Winchester 1894 question

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Hush07

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Can I use modern factory ammo in an 1894 built in 1902? I know this is not an antique, but I thought it best to ask the question here. Maybe better for the gun to reload with cast and light loads? It's a 38-55.
 
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A 1902 manufacture 1894 is perfectly safe with factory ammo. The big issue with the older 1894's is the softer steel in the barrels. not made for shooting jacketed bullets but not going to blow up in your face either. Will wear out faster though compared to Winchester nickel steel barrels.
 
I can't wait to reload for it. The 38-55 has always been my favourite cartridge. I hope I can find a bullet mould out there, the way things are. The dies are probably easier to get. I have my great grandfather's 38-55 carbine. He bought it from a chap who had just won it in a raffle, so the story goes. I got it out the other day and searched the serial #; it was made in 1921 I believe. A piece of my family history coming together that day. Also have his initialed belt, I was fortunate to get them before the farmhouse burnt.
 
Hush07: Lee Precision may have a bullet mould that suits your needs: 379-250RF. SKU: 90324. Before ordering a bullet mould though, slug the bore first. As for custom moulds, I`ve had good results with Accurate moulds.
Reloading dies should not be a problem to source. Lee: SKU# 90762 is one option. There are others: RCBS, Hornady, Lyman, etc.

Al
 
Current WW ammo will just about put you to sleep...seriously milquetoast IMO.
I run the oversize bullets that drop out of the 379/250 mold. But I'm shooting a nicely Patina'd '94 carbine of the same era as well... but my bore is like a sewer pipe.
Hence the oversize bullets.
 
I slugged the bore as per Alex McKr's advice. I used a lead bullet pulled from an old 38-56 cartridge, then squeezed in a vice to get it to .385". A little slow tapping it through the bore but once started it went the rest of the way with a long dowel. I lubed the bore first, it has a shiny bore by the way. It measures .380" with my dial vernier. The measurement between the grooves is .373"-.374". Is the Lee 379/250 bullet going to work for me, or should I look for a larger size?
 
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Hush07: From my own experience, bullets cast from wheel weight lead or other harder alloy, generally drop from Lee molds about 1-2 thou. oversize (.002" seems the norm). Have no direct experience with the 379-250 mold. But have observed the same with other bullets I've cast.

So... you can expect that bullets from the 379-250 mold should drop around .380-.381". In which case, you can likely lube and load them as cast, without sizing. Depending of course, if your rifle's chamber throat will accept that bullet diameter. It should, but bears mentioning.

If a custom mold seems a better option, I've had good experience with Accurate molds. These can be cut to any band diameter you choose. So offer plenty of latitude. Other mold makers out there too. This being only one of several.

Since Lee molds are inexpensive, I'd be tempted to take that route first, though.


Al
 
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