OK, What happened to the 38/55 brass

[Swamp Yankee]

Ok, what did happen to the 38/55 brass. Brenn had talked about resizing 30/30 and the shortage so now I'm on the hunt for some for myself and have gone to Midway [ who has always had it] Mid South Cabelas and Graffs. All of of a sudden it has disapeared.........not a good thing........Does anyone have any other sorces for the brass?
      Thanks...Jim

[PaulS]

Can you resize the Winchester 375 to use as 38-55? It has a thicker neck so you might have to turn them to chamber with a bullet in it. It is also just a little short but that never stopped anyone. - It just looks like it might work without doing too much work.
Just fire-forming a 30-30 will give you the right dimensions -except for length - it will be shorter than the 375 Winchester.

[BRENN]

paulwat do you mean fireform 30-30 in 38/55? i dont see how that would work.i would't wont to send a 30 cal. bullet down a 375 barrel.

[Reed1911]

Bren,

There are two ways to go about it, well three actually (i'm going to see if our dist. has it in stock, cost will be 42.51 per 100). Both the .375 and .30-30 are very close in size to the 38-55, in order to form them the .375W would need to be necked down to the proper size and possibly neck turned if the necks are too thick to chamber when loaded; The .30-30 cases would need to be necked up (run them into the 38-55 die with a bit of lube on both the exterior of the case and the interior of the neck) bullet seated and fireformed. You don't use regular .30-30 loaded ammo to FF a larger case.

[Sir Charles deMoutonBlack]

See Stan Waters' PET LOADS.  To "fireform" .30-30 to .38-55, do it like this;
1.  pick up lots of abandoned .30-30 cases at your range and clean em up.  Sizing is not required if they fit your chamber.  I'd sort them to get a uniform lot of cases.
2.  prime them
3.  15 grains of BULLSEYE
4.  Cram as much paper towel into the case, on top of the powder, as you can
5.  Go to your range, so the neighbours won't get upset
6.  Load & fire into the air, so the crumpled paper don't hurt anythin'

If you just use an expanding plug, the end result is shorter than you'd like.  Works for .32 Spl & .32 Wcf as well.

I suggested .375 Win cases on another board.  Got spanked, cause there is a danger of someone mixing them up. 
1.  .375 chambers are shorter, and real .38-55 cases won't fit
2.  .375 Win runs at a vastly higher pressure range, and the rounds look alike.  If a real .375 Win gets in a .38-55; - LOOK OUT!

[PaulS]

See Stan Waters' PET LOADS.  To "fireform" .30-30 to .38-55, do it like this;
1.  pick up lots of abandoned .30-30 cases at your range and clean em up.  Sizing is not required if they fit your chamber.  I'd sort them to get a uniform lot of cases.
2.  prime them
3.  15 grains of BULLSEYE
4.  Cram as much paper towel into the case, on top of the powder, as you can
5.  Go to your range, so the neighbours won't get upset
6.  Load & fire into the air, so the crumpled paper don't hurt anythin'

If you just use an expanding plug, the end result is shorter than you'd like.  Works for .32 Spl & .32 Wcf as well.

I suggested .375 Win cases on another board.  Got spanked, cause there is a danger of someone mixing them up. 
1.  .375 chambers are shorter, and real .38-55 cases won't fit
2.  .375 Win runs at a vastly higher pressure range, and the rounds look alike.  If a real .375 Win gets in a .38-55; - LOOK OUT!

First I will say that it would hurt nothing to launch .30 caliber bullets down the barrel of a 375 caliber gun.
That said you can just as easily fireform with a charge of fast burning powder and a wad. be careful because the wad will come out burning.
If you use .375 winchester brass it will be fine because the 375 case will not chamber in your chamber unless it is very worn - they are too large in diameter at the neck to chamber in a 38-55. That is why you will have to turn the neck down to use them in your gun. If someone had a 38-55 chamber worn enough to actually chamber a .375 Winchester  and did fire a 375 in a 38-55 the most likely result would be a ruined gun and injury to the shooter and anyone standing close. If a 375 had a deep chamber and someone fired a 38-55 through itthe result would be a case that is deformed but still sizable - unless it split; then it would be a bunch of escaping gas that could cause injury to the shooter depending on the gas handling ability of the individual gun.
PaulS

[bub524]

Well.....I have a NEF BC 38-55 and all I shoot is loads made with 375 Win brass. They work fine. I don't have a 375 so I don't worry about getting them mixed up. Grease them up and resize them in an old C&H 38-55 resizing die. WAY easier then fie forming!