Winchester 38 special
- Thread starter terrier1
- Start date
Swedish
Well-Known Member
I assume you mean a Winchester Lever Action rifle like the 1873?
If so, then yes plenty of people reload 38 sp. for it (appropriately chambered of course!). They will fit the Winchester even if it is chambered for .357 mag (same cal, longer case) although its probably more common these days to 'download' a .357mag rather than chamber the shorter 38 sp as it is considered that the shorter round fouls the chamber.
If so, then yes plenty of people reload 38 sp. for it (appropriately chambered of course!). They will fit the Winchester even if it is chambered for .357 mag (same cal, longer case) although its probably more common these days to 'download' a .357mag rather than chamber the shorter 38 sp as it is considered that the shorter round fouls the chamber.
8x57
Distinguished Member
Presumably you mean Winchester brand cartridge cases in .38 special. Then the answer is yes thousands reload .38 special cartridges in this country mainly for under lever rifles and long barrelled revolvers. It's a popular calibre for gallery rifle shooting.
While some use Winchester under levers for gallery rifle shooting Marlins are far more popular. Winchesters 1894s in .357 have reliability issues usually with regard to shell lifters and replacement parts are extremely hard to come by so most competitive shooters tend to favours Marlins.
Last edited:
flying felix
Well-Known Member
Yes, I reload 38 HBWC for revolver target shooting, 38 RN for practical revolver and 357.........because I can!
The disappointing thing with genuine Winchester lever action rifles is that they chose the 1894 (because that is all they made at the time in the 1970s and subsequent to them) for the basis of a pistol calibre cartridge rifle rather than the 1892 that was designed from the outset for pistol calibre cartridges. The 1894 was designed for rifle length cartridges as isn't and wasn't the best choice for .357 Magnum or .44 Magnum cartridges.
Regarding reliability issues I spent a memorable three to four hours welding back up and then slowly fitting and adjusting the worn magazine cartridge tube stop on a .44 Magnum made in the 1970s Winchester 1894. Put it together. Does it work. Make a stroke with the file, put it together, and repeat and repeat. A stroke at a time as one stroke too many and you had to start all over again. They were a PITA to work on if parts had worn for, as 8x57 rightly says, by the late 2000s spares were non-existent and one had to repair and mend.
Regarding reliability issues I spent a memorable three to four hours welding back up and then slowly fitting and adjusting the worn magazine cartridge tube stop on a .44 Magnum made in the 1970s Winchester 1894. Put it together. Does it work. Make a stroke with the file, put it together, and repeat and repeat. A stroke at a time as one stroke too many and you had to start all over again. They were a PITA to work on if parts had worn for, as 8x57 rightly says, by the late 2000s spares were non-existent and one had to repair and mend.
Last edited:
kimh
Well-Known Member
flying felix
Well-Known Member
That's the reason I moved from Winchester to Marlin. For almost a year I was desperately trying to source the rear sight wedge, because it was missing. When I finally found someone who had them, they refused to post it from the USA.
I have Winchester 94 Ae Legacy in .357. It's a delightful little rifle to shoot with open sights, but yes, I have had reliability issues. I have had a problem with ejectors and yes they are getting hard to find. Just this weekend, when fitting another ejector I found the lifter has a crack. As no spares are readily available it was a case of building it up with a blob of weld and trimming it back - all back together and working now.
Similar threads
