1886 Win. .38-56 question

[cat1870]

I have a Win. 1886 in .38-56 which I am loading with smokeless powder & cast bullets. The groove Dia. was slugged at .376(this is a new barrel). I am using Remington .45-70 brass run thru the RCBS .38-56 sizing die & trimmed to length. Has anyone any data/experience which they are willing to share?

So far I've used Accurate 5744, a little of IMR3031 & IMR4198 powders. CCI200 primers & Lyman 375449GC, 375296GC, LBT 377260, Saeco's #373 262 grain & Magma's 3855-232 moulds.
Bullets are cast of straight wheelweights.
Thanks....

Gary

[Gun Smith]

This works for me. Nice and easy on the arm. Easy on the gun.

30gr. 3031, 240gr RNFPGC, Win.LR. Ave. 1405fps.

[sureshot]

I use 3031 in my 38-56 1886 also. 29gr IMR 3031 with a Lyman 375248 258gr bullet lubed with SPG. Works good for Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette.
Steve

[Mike D.]

I have two .38-56s, one that slugs .3795 and another that is only .377. I shoot hard cast at .381 in the larger bored gun and mostly jacketed in the later, nickel steel barreled one. For the HC loads I shoot 40 grains of IMR 4895, reformed Starline .45-70 brass, and any LR primer that is handy, but usually CCI 200s or WWs. This load is a good one for hunting and will drive a HC completely through a 200lb pig. The MV averages 1720 and is not hard on the older guns.

[cat1870]

I'm trying IMR3031 with the Lyman 375449GC but am seeing erratic velocity with 29 grains. I will keep increasing an see if things level out.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I'm no expert, but I recently did some chronographing on some handloads and had too much extreme spread as well. My cases were formed from 50-110 basic brass and it turned out that my necks were too thick after the forming. They would chamber relatively easily but when I measured the loaded rounds, they were right at the limit. I disassembled the remaining loads and turned 0.0015" all around (0.003" total diameter reduction) from the necks. I reloaded and my extreme spread narrowed substantially.

May not be your issue, just thought I'd throw that out there.

[6pt-sika]

I've been loading my old Marlin 1895 38-56 with the Lyman 375449GC bullet cast from WW's and loaded with XMP5744 (20 grains) and primed with a CCI200 . I also use "Quality Cartridge" brass that is headstamped 38-56 .

Used the load to kill a nice fat whitetail doe back in 2006 !