The requirement of "capable of taking anything in the lower 48 within 150 yards" pushes me into the 356 column. The 35 rem. is a good round but we have some big bears and moose in the lower 48. You will want plenty of power and a relatively flat shooter for that 150 yard shot on those big boys. The 38-55 is not a great pick for 150 yard shots. Since you are a reloader, the 356 is the best choice.

Make sure your donor rifle is a later model JM and thereby take advantage of improved metallurgy/stronger action.

T.S.

 

If brass for the 356 Win wasn’t so difficult to obtain, it’d already be a done decision for me.
I’m also pretty sure I could load up those 38-55 “long” from Starline to surpass 375 Win performance due to the increased case capacity.
How “new” would the rifle need to be for the improved metallurgy/stronger action? The rifle I’m currently interested in is a 30-30 from the 70s.

 

Its easy to get 35 rem brass here.

 

I’ve built several JES 356 win rifles. I am a huge fan of that caliber. If you search my “started threads” you can read about my results. I built a custom engraved 356 win out of a 30-30 octogan a few years back. It’s a man cave wall hanger now. I also deer hunt here in Ohio with a 336 texan converted to 38-55 by JES. You can read about it in my 38-55 Marauder thread.

I am currently starting another such process myself using a pre safety 18.5” barreled 336 straight stocked gun that will be rebored by JES to 356 win. Short and compact and plenty of power for elk using the Speer HCFP 220 or 185 gr bullets.

good luck. Hope to see your build in progress. I also always run the 5 groove rifling on my JES 356 guns.

PNW4Life check your PM’s.

 

JES re-bored my Glenfield 30-30 to 375 Winchester. I chose the 375 over the 38-55 so that I could hotrod my reloads if I wanted to. I have no regrets about my 375 Winchester re-bore, and I love that Glenfield!

 

I second this since 375 Win brass and rifle can handle higher pressures than the 38-55 can. Just acquired my 375 Win a few months ago and have been very impressed with the round. Brass, ammo, and bullets are available online.

 

I'm gonna vote for the 38-55. Loaded to 375 pressures. Not that it is the best of the bunch but because you stated a 16.5" barrel. It will probably handle the shorter barrel velocity loss better than the 356. And the 356 is one of my favorite rounds.

 

Not sure how the 356 would react with a 16.25 barrel. I got 2350 fps with 220 grain Speers out of an 18" barrel using H322 powder. My 38-55 hard cast load is only running about 1700 ish with a 260 grain cast bullet. That was enough powder to push that bullet through a deer end to end a couple years ago.

 

Brass for the 356 Win is out there, you’ll just have to order it online and it ain’t cheap. I haven’t shot my recently acquired Winchester 94 in 356 yet, but I have liked everything I’ve read about it so far. Good luck.

 

holy crap...I see where 356 win brass is plentiful on GB right now. Under 33.00 bucks for a new bag of 50... One seller has 35 bags of it. I have close to 500 rounds so I will never need more but that's hard to pass up....

 

You can form your own 356WIN brass out of 444Marlin brass with Redding Case Forming Die:
https://www.redding-reloading.com/i...g.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=39:popular-case-forming-dies
Product #: 83227

356WIN is tough to beat and once you have it, you won't regret it.


Jack

 

Depends on how much money you have to burn, if money is no object, 356.
V

 

If money is no object, how about the 36 RPP?
..

 

huh....i never really studied the difference that much.
guess i ain't doing nothing else today anyways...

 

I would go with the 356 Winchester. Plenty of brass on Gunbroker right now. Once you have a couple hundred pieces your good, they last along time.

 

Option #3 is the cheapest route IMO. And ammunition is a lot easier to come by then the 356 or the 38 55.

 

I like this plan - because it was one I could afford at the time. My best rifle purchase ever was a 336 in .35 Rem at an auction. Not only was it a good buy ($300-like new) but it became my go to rifle - especially for deer season. And I could find ammo about as easy as 30-06. Don't get me wrong - I'd love a .356 or .38-55 in the mix some day. But for now the .35 serves good purposes. Also, I have unfortunately never had really good results with rifles that have been rechambered. So I'd get the .35 and keep my eyes open for a good buy on the other calibers you are thinking about. Just my thoughts.

 

Go with the 356 and my 16.5” barrel carries and shoots fine. You will find that JES prefers forend cap guns over front barrel bands as they tend to move under the heavier recoil. I used 30AS’s for my 356 Trapper and 307 Winchester and am very satisfied. I prefer the Speer 180’s for whitetails in my Trapper.

 

yep...My first one was a 30AS as well. It turned out really nice. I need to talk to JES before I send him the 336 Texan donor I have.

 

I’ve got a traditional banded 20” 30-30 carbine from the 70s that I will just convert by cutting a dovetail for the forend clip and welding the hanger in place and cutting the dovetail out front for the mag tube hanger. Had to do all that for an 1894C I used to have. I hate the barrel band look.

 

I'm going the 38-55 route here shortly in a 2002 model 336. I considered the .356 Win., but I have a ton of 30-30 brass, so I can make my own 38-55 brass If I need or want to. If you reload, the 38-55 can take anything walking in North America within 200 yards. Commercial rounds are anemic to make the lawyers happy, just like the usual 45-70 Govt. rounds are, but With JES using 375 bores, you have a pretty decent selection of jacketed bullets to choose from. A reloader can make the 38-55 go "pop" all the way up to to KAPOW! One more thing, I think a 38-55 would be easier to sell if you need to in the future, because the Cowboy Action Shooters use them. Just my $.02.

 

Those were all my thoughts until seeing I could pick up 356 brass for $.66/each! I’m also building a 16.5” Trapper, which will only hold 5+1, and I don’t that’s enough for CAS stuff...? I’m happy to have found such a great deal on brass and that it’s even available is a blessing. Should be able to stomp anything in North America with this rifle!

 

35 Rem is creeping up in the pole....

 

A few years ago, I saw the photo below from an article written by John Taffin about Trapper Leverguns. That bottom rifle is almost exactly the look I’m going for on this build, other than wanting my mag tube even with the barrel (weird personal petpeeve, I know). I may add a loop lever too, that’s not yet decided upon. With the heavy hitting 356 Winchester I should be good to go for the entire continent. 5+1 with some Hawk 250s is a lot of firepower in such a little package. It’s gonna be darn near the same size as my custom 1894 44 Mag! I should end up with something around 6lbs or less and under 35"! =)

 

Well, damn, reading through this thread... I'm beginning to develop an itch for building a 356WIN.


Jack

 

I know......I was kinda pondering doing another later this year but now I am chomping at the bit to get it shipped to Jessie....

 

Good luck on you project gun. Mine will be shipped out in the morning. I talked to Jesse this evening. It will be a 4 groove 38-55. I jumped the gun (literally) and already ordered a die set.

 

Have to agree wth Texas Shooter.
If taking any game found in the lower 48 out to 150 yds is the plan, then choice devolves to the 356 IMHO.

 

I live across the river from Ohio, so I want a straight walled case gun for future deer hunts across the creek......and I just like them. I had to get rid of my big bore gun because of my neck problems, I can't handle much recoil, but I know I can handle the 38-55 with no pain.

 

Here’s mine . Out of 17 leverguns I own, this one gets the most woods time these days.

 

The 336ER here runs on mostly necked up 307 brass, which is always easy to find. Been running 356 ever since the 94 big bore came out. Frankly, think the 307 Winchester/308 Marlin pushing a maxed out 170 gr Nosler partition is worth serious consideration as well. Am familiar with the 250 gr Hawk in the 356, not really possible to get much velocity before reaching excessive pressure, not making it pass 2,000 fps. Granted this bullet if ordered with a thin jacket would be wicked at closer ranges, the additional SD of 170 or 190 gr Hawk .308 bullet should not be overlooked if range and penetration are desired. The 356 does very good with deer with the 180 gr Speer (2450 fps), the 220 Speer or a 220 Hawk is as heavy as one should go, with the original 200 gr load at 2300 fps from a twenty inch barrel an ideal compromise.

 

and just think I have a70's 35 just sitting around waiting for a project..........................hmmmm the possibilities chop and make my own trapper, send out to JES or trade bait.

Gosh Jack I agree this thread is giving me IDEAS!!!

:elefant::elefant::elefant::elefant:

 

Refraining from voting right now, but I wouldn't be too scared to shoot just about anything in NA with a warm .35 Remington. A .356 is a lot of gun, but a fair bit of tinkering and smithing to get. The .35 not quite as much, but pretty easy. Brass or loaded shells probably a bit easier to come by.

 

And I don't recall offhand, but I'm pretty sure that a .35 loaded to full potential in a 336 is a fair step up from 30-30, and not all that far behind a .356.:joyman:

 

A 35 Rem launches a 200 grain bullet at 2080 fps.(Federal & Remington ammo) Hornady Leverevolution pushes the 200 grain FTX 2225 fps.
A 356 Win launches a 200 grain bullet at 2640.(Winchester ammo)

Over 400 fps and 400 ft. lbs of energy difference. That's a lot.

T.S.

 

That's still regular pressure loads in deference to the old Remington model 8. I'll have to look into it some more, but I believe with a regular shorter RN or FN 200 gr.bullets, I believe that you can hit around 2400 without getting into too much pressure for a 336.