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What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? (Read 250 times)

Win225 Participating Member Offline Posts: 11 Location: Woodacre, 94973 Joined: Dec 19^th, 2023	What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Nov 23^rd, 2025 at 9:59pm	Print Post
	Remington-Hepburn, Ballard, Winchester etal? Thanks, Win225


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Online Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #1 - yesterday at 11:51am	Print Post
	The .38-50 Ballard is ever so slightly smaller than the .38-55 in every dimension. A 2" length and both base diameter and rim diameter were a few thousandths less than the later .38-55 Ballard. The .38-50 Remington Hepburn is almost a 1/4" longer than the Ballard, with a much larger base and rim similar in size to a .30-40 Krag. As for a Winchester .38-50, I didn't even know such a cartridge existed?

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Win225 Participating Member Offline Posts: 11 Location: Woodacre, 94973 Joined: Dec 19^th, 2023	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #2 - yesterday at 2:34pm	Print Post
	Thanks for the response. My mistake on 38-50 Winchester cartridges; I was trying to cover the field. So it looks possible to make 38-50 Remington Hepburn brass from 30-40 Krag brass? And is it possible to make 38-50 Ballard brass from 38-55 Ballard brass?


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Online Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #3 - yesterday at 2:57pm	Print Post
	All the few .38-50 Ballard rifles I've seen or owned accepted .38-55 cases with just a slight trim of the length. The .30-40 Krag brass is often fine once expanded or fire formed, but might need a slight trim of length occasionally.

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Win225 Participating Member Offline Posts: 11 Location: Woodacre, 94973 Joined: Dec 19^th, 2023	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #4 - yesterday at 3:02pm	Print Post
	I have also seen 3 different 38-50 Ballard cartridges that are from three time periods. Can you tell me about that?


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Win225 Participating Member Offline Posts: 11 Location: Woodacre, 94973 Joined: Dec 19^th, 2023	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #5 - yesterday at 3:05pm	Print Post
	Thanks for that info. I see you are online, so I am going to fetch my California rifle chambered in 38-50 Ballard & get you a picture in about 10 minutes.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Online Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #6 - yesterday at 3:16pm	Print Post
	Win225 wrote yesterday at 3:02pm: I have also seen 3 different 38-50 Ballard cartridges that are from three time periods. Can you tell me about that? Not sure. It depends on the cartridges. I have a collection of UMC and Rem-UMC and somewhat familiar with those, but not with all brands. If they were in boxes it's easier to guess the era. Can I assume they're all paper patched? I'd expect that if they're originals.

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Win225 Participating Member Offline Posts: 11 Location: Woodacre, 94973 Joined: Dec 19^th, 2023	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #7 - yesterday at 3:36pm	Print Post
	I can’t get the picture to load. The rifle was built by Charles Slotterbek in Lakeville, CA, about an hour from here.


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Win225 Participating Member Offline Posts: 11 Location: Woodacre, 94973 Joined: Dec 19^th, 2023	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #8 - yesterday at 3:38pm	Print Post
	3 different pieces of new brass from a local reloading/brass company. I don’t have original cartridges.


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Dellet Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1200 Joined: May 19^th, 2017	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #9 - yesterday at 5:00pm	Print Post
	There was also a 38-50 Maynard. Slightly larger case head than the Ballard, but a much larger neck. From memory, the Ballard was .390”, Maynard .410”. Length was within a few 1/1000’s. It was bullet diameter and neck that is distinguishable.


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Online Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #10 - yesterday at 5:09pm	Print Post
	Win225 wrote yesterday at 3:36pm: I can’t get the picture to load. The rifle was built by Charles Slotterbek in Lakeville, CA, about an hour from here. Slotterbek was one of the great German gunsmiths in California.e began his apprenticeship at age 12 and both his father and grandfather were also gunsmiths. In 1852 he was working for Henry Deringer starting out making stocks, and moved on to making all parts. In 1858 he left for California with a glowing letter of recommendation from Deringer. In San Francisco he worked for several gunsmiths, and his two brothers stayed back in Philadelphia working for Deringer until they started their own business plagiarizing Deringer's pistols. Charles was a key witness against his brothers when Deringer filed a lawsuit against them! In 1868 Slotterbek and Villegia became partners by buying out B. Lagourde's shop and started their own business there. The two were very successful and won awards for their fine shotguns and rifles. In 1872 he moved to Lakeport to be closer to his home there. In 1884 he moved back to San Francisco and worked for AJ Plate & Co. for one year. In Sept. 10, 1886 he was attempting to deprime a case when it fired and the case struck him in the forehead fracturing his skull. He later died from this the same year. He is still considered one of the finest California gunsmiths ever, and there was plenty of great gunsmiths in San Francisco, so that says a lot about him!

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Online Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #11 - yesterday at 5:10pm	Print Post
	Win225 wrote yesterday at 3:38pm: 3 different pieces of new brass from a local reloading/brass company. I don’t have original cartridges. Can't tell you much about this modern brass without headstamp markings.

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Win225 Participating Member Offline Posts: 11 Location: Woodacre, 94973 Joined: Dec 19^th, 2023	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #12 - yesterday at 5:25pm	Print Post
	Do you all have any tips on getting Photos to load?


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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Online Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 17377 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: What is the difference in 38-50 cartridges? Reply #13 - Today at 8:59am	Print Post
	Win225 wrote yesterday at 5:25pm: Do you all have any tips on getting Photos to load? I've never had any luck so I use a free Imgur account to load photos I want to post here. Then once loaded there it allows me to click on numerous sizes and whether I'm posting them to email, forums, or other places. It's fast and simple once you download their free image hosting.

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