Lindcott Armory Rifle · Proprietary
.38-70 Winchester
Winchester Model 1886 black powder cartridge for medium to large game; part of Winchester's black powder lineup, used in custom-ordered Model 1886 rifles..
- Caliber
- 0.378″ · 9.6 mm
- Introduced
- 1886
- Case
- Rimmed
- Status
- Discontinued
- Introduced
- 1886
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester
- Standard
- Proprietary
- Status
- Discontinued
- Availability
- Rare
- Primer
- Berdan Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 24,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 200 yd
Ballistics
- Parent case
- —
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
Cartridges of the World · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 9.60 | 0.378 | ~ |
| Neck ⌀ | 10.24 | 0.403 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.69 | 0.421 | · |
| Shoulder angle | — | — | |
| Base ⌀ | 12.85 | 0.506 | · |
| Rim ⌀ | 15.24 | 0.600 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | — | — | |
| Neck length | — | — | |
| Case length | 58.67 | 2.310 | ~ |
| Overall length | 69.34 | 2.730 | · |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .38-70 Winchester is highlighted below.
Missing a dimension for .38-70 Winchester? Some case measurements aren't in a published SAAMI/CIP drawing yet. Have a factory or reamer print? Send it → — verified hard-to-find data earns a free Lindcott sticker.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .38-70 Winchester
2 models in the database chamber .38-70 Winchester. Browse all →
Connected reference
History
One of the less common Winchester Model 1886 cartridges, the .38-70 was available on special order for hunters who wanted a .38 caliber option in the Model 1886 action. It is a transitional black powder cartridge from the late 1880s, predating the adoption of smokeless powder in lever-action rifles.
FAQs
- What bullet diameter is .38-70 Winchester?
- .38-70 Winchester uses a 0.378″ (9.6 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .38-70 Winchester still in production?
- .38-70 Winchester is discontinued; typical availability is rare.
Sources & provenance
- ReferenceGun Digest Books — Cartridges of the World (Gun Digest Books, F. C. Barnes)
- Secondary38-70 Winchester C.F. — Cartridge Collector · velocity_max_fps
- .38-70 WCF Reloading Data — Winchester Collector Forum · velocity_max_fps
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →