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Author Topic: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?  (Read 610 times)

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Offline gcrank1

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38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« on: October 22, 2011, 02:15:15 PM »
IIRC, the TM tight neck chamber issue was factory changed sometime in 2007 (?), HX code models, and then good until they were discontinued in '08. I have just acquired an extractor model and wonder if that coincides at all with the chamber change. What have you guys found out there?
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Offline petemi

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2011, 02:47:40 PM »
Your question interests me, and I don't know the answer.  Tim and I both have extractors.  Perhaps he'll be able to shed some light in the subject.

Pete
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2011, 03:46:58 AM »
I would just make a chamber cast and KNOW for certain...  ::) ;)
 
CW
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2011, 05:05:30 AM »
Ive no problem in finding what this one is, just kinda going in the direction of the 'database' of general info this site has accumulated on the variations/changes of models,etc.; these questions come up and the members fill in, next ya know theres a pile of FAQs.
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2011, 05:15:30 AM »
Quote from: gcrank1 on October 23, 2011, 05:05:30 AM
Ive no problem in finding what this one is, just kinda going in the direction of the 'database' of general info this site has accumulated on the variations/changes of models,etc.; these questions come up and the members fill in, next ya know theres a pile of FAQs.

Good thinking, so we can start with yours, cast it and post the prefix along with dimensions...
 
CW
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2011, 05:19:05 AM »
2007 was the last year of 38-55 production, mine will chamber and is accurate with .380" soft cast in Starline long brass, won't chamber .381". I ultimately just rented a .400" neck reamer from 4D to ream a member's 38-55, did both of mine at the same time.   8)

Tim
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2011, 05:54:14 AM »
If I understand correctly, you reamed the '07 too so you could use .381s in all, but if you would have been satisfied with the .380s it would have been OK; wereas the pre-07s it seems .379 is about it (at least in the two pre-07 ejector models Ive had).
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #7 on: October 23, 2011, 06:31:55 AM »
Both of mine and the one I sold Pete are all extractors, my first was a 2007 complete rifle I bought new from SW, the other two were new unfired barrels, dunno when they were made. Since I had the reamer in hand, I reamed both of mine so they'll chamber .381" without having to neck turn the brass, haven't shot it yet tho, too many others to play with.  :-[

Tim
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #8 on: October 23, 2011, 06:59:01 AM »
This one is an HX, ser # 339xxx
The bullet is an as cast lead .380-.3805
Cases current mfr WW
A dummy of one of these went .398OD and is a tight no go into the throat. Another at .396OD was just barely able to be chambered but would take some force to get the extractor to get it out. Once fired it popped right out. I think a .395 MAX OD would be about the limit for ease of chambering/extracting. FWIW, keep your bullet/brass combination at that , or less, and you may do well.
If I had any Starline I would give that a go, but sadly, no.
The throating reamer of .400 would solve this for sure, as does neck turning, or using fire-formed 30-30 (shorter) brass, though I was hoping the '07 chamber would take the combination.
Im torn between buying, or making, an outside neck turner, or renting the reamer and do both; I think the cost would be about the same. I am very particular about the bore spud fit when neck reaming to keep as concentric a chamber as possible (the neck/throat is the critical area). Wobbly reamers just make me shudder (and them too).

update: I thinned a WW case neck thickness from .010 to .007/.008, with my .380s it chambers up only 'snuggish' with an OD of .395, and will extract with only a tiny bit of firmness. Fired case pops out nicely. With this combination I dont resize, just decap, recap, charge (full case to bullet base) of Trail Boss, and seat in the bullet with the seater die. It has enough neck tension to not be in danger of falling, or being pulled out and the very slight bell I roll in with a small pair of needlenose pliers if need be (to ease the bullet base in) is flattened to the bullet body only, no real crimp.
So far I dont have a need to try .381s as rifle #1 has been accurate enough for some friendly 'schuetzen' competition, silhouettes or plinkin'/playin' or hunting (and the mould drops these at .380 of WWts and a dash of tin. Thus far rifle #2 is looking to perform as well as #1.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2011, 08:04:45 AM »
Fred at 4D has more than one size throating reamer, pretty sure he has a .398" also, I've throat reamed several barrels by hand besides the 38-55, my 35 Rem and three 45-70s, they all shoot excellent, I did loose some velocity on the 45-70s with 300gr Nosler Partitions using the same H4198 load tho, 2350fps compared to 2425fps before the throating, they all had short throats that wouldn't allow most 350gr and bigger bullets to be seated to 2.55" let alone longer making it a .457 WWG Mag.

Tim
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2011, 12:30:33 PM »
Oh gee, what a surprise........
Did a quick check for SAAMI spec for a 38-55 chamber; .395 is the proper 'neck' dimension.
No wonder that OD works in mine.
Yep, Ive got a penchant for re-inventing the wheel.......
However (Richard, see what youve done to me!)
Since my '04 has a bore that has deeper groove diameters that the bullet that fits the chamber neck it helps to use as large a dia. bullet as possible in the factory chamber. If the alloy is softish, as mine really are, the bump-up effect can spare the base band gas cutting of too small a projectile, which is the bane of accuracy.  This rifle #2 doesnt seem appreciably different in chamber from my rifle #1, the 2004 model. This makes me wonder if the bore/groove dimensions of the barrels are the same )Im sure I have a labeled bore slug 'somewhere' from #1........
Tim, do you have record of the B/G s of those youve messed with?
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #11 on: October 25, 2011, 08:38:54 AM »
Finally found it, my HX barrel slugs .3745" at the lands, and .379" in the groove at the muzzle.

Tim
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2011, 08:54:42 AM »
Thanx, Tim!
I will slug mine and compare asap.
It would be nice to have a 'LOC' (List of Changes) and approx. serial numbers/year production for some of this stuff, but we aint the British War Office!
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 38-55 TM factory chamber change ?
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2011, 12:26:34 PM »
I'd bet H&R doesn't even have those records, as long as it's within SAAMI spec, it's good to go.

Tim
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