A couple years ago while out playing with my metal detector I dug up a 38-56 Peters brass case along the banks of the Columbia river. This has been of great interest for me and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this round. Wikipedia tells me it was available in the Winchester 1886 and Marlin 1895. I imagine they are exceedingly rare given Winchester dropped the cartridge in 1910. Just looking for more information.
38-56 WCF info
- Thread starter Markus
- Start date
38-56 was basically an improved version of 38-55. 38-55 was never loaded with 55 grs of black powder,only 50 grs. 38-56 was loaded with 56 grs of bp. Not enough of a gain in performance for people to notice. Uses the same bullets as 38-55. I have an original Winchester mould that came with the rifle. The round was introduced just before smokeless powder came along which meant it was not out very long. It never really survived because of much better rounds being introduced that had much more to offer.
Rounds such as the 30-30 leaped way ahead of black powder rounds. Why do rounds disappear. Something better comes along.
It was too similar to other rounds available.
Rounds such as the 30-30 leaped way ahead of black powder rounds. Why do rounds disappear. Something better comes along.
It was too similar to other rounds available.
I used to own a Winchester 1886 in .38-56. It was an enjoyable round to shoot, very similar to a .38-55 in a lot of respects ( except that it held more powder). I used 58gr of FFg with a 260gr bullet.
Cases were pretty easy to form from .45-70 brass. If the rifle were in a little better condition I'd still own it.
I don't believe that it was a very popular cartridge, but it was a very enjoyable plinking round, and it would have certainly been enough for hunting deer in the woods.
Chris.
Cases were pretty easy to form from .45-70 brass. If the rifle were in a little better condition I'd still own it.
I don't believe that it was a very popular cartridge, but it was a very enjoyable plinking round, and it would have certainly been enough for hunting deer in the woods.
Chris.
The .38-56 was introduced in 1887 for the Winchester Model 1886 Repeating Rifle.The 1886 rifle in .38-56 was discontinued from the Winchester line in 1911.Although factory loaded ammunition was manufactured for many years there after.
The .38-56 is based on the .45-70 case and reformed .45-70 cases can be made for use in the .38-56 calibre.In the past I had one of these rifles and they use the same 255 grain bullet as the .38-55.Not sure which came first, the .38-56 or the .38-55 The .38-55 was a Ballard cartridge that Winchester chambered in their Model 1894 Repeating Rifle,but not sure when the Ballard version came out..
The .38-56 did make the transition from black powder to smokeless powder and factory smokeless powder cartridges were available for the round.
The .38-56 is based on the .45-70 case and reformed .45-70 cases can be made for use in the .38-56 calibre.In the past I had one of these rifles and they use the same 255 grain bullet as the .38-55.Not sure which came first, the .38-56 or the .38-55 The .38-55 was a Ballard cartridge that Winchester chambered in their Model 1894 Repeating Rifle,but not sure when the Ballard version came out..
The .38-56 did make the transition from black powder to smokeless powder and factory smokeless powder cartridges were available for the round.
.
Many, many years ago, a guy showed up at our hunting camp with a Marlin 38-56 rifle. He had bought it for deer hunting, on the advice of a salesman, and was told it would down any deer if he hit it in the right place. (True)
However, this one had a long barrel and a full length magazine. The guy had loaded the magazine full of rounds, but was complaining about the weight of the rifle and length of the barrel in the Cedar swamps we were hunting in. I told him to only load two rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber as the deer were not going around to wait for him to empty the magazine at them. Then I told him to take it back to the guy he bought it from and either trade it off for a Winchester 94 in 30-30 or sell it. Next year, he showed up with the 30-30, and he got his deer.
Many, many years ago, a guy showed up at our hunting camp with a Marlin 38-56 rifle. He had bought it for deer hunting, on the advice of a salesman, and was told it would down any deer if he hit it in the right place. (True)
However, this one had a long barrel and a full length magazine. The guy had loaded the magazine full of rounds, but was complaining about the weight of the rifle and length of the barrel in the Cedar swamps we were hunting in. I told him to only load two rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber as the deer were not going around to wait for him to empty the magazine at them. Then I told him to take it back to the guy he bought it from and either trade it off for a Winchester 94 in 30-30 or sell it. Next year, he showed up with the 30-30, and he got his deer.
id not heard of this round until tonight, I'm fairly interested in the old Winchester guns an lever cals!
more reading it seems
since it hasn't been mentioned..... I use a .375 win which is the modern 38-55
If your interested in reading about old cartridges you may be interested in Cartridges of The World. It comes out every couple of years. Current, obsolete, military, wildcats and more. Also has some load data on each. Excellent book.
