38-55 rechambered to 38-72 anyone?

[rockrat]

Wondering if anyone has rechambered a 38-55 Handi to 38-72.  I have a barrel being fitted to one of my actions and got to thinking(BAD idea).  If people can rechamber the 357 mag to 357 max(thats on the list also), then what other barrels can be rechambered.  Remember reading about it in my Cartridges book and think it would make a pretty nice rechamber job.  Just a 405 necked down to take .375-380" bullets.  Would be  like a 9.3 x 74R but .375 bullets instead of .366 and a bit shorter case.  Anyone played with the 38-72 Win. ?

[quickdtoo]

I don't recollect anyone doing a .38-72, but it would probably be a great way to remedy the oversize bore/undersize neck issue that the .38-55 Target suffers from, and gain some performance advantage in the process. I'd make sure you can get brass for it before you commit, Midway has 5 boxes at $36.49 per 20, Graf has 1 box of 20 @ $30.  A die set will cost over $100.

http://www.ch4d.com/catalog/reload_dies/reload_dies.php?page=&print=&search=38-72

Tim

[cheatermk3]

You can ream all you want it ain't gonna shrink that .376/.378 bore.

If a person is ok with hardcast bullets then I say, "knock yourself out".

[JPH45]

Man this is messy. The 38-55 is by far the best of choices available between the 38-56, 38-70, 38-72. I get confused so bear with me a bit. The 38-56 is the 45-70 necked to 38. The 38-70 is the 45-90 necked to 38, the 38-72 is the 405 Winchester necked to 38 30-40 necked up for practical purposes).

Iam currently shooting the 375 JDJ, a 444 Marlin necked to 375  on an Encore frame. The case capacity is lousy. Too big for any efficient slow loads, and once the case gets filled up it wants to go shoot Cape Buff's and similar stuff. Unless you are shooting Holy Black, Pyrodex or 777
anything bigger than the 38-55 case is going to be problematic with smokless.

Chamber sizes and bore dimension troubles are greatly exaggerated. While a few who actually have 38-55's complain (and this is across the manufactuers board, be it Winchester, Marlin, or NEF) while the majority are happily shooting theirs. I was one of these till the gun gave me one too many mechanical problems, but that hs nothing to do with the gun shooting.

My rifle loads easy (do a searh on threads by JPH45) I expalin it in detail and shoots 11-12 grains of Blue Dot under Lee's 379-250-RF with exellence, adn shoots 25.5 grains of  4198 or 24.5 grains of AA1680, either under Lymans 379449 with equal exellence. I killed two dder with the Lyman bulelt and the 1680 this year. Had it not been for mechanical problems I would stillbe singing the praises of NEF. As it is I'm swithching to TC contenders and Encores. More Money, Better Quality.

The 38-72 was likely designed as a smokless round as the only rifle I'm aware of it being chambered in was the 1895. It may have been offered in the Hiwall, but I'm no expert so reseach at least on my part is needed. The 38-72 willhave less capacity than the 375 JDJ, whihc takes 55 grians volume of Pyrodex. The 38-56 will have better  black capacity and the 38-70 better yet.

I would strongly suggest working with the 38-55 before you decide to rechamber. It is a very pleasant and mild mannered cartridge and responed well to loadings at squib and maximum levels and is most pleasant to shoot at idle or full throttle.

You can always rechamber.

[rockrat]

Thanks for the replys.  I had planned on shooting the 38-55 first, but if I rechamber , then I had planned on just shooting black powder.   Probably only shoot black through the 38-55 also.  The barrel will probably only see cast bullets through it as I will use my jacketed bullets through my Marlin in 38-55 or .375.  Even my Rugsr #1 in 375 H&H only sees cast bullets through it so far.  Will rechamber my 357mag to max and play around with that first, also, going to rechamber a 357max to 356 Win. to get rid of a throat of around .400 as it won't shoot anything I have put through it so far.  Thanks :grin: