Mike Irwin
Staff
"I suppose one could say that that the parent cartridge is 38-55 or 32-40..."
The true parent cartridge of the .30-30 isn't the .38-55, it's an even earlier cartridge, the .38-50, which was introduced in 1876.
The .38-50 was an "Everlast, which used much heavier case walls than later cases.
In 1884 the .38-50 case was lengthened, the case walls reduced to a more modern thickness, and named the .38-55.
The .32-40 was also introduced at the same time.
What most people don't know about the .38-55 and .32-40 is that they weren't Winchester developments.
The .38-50 Everlasting was developed by Charles Ballard for his rifles, while the .38-55 and .32-40 were actually introduced while Marlin was making most Ballard named firearms.
Winchester apparently didn't pick up the rounds until the 1890s, first in its Browning single shots, and then in the Model 1894.
The true parent cartridge of the .30-30 isn't the .38-55, it's an even earlier cartridge, the .38-50, which was introduced in 1876.
The .38-50 was an "Everlast, which used much heavier case walls than later cases.
In 1884 the .38-50 case was lengthened, the case walls reduced to a more modern thickness, and named the .38-55.
The .32-40 was also introduced at the same time.
What most people don't know about the .38-55 and .32-40 is that they weren't Winchester developments.
The .38-50 Everlasting was developed by Charles Ballard for his rifles, while the .38-55 and .32-40 were actually introduced while Marlin was making most Ballard named firearms.
Winchester apparently didn't pick up the rounds until the 1890s, first in its Browning single shots, and then in the Model 1894.