It was my first day out with the Cape gun with the new rear site installed. 12 gauge side worked just dandy with low pressure 2 � inch shells. The rifle side held a surprise for me.

I had bought the piece with the understanding that the rifle barrel was 38-55. It even came with two boxes of 38-55. 38-55 cartridges chamber. Pieper made a 12 and 38-55 combo that looks just like my gun. In short, I had every reason to believe it was 38-55 except for a stamp saying so.

My first shot was with a very low pressure load. Just 6 � grains of Red Dot powder behind a 250 grain .375 projectile. The first shot did not clear the barrel.

I tapped it out with a rod and noticed that the rifling had left deep imprints from the lands. The grooves did not leave any marks on the projectile. So it was touching the lands but not filling the full bore. This is a good thing since when I put a caliper on the projectile at home (by default I had �slugged� the bore) I found that it had been reduced from .375 to .365 (actually 364.5)!

I do NOT have a 38-55. I have a rimmed, straight walled 9.xx Chambering of .365 diameter. In addition to the .365 bore I found that a loaded 38-55 cartridge is still � inch short of the rifling. Hmmm�.. What the heck is it? I don�t know yet.

The underside of the rifle barrel has numerous proof marks including �Express� but nothing to indicate the chambering. Except possibly an 8.8 stamped some distance away from all other marks.

What does 8.8 mm convert to in caliber? 364 or 365?

Could it be the old 360 Nitro Express? Does anyone have information on that cartridge (especially projectile diameter?). My gun has a patent date of 1881 so the timing would be about right....

Any other guesses? Advice?

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37, verse 4.


"The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt." Proverbs 12:27