marlin 1894 38-55 question
- Thread starter GGUTHRIE
- Start date
Whats strange about this is the 38-55 was a ballard design in 1884,but the 1894 Win was first introduced in 38-55.
But Winchester only says it was introduced in 38-55 it doesn't say Ballard or Win. Of course the barrel says it all Black Powder only,I would sure write Winchester a letter with ser# and all right now(cause they went tits up)and find out about this fine rifle you have.
It may have been made for 38-55Win(I have bought some to fire out of my .375Win to fire-form the brass)it shot like colibra 22 way under powered and hit in the dirt at 100 yards!
Winchester will tell you what the round should be.
Bob
But Winchester only says it was introduced in 38-55 it doesn't say Ballard or Win. Of course the barrel says it all Black Powder only,I would sure write Winchester a letter with ser# and all right now(cause they went tits up)and find out about this fine rifle you have.
It may have been made for 38-55Win(I have bought some to fire out of my .375Win to fire-form the brass)it shot like colibra 22 way under powered and hit in the dirt at 100 yards!
Winchester will tell you what the round should be.
Bob
bobbyjack said:
Beware the 38-55 brass is thinner in the web than 375 brass. Full power 375 loads could cause trouble.
GGuthrie
I used to have a 38-55 T/D Marlin & fired lots of factory powered loads thru it. Keep them in the 12-1400fps range with 220 Horns & you should be good to go. Chances are the barrel is slightly larger than .375 anyway which will also lighten the pressure.
Some of the early .38/55s had bores of .380" or more and require a cast bullet sized to .380 or so for best accuracy, M.T. Chambers produces 3 bullets for the .38/55 in sizes to .380". My testing of .38/55s showed very poor accuracy, keyholing, leading, etc. when using bullets of .376, .377 in the larger(.380) bore.
I'm sure I can remember reading an article about the '93s, which said that they were made for a time in their early production with two different grades of barrel steel, one safe for higher smokeless pressures, and the other made to handle the lower blackpowder pressures, and so marked.
Bear in mind that the 30-30 had just been introduced by Winchester as the first smokeless, high pressure (for those days) cartridge load and the 38-55 was also headed towards a smokeless loading, but most shooting/loading was still done with black-powder.
Marlin marketed their 38-55 rifles in two versions/prices to appeal to both the smokeless shooters, and the black-powder guys who also saved a couple of bucks by buying the slightly cheaper to produce rifle.
If your rifle was mine, I would shoot it with black-powder loads and lead bullets, bearing in mind it's age, and not risk it with modern factory loads which it wasn't intended for.
Due to it's far superior design (who's biased? - not me!) it's considerably easier to field strip for cleaning after using black than a '94 Winchester.
Regards, DaveF.
Bear in mind that the 30-30 had just been introduced by Winchester as the first smokeless, high pressure (for those days) cartridge load and the 38-55 was also headed towards a smokeless loading, but most shooting/loading was still done with black-powder.
Marlin marketed their 38-55 rifles in two versions/prices to appeal to both the smokeless shooters, and the black-powder guys who also saved a couple of bucks by buying the slightly cheaper to produce rifle.
If your rifle was mine, I would shoot it with black-powder loads and lead bullets, bearing in mind it's age, and not risk it with modern factory loads which it wasn't intended for.
Due to it's far superior design (who's biased? - not me!) it's considerably easier to field strip for cleaning after using black than a '94 Winchester.
Regards, DaveF.
I must be reading things wrong cause somehow I thought the 38-55 came out first ,and someone wildcatted it necked it down to thirty cal and the 30/30 was born! I read that the first Mod 94 was chambered in 38-55!
Then Winchester brought out the New Wild-cat 30/30 due to popular demand!
Course I read too much and know little!
Bob
Then Winchester brought out the New Wild-cat 30/30 due to popular demand!
Course I read too much and know little!
Bob
As far as I know the "for blackpowder only" and "smokeless powder" stamping on Marlin model 1893 rifles was a function of when they were made period. Some time just after the turn of the century they began stamping for "smokeless powder" and did begin using an improved steel.
Having said that blackpowder loads can certainly be replicated with smokeless powder, but clearly you have to be very carefull. I do this just for kicks with a modern Marlin in .375 Winchester. With 265gr .375 cast bullets and IMR 3031 I get excellent accuracey around 1500 ft/s.
With your rifle Guthrie I would not shoot modern factory 38-55 ammo. I would reload only at blackpowder pressure levels. As others have said, your bore will be .377? .378? or more, once you find out which it is and stick with cast bullets in the correct bore your rifle will likely shoot very well.
an excellent resourse- http://www.marlin-collectors.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=5
Having said that blackpowder loads can certainly be replicated with smokeless powder, but clearly you have to be very carefull. I do this just for kicks with a modern Marlin in .375 Winchester. With 265gr .375 cast bullets and IMR 3031 I get excellent accuracey around 1500 ft/s.
With your rifle Guthrie I would not shoot modern factory 38-55 ammo. I would reload only at blackpowder pressure levels. As others have said, your bore will be .377? .378? or more, once you find out which it is and stick with cast bullets in the correct bore your rifle will likely shoot very well.
an excellent resourse- http://www.marlin-collectors.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=5
senior said:I really doubt new factory 38-55s will damage any rifle!
They probably send 255s out at about 1300fps.
I doubt it as well senior but I wouldn't try it unless I knew the modern loads were loaded to original black powder pressures
Salty said:I doubt it as well senior but I wouldn't try it unless I knew the modern loads were loaded to original black powder pressures
The Marlin is a much stronger firearm than many Single Shots & even the 1894 Win, so if you can fire those factory rounds in them the marlin will be good to go! I put a lot of factorys thru a 38/55 Marlin T/D I once had
& shoulda kept! with no detremental results.
- Location
- Yellowknife, NWT
Everything I've ever read indicated that the problem with modern loads in blackpowder guns is the accelerated wear on the bore caused by jacketed bullets. If that were my rifle, I'd either reload with cast bullets or use factory ammo and shoot it only occasionally.
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
I size to .378 (250 gr slug) for the 38-55 , works great, do want to try some BP, was thinking 3F or Pyrodex for Rifles. Any loads folks?
Lots of conflicking opinions here eh?...the answer is YES you can shoot "Winchester" factory ammo out of these rifle as they are low pressure with a vel. around 1100+ fps...Winchester claims slightly higher vel.......
But first I would take that Marlin 93 (if that's what it is,as statd above the Marlin94 is for shorter cart.) to a gunsmith and have him check it out....
Then you may want to go to www.leverguns.com and pose your questions in particular PM marlinman93
Winchester did chamber the 38-55 in their 94 before they chambered the 94 in 30-30....
Factory loads are slow and expensive.....If you reload you will most likey end up using cast bullets.....but that is another whole new can of worms.......
good luck.....
But first I would take that Marlin 93 (if that's what it is,as statd above the Marlin94 is for shorter cart.) to a gunsmith and have him check it out....
Then you may want to go to www.leverguns.com and pose your questions in particular PM marlinman93
Winchester did chamber the 38-55 in their 94 before they chambered the 94 in 30-30....
Factory loads are slow and expensive.....If you reload you will most likey end up using cast bullets.....but that is another whole new can of worms.......
good luck.....
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Like posted I shot some 38-55 250 grain through my mod 94BB in .375Win,and I felt I was shooting Colibra out a .22!
There was no acuracy and no kick. Paco Kelly says you could use it in a pinch(I say yes if what you are shooting is 50 feet or less)!
Bob
There was no acuracy and no kick. Paco Kelly says you could use it in a pinch(I say yes if what you are shooting is 50 feet or less)!
Bob
The Winchester 38-55 velocity is low at about 1250 fps, this is for the older barrels that chambers these rounds. I don't think that Winchesters' lawyers' would be too happy if our beloved barrels started blowing up from the use of their cartridges.
I have a 1st year 1894 Winchester in 38-55, when I shoot smokeless I use 16grains of 5744 under a 245 grain cast(Bullet Barn). A buddy, that shoots black powder, told me that the AA 5744 has a similar pressure curve to black powder. He practices with the stuff between his black powder cartridge competitions.
My barrel slugs out at .381, and enjoys the odd Hornady .375 run through it.KD
I have a 1st year 1894 Winchester in 38-55, when I shoot smokeless I use 16grains of 5744 under a 245 grain cast(Bullet Barn). A buddy, that shoots black powder, told me that the AA 5744 has a similar pressure curve to black powder. He practices with the stuff between his black powder cartridge competitions.
My barrel slugs out at .381, and enjoys the odd Hornady .375 run through it.KD
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Thats a pretty rifle! And even with BP that rifle will still put down any thing that walks in front of it! Course you will have to shout out real loud(MAGNUM)just before you pull the trigger so the critters will know the 250 grain bullet is PC!
Bob
Bob
