Shiloh Rifle Forums

I would use the regular Winchester brass if you can get it. The chamber dimensions on the CSA 38-55's are 0.400" at the case mouth. Starline brass is only about 0.0075" thick at the case mouth. That leaves 0.385" after removing the brass thickness. That is a lot of space for a bullet to fill, particularly when using modern barrels with 0.375"-.376" groove diameter.

The Winchester brass is about 0.009" thick which will help.

Chris.

Hi Chris,

Thanks - I think I’m getting an understanding now. Do you shoot greasers or paper patch in your .38-55’s?

Looks like the rate of twist on CSA .38-55 is 1:14. What is the bore and groove diameter?

Ok, I see the groove diameter you posted of .375” - .376”. Do you happen to know what the bore diameter might be?

Don’t know what CSA is using for barrels on their .38-55’s. Looks like in a old post Kirk at Shiloh said they were using Douglas barrels with bore of .367” and groove of .375”

I don't shoot my CSA rifles nearly as much as my Shiloh's. I have 2 of the 38-55's. Mainly short distance playing around in the "off season". I've shot both grease groove & paper patch in them. For paper patch I use a Brooks custom elliptical bullet, breech seated over black powder. And for grease groove bullets I've mostly shot smokeless, either a breech seated BACO Tapered Creedmoor ( a very good breech seating bullet ), or for fixed ammo a Hoch non-tapered bullet.

Chris.

patchbox wrote: ↑Sat May 11, 2024 9:18 pm Thanks Shadow 4,

When you say standard are you referring to a case length of 2.080” or 2.125”? Starline sells both case lengths - I really don’t know which case length to try.

The old standard it seems was a case length of 2.125. The new chambering offered in new rifles seems to be the 2.080”. If I order the 2.125” length I can always trim it. The brass will probably get a bit shorter on the first firing anyway. Figure I can trim it to a size that just fits.

And I read the article on Starline website. So to me it seems like a good choice to go with the longer case and trim as necessary.

I've always just used the 2.080.
I seat everything into the rifling, and adjust it so that an entire grease groove is the first thing "out of the mouth" of the case, so for instance on the girls old 74 38-55, 335 gr Lyman bullet it ended up exposing the first grease groove, works exceptionally well, and I've been shooting Winchester cases since 2007, as much some Karen's wish, they're not inferior case's.

I shoot starling cases as well I've gotten smashed case mouths same as every other brand that packages their brass into a bulk bag.
Haven't ruined a bunch of cases, still using them today in 38-55 & my 74 C Sharps 45-70.

Savannah separates her starline cases once in a while same as when she was shooting my 45-70.

Shadow 4,

Thanks again for your info and reply. Good information. Based on what you said I will place an order for some of the Starline stuff as it is the only .38-55 brass I can find. They are taking back orders. I can’t find any of the Winchester brass - I’ve beat the bushes everywhere- for now not to be found.

You would be smart to with Winchester brass if you can find it. I lose 5-10 cases every match with Starline due to stretching. If a case stretches more than 0.010" I pitch it. If not, it separates about half the time on the next firing. Still working on a solution.

Yeah, I checked high and low on the net for some Winchester cases. Nothing available. I ended up buying some Starline brass. Definitely not my first choice given the bore/groove diameters and chamber dimension described above. Probably should have passed on buying that little CSA Hepburn but I couldn’t resist- it’s such a pretty rifle.

Is your CSA Hepburn engraved? I may know it, if so.
Either way, good luck with it. Am sure it is a nice rifle.

Thanks SSShooter - it’s not engraved. Only markings on it are the CSA logo on top of the receiver and the usual barrel markings. Serial number H-048.