Time to cast,

[Kurt]

Well it's been quiet here so I will start something to pass time.

With my broken foot it's a little tough hobbling around and even tough going down the stairs into the mole den to cast or work with the mill, but I been heating the lead pot and got 700 .38 bullets cast for a rifle I don't have yet. These .38-50 DD Hepburn projectiles sure look good and I noticed that I can cast a lot more without having to add more alloy with 100 cast.
I also have several hundred for the .40-65 and .44-77.
Also I have several thousand patches cut for the .38 .40 and .44.
I'm counting on a good season next year.

I think the .38-50 Rem Hepburn will be a fun project upcoming. I have found that getting tooling for this caliber is going to be a doit your self thing. Cant get any of the die makers to make a set. Dave at CH-4-D said it might be 2 years, Lee, RCBS, Hornady and Forrester all gave a thumbs down so it's time I get a reamer made and make my own die set and wad punch as well as a push through bullet sizing die.
But this will have to wait till I get the rifle and make a chamber cast.

Arnie has been a big help fire forming some .30-40 Kraig cases in his chamber blowing the necks out so I can get a rough chamber diameter and I have ordered a chucking reamer and I have a bridge reamer on hand so I can make a push through bullet sizing die and I have a bunch of 1" bar stocker projects.
This will be a fun ride for this old new caliber.

Kurt

[Distant Thunder]

"I'm counting on a good season next year."

I'm with on that, Kurt!

And I am following this .38-55 project closely. This should be very inetresting and informative.

Also good to see you still plan on shooting a few .44-77 at least.

[Gussy]

Kurt, what did you do to your foot?? Must have missed that.

I shot a 38-55 at the Q one year. Turned out it was a wet year. No one could see the misses and no way to adjust.

Since then I had a high wall built with a 12 twist barrel and long chamber. I never have shot it much. Barrel needs to get used and smoothed out. Maybe a winter lapping project.

Shoot it at the Q.... If, it's dry!

[Kurt]

Jim,

The new rifle will be chambered a .38-50 Hepburn. The bullet and case is larger than the .38-55.

The .44-77 will still do my long range as well as my .45-90. This little .38 will shoot the little iron critters as well as midrange. But it better make a showing against the .44-77 at midrange.

[Kurt]

Gussy,

I broke it by not acting my age. I guess when your 81 you shouldn't have a mind frame of 26 but I won't tell you how I did it.

It's a little slow in healing and I have to get some more X-rays in a week now that the swelling is down to see if if needs some tendon surgery.

[J.B.]

Sorry to hear of your injury Kurt. Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery. Plan on catching up at the Q and the Hill next year if the dominoes fall in the right places. Heal up !

J.B.

[Distant Thunder]

Kurt,

Yes, I misspoke,.38-50.

[Hiwall55]

Kurt, would Gail be building your 38-50,
If so it will be the same as mine. You are welcome to come down and borrow anything you need.. I'm playing with a new DDbulletin my 44 Maynard for a few months.

[Don McDowell]

I am closing in fast on having half the bullets cast I'll need for my main gun for Phoenix.
Get those done then I have to figure out which rifle to take for the back up rifle.

[Kurt]

Kurt, would Gail be building your 38-50,
If so it will be the same as mine. You are welcome to come down and borrow anything you need.. I'm playing with a new DDbulletin my 44 Maynard for a few months.

Hi Bill,

Thank you for the offer, I think I will just make a set of dies when I make a chamber cast. Then the work will begin blowing out the brass and trimming it. I found some Winchester .30-40 Krag cases and got 500. I really wanted to use Remington brass but if I want to turn the head at a slant to help chambering the round because there is no camping action of the block if the round is a tight fit.

No Gail is not building this rifle. I have three CPA's and some extra barrels Not that I don't like the Stevens, I just don't have a Hepburn......
Dan Zimmerman DZ arms is building this rifle.