result may be a tad shorter but very usable.
Would recommend annealing the .30-30 neck before doing the reforming.
And that's the way it is.
i found some Remington 38-55, F.N. 78, R.A. 90 3, SMI 939,7.65x54, 8mm, and some cariotort DI DA 6.5 partita carcano.(or something like that lol) cartridges in an old cabinet along with a bag of loaded paper shotgun shells of various gauges and manufacture . not sure if they are desirable or who would want them. feel free to message me if interested. i'm going to leave them right where i found them. so even if it's years from now they should be there.
6.5 Carcano is the round that allegedly killed JFK.
Most of these cartridges you list, I can't decipher. I'm not familiar with a 7.65x54 anything. There is a 7.62x54mm rimmed (for Mosin Nagant), and a 7.65x53 (for Belgian and Argentinian Mausers). 8mm could be a any 8mm round, and there are a few. The FN and RA don't sound like cartridge names. 9x39 is a Soviet/Russian subsonic round
Also of note, this is the parent case for the 30-30 Winchester
Larry, is it safe to shoot Cowboy 38-55 loads in a model 1893 that was manufactured in 1893? Barrel does not say smokeless. I read today that the first year or two for the model were designed for black powder. Thank you
It should be. There is a modern, more powerful version of this cartridge, with a new name, specifically to avoid loading highers pressure loads in weaker actions.
theres a winchester model 1894 in my local sporting goods store in .38-55 that was made in 1905. what would be the approximate value of this gun? there are lots of scratches and small gouges/dings in the receiver/barrel and the stock is in terrible condition-all the finish in gone and there are many deep gouges in the wood, which looks like someone dumped a bunch of oil on it-it is REALLY dark brown.it reminds me of the bottom of a piece of water-logged wood thats been in a swamp for 60 yrs. Thx
What’s it worth to you? I have a first year 1894. I didn’t realize the later models still were chambered in 38-55
The .308, 10mm, and .338 Lapua Mag. certainly belong here, too!
I have a Winchester 38-56 WCF modele 1886 please cood I have some info on it
How much is a box of 38 55
About a $100 a box of 20. Buffalo Bore was making them
I found two 20 round cases of original 38-55 ammo and the cases are nickel plated are they worth anything?
John Doe definitely
I got a 38/55 1908
I have an 1881 marlin 38-55
I just found some of these bullets in my basement
so did I
@@cordellpeters9617 What were you doing in his basement?
@@jic1 Checking to see if he was lying.
If you can’t force 55 grains in your 38-55… use less. A tip from a pro reloader. 👍🏻
👍
J,ai 5 boites de balles de 3855 de 255 grain
Memerlukan lebih ramai orang jadi sebarkan video ini lebih banyak
More misinformation about the .38-55. It was not named in accordance with the old convention of caliber of bullet, grains of powder. The .38-55 was loaded with a 255 grain bullet and 48 grains of black powder. The 55 in the name came from the 255 grain bullet.
No, the 55 was how many grains of BP went into the case.
😀👍🏼😊👍🏼💨💨🔫😎
🙂☕👍
And that's the way it is.
👍🏻