Starline .38-55 long cases

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gunlaker

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Hi,

Does anyone have a source for Starline .38-55 (long) cases? I've ordered a pile from Mystic Precision, but that brass is on back order until Starline gets sufficient demand.

I need a handful of cases to confirm some dimensions for a reamer.

thanks,

Chris.
 
Double Tap Sports, in Ontario, is listing 'em. $149.56 per 250. Whether or not they actually have any is another question. If Starline isn't going to make any until the have a "sufficient backorder", you may have a wait.
905-813-0543 info@doubletapsports.com
 
sunray said:
Double Tap Sports, in Ontario, is listing 'em. $149.56 per 250. Whether or not they actually have any is another question. If Starline isn't going to make any until the have a "sufficient backorder", you may have a wait.
905-813-0543 info@doubletapsports.com
Click to expand...

Thanks, but unfortunately they don't have any.

I imagine that it might be a big wait until Starline doers another run. The good news is that most U.S. suppliers are out of stock too. Hopefully this will cause Starline to make another batch :D

Chris.
 
I have nearly 200 Starline cases and about 300 on backorder. I'm selling the gun so have no use for them. PM me if you are interested.
 
Try Buffalo Arms or Track of the Wolf. They are in the USA, but they shipped to Canada, at least last time I had an order.
 
gunlaker said:
Does anyone have a source for Starline .38-55 (long) cases? I've ordered a pile from Mystic Precision, but that brass is on back order until Starline gets sufficient demand.

I need a handful of cases to confirm some dimensions for a reamer.
Click to expand...

Why not just base it on a 30-30 case blown out? That is what I did for my 38-55 and I am pretty sure recent 38-55 Winchester cases are the same length as 30-30 cases as opposed to cases from 30 or 40 years ago which are a bit longer. Makes virtually no difference in ballistics and is a lot easier in terms of obtaining brass

cheers mooncoon
 
The Starline long cases match the original chamber length of 2.125" rather than the 2.079" long brass that Winchester sells.

.38-55 cases got shortened somewhere along the line. I heard that this happened shortly after the introduction of the .30-30 as a cost saving measure.

My new rifle will have the original length chamber for the extra few grains of 2F I'll be able to fit in there. And with the longer chamber, I'd rather not use brass that's too short, particularly with soft bullets and BP.

Chris.
 
mooncoon said:
Why not just base it on a 30-30 case blown out? That is what I did for my 38-55 and I am pretty sure recent 38-55 Winchester cases are the same length as 30-30 cases as opposed to cases from 30 or 40 years ago which are a bit longer. Makes virtually no difference in ballistics and is a lot easier in terms of obtaining brass

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

Well, I had my heart set on the original length brass, although I was toying with a .38-50 Rem/Hepburn case based on the .303 British. If long brass proves to take too long then I might go that route, or use the shorter .38-55 brass.

In this game of BP shooting I don't mind waiting a while for things to come together. I likely won't recieve the rifle for another couple of months anyway, but if it looks like I'm in for a 6 month wait, then I'll look for alternatives :).

The rifle is a C. Sharps 1885 with a 28" 1:15 twist #4 barrel. They started building it about 2 weeks ago. I'm getting it unchambered so I have a little while to decide on the chamber/reamer.

The intent is to play with both fixed and breach seated ammunition. Primarily BP rather than smokeless.

Some days I feel like a kid in a candy shop :D

Chris.
 
gunlaker said:
.38-55 cases got shortened somewhere along the line. I heard that this happened shortly after the introduction of the .30-30 as a cost saving measure.
Click to expand...

I think it was a lot more recently than that. I have a few original shells from I would guess, the 30s or 40s and they are still long. I think it was probably within the last 20 years because it just did not make sense to make one set of shells slightly longer than all of the others based on the 30-30 case.
I would be surprised in you noticed any difference in trajectory and the most minimal of increase in velocity by going to the longer case. BP cartridge shooting I think is primarily about knowing your sight settings for any given range than about a particularly flat trajectory.

When you make your reamer, take your measurements off of a loaded shell and not from the published dimensions. There is an error of several thou in the base diameter found in most loading manuals

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
I think it was a lot more recently than that. I have a few original shells from I would guess, the 30s or 40s and they are still long. I think it was probably within the last 20 years because it just did not make sense to make one set of shells slightly longer than all of the others based on the 30-30 case.
I would be surprised in you noticed any difference in trajectory and the most minimal of increase in velocity by going to the longer case. BP cartridge shooting I think is primarily about knowing your sight settings for any given range than about a particularly flat trajectory.

When you make your reamer, take your measurements off of a loaded shell and not from the published dimensions. There is an error of several thou in the base diameter found in most loading manuals

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

True enough regarding the trajectory. It's pretty much a rainbow regardless of what you are shooting. A while ago I read of a few Schuetzen guys saying that their (relatively heavy) bullets were sometimes not stable at 200m in 1:15 twist barrels and said they could use all of the powder capacity they could get. Or maybe a lighter bullet :D.

I'll definitely be using loaded rounds to establish the reamer dimensions. One of the reasons I wanted to pick up some brass was to double check some dimensions.

Fortunately one of the CGN members has a supply of brass that they are willing to sell. My lucky day for sure!

thanks,

Chris.
 
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