What Does Brass and Hen's Teeth Have in Common?

[ColColt]

Both seem as allusive as the other. This is getting old. I tried to locate some 38-55 brass at no less than eight different places. One website showed it and not back ordered or out of stock but I decided to call to be sure and of course, they had none and were waiting on the factory(s) to send more. Odd, you can find brass for the 32-20 but not the 32-40 I noticed. I don't know what the deal is there. Rocky Mountain Cartridge has brass, or so they show it, but at an elevated price. 44-77 brass for $68/20 cases. Maybe they have gold rims.

[earlmck]

If you need that 38/55 bad enough, I have made satisfactory ones out of 30/30 brass. Expanding the neck to size with a series of neck expanders always gives me uneven necks that have to be shortened more than I like, so I go ahead and shoot a blank load. I didn't write down my load by I think it was something like 14 grains of green dot held in by a little wad of paper towel. I use green dot 'cause I have a keg of the stuff but any fast powder will work.

[ColColt]

Brass in general seems to be elusive. I was going to have a 32-40 built till I tried finding the brass...non existent. I figured Winchester was still making 38-55 but it's proved just about as bad. I have 50 cases and that's it. I'm currently using them in a Legendary Frontiersmen but was going to have a 38-55 built in a single shot like a Sharps or 1885 but if you can't get the brass, that's futile.

[Sixgun]

Colonel,
Brass? I don't have no problems. I have so much brass in so many calibers that neighbors ask me what that glow is, coming from the basement.

For real, brass is out there, but not at a price that many of us are willing to pay. I bet Buffalo Arms has what your looking for and what Earl said, brass for the 38-55 is easily made from 30-30. In fact, I make 219 Zipper, 25-35, 32-40, 32 Spl. and 38-55 from 30-30 brass.------6

[ColColt]

Nope-Can't find it anywhere. Midway, Graf and Sons, Mid South, Widners, BACO, Track of the Wolf, etc. It just ain't out there. All is back ordered, out of stock or temporarily unavailable is what I see. I'm not into stretching, pulling and squeezing brass if at all possible.

[Griff]

.38-55 is the parent cartridge for all of those cartridges Sixgun listed, not to mention of the AI versions of those bottle-necked ones.

The answer lies in front of you, as mentioned in the previous posts: Fire-form 'em. The brass companies are having problems getting raw materials... and keeping up with demand. Winchester last ran .32-40 brass in about 2000 when they had Miroku build some 1885s chambered in .32-40. As soon as those were gobbled up... nada... demand is so low as to be almost non-existent. I think the only previous run may have been in 1981 when they made the John Wayne commemorative mdl 94! Yee-haw!!! I have 200 rounds of that ammo... nickel cases to boot! Not that I have a rifle to shoot it in... about the time I saved up my pennies to buy one of those 1885s, they dried up!

.38-55 is a VERY popular cartridge with the cowboy action crowd. Since their rules for their long range "Buffalo" rifle side matches have a minimum diameter of .375", many shooters use that cartridge! And reload, so new brass gets snapped up!

Frankly, put in an order with Starline (one of the most popular sources with cowboy shooters), and when they have suffricient numbers backordered, they make a run... heck your order could put it over the top! Or not!

[ColColt]

Frankly, put in an order with Starline (one of the most popular sources with cowboy shooters), and when they have suffricient numbers backordered, they make a run... heck your order could put it over the top!

I did that weeks ago along with several other places. Now, the wait begins. You CAS folks, STOP BUYING MY BRASS!!