Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting .38-55 / .375 Win lever action bullet advice?

Hi -

I just picked up a used Win 94 "big bore" in .375 Win. Couple questions:

1) At the moment, I'm on backorder for .375 Win brass. I'm currently shortening a bunch of WW .38-55 cases to .375 Win length to use with mild cast bullet loads. Seem reasonable?

2) I'm after a good cast bullet design, probably around 250 grains, for lever action use. What do you recommend? Who makes it and what weight?

I'm especially asking about #2 there because for a while I had a Marlin 336 cowboy in .38-55 and tried to use RCBS' mold. It was a real booger. I couldn't get a decent bullet to drop from that one and when I sorted through enough to get a few (in other words, my discard rate was outrageous compared to other RCBS molds I've used) worth the effort of sizing, lubing, and loading, they wouldn't feed because there was so much "cheek" to the bullet that it wouldn't line up and slip into the chamber smoothly, I had to half-chamber a round, then slip the action a little more open so it'd un-bind, then close the lever.

I don't want to go through that again.

Tom

I am useing and have had good luck with the Lee mold for the 38-55. It drops bullets just a tick over .379 which may be to large to size for the 375 without distorting the bullet assuming the bore is .375. The aluminum molds work well for me but they do require a little more care in handeling to prevent damaging them.
I don't see anything wrong with the shortened 38-55's for lighter loads in the 375. I use fire formed 30-30 cases in one 38-55 for reasons to lengthy to discuss here, and they work fine with cast bullets. I shoot these Lee bullets in a Marlin Cowboy no feeding problems.

Shortened 38/55 brass will work, but fireformed 30/30's should be a lot less $,and have done fine work here for along time in various 375 W's..............Idabull

Hey Tom, I just sent you a PM regarding a gent that has some new bagged 375 brass for sale.

Thanks all! Been off a couple days. Anyways, I had a bag o' .38-55 and nothing to shoot it in, so nothing to lose by trimming. They're ready to go. Probably won't get around to shootin' for a couple months now as hunting seasons start to pick up and I think I'm a ML-shooter this deer season.