saddlesore,
Mike Venturino has spoke about these issues with the 38-55 (I'm assuming its an 1894)?
If they chamber easy, they'll probably be safe, especially with your sedate loads. Another benefit is since it appears you are on the verge of easy chambering AND the bullet not slipping back into the fired brass (assuming it's not a ding from ejection), I'd tell you to slightly bell the case and seat the bullet again. If there's plenty of tension, not enough to push in the bullet deeper by hand, DO NOT re-size the case. Just bell, seat and crimp for your levergun. Hopefully the crimp on your seater die isn't scraping the front driving band.
Another question, the bullets that worked well measured .379 and were powder coated, correct? What diameter do they measure with your calipers or 1 inch mic (better)?
le variables.
I would try the same no size and chambering test with your .381 bullets; its pretty uncommon for a fixed chamber gun to have a smaller throat than groove diameter, unlike revolvers, where a soft alloy can help. So long as they chamber without forcing things or compromising function, the fatter the better, the harder the better. The fact .381 bullets are available are testimony to the common large bores (and probably throats) of some 38-55's.
Thanks for the help.
Yes, 1894.
I have measured several of the.379 bullets with powder coating with a 4 place micrometer.They all are right at .379. The bullets I have coming are .3795 out of the mold and adding powder coating should bring them up to .381 according to the vendor.
At present, I don't have any Starline brass not sized, but today, I am going to check the neck thickness on those as compared to Winchester and Remington.Starline is suppose to be thinner. Then will try your recommendation of of slightly bell and checking fit and then not sizing and loading.
Nasty storm coming in with single digit temps tonight so it might be a bit before I get the the range gain.
Update.
I tried the bell without sizing and they still won't push in.However, if I run them thru the .377expander without sizing they will push in. Bullets almost drop in. Expander plug only goes about 1/2 way to the final seating of the bullet, but the bullet will drop all the way to the primer hole
Measuring Starline vs Rem or Win, I found no discernible difference in neck wall thickness. Maybe. .0005 ,which is about as close as I can measure with my tools.
I sized and loaded some the. .379 bullets with the .377 diameter expanded plug I made and if I am careful and rotate cases as I work them, I get very little bulge of to one side. After loading, I checked the fit and they all drop flush to the rim into the chamber, with no pushing.
I think I do need to re-make the expander plug as long as the seated portion of the bullet. I will wait until the .381bullets come in as I will need to make the diameter .379.
