Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting 38-55 can be fun

Got the Marlin 336C back yesterday. I had sent it to JES Reboring to be opened up to 38-55 since the bore was in bad shape when I bought it. Jesse's turnaround is real quick compared to most, 3 weeks including a week+ each way for shipping. His work is every bit as good as his turnaround. He gets some flack from some of the traditionalists since he uses a .366 bore,.3755 groove, so you can use modern jacketed bullet. The original specs were for .377-.379 groove. I have no plans at all for jacketed bullets in this rifle, so didn't really care which way it went.
I had cast some Lee 38-250RF bullets while waiting on the rifle, PC some, pan lubed others with Winds Wonder Wax(5 parts bees wax, 4 parts Crisco, 1 Part Vaseline). Had loads made up with both at 9 grains Unique and 10 grains Universal.
The rifle came in yesterday and even though the temperature was in the high 90s, working up to 100, I had to give it a try. Mounted an old Vari-X III 2.5-8 for load workup and setup at 50 yards in my backyard.
The two loads with PC didn't work bad, both Unique and Universal turned in nice groups.
10gr Universal-Lee 250


9 gr Unique-Lee 250


The pan lube didnt do quite as good, wondering if it was the heat.
Got out this morning while the temperature was still in the 80s and tried 10-Unique with the pan lube and got 5 in under an inch, take out the fouler and it had 4 in half an inch. Don't know if it was cooler temps or better concentration on my part.

Loaded up some with 28-3031-250-Pan Lube and I'm guessing I found my target load.

Freak group I'm sure but it got me thinking about leaving the scope on for a while!
Alternated back and forth with pan lube and PC and all groups were 5/8 or under. Velocity was 1362 with the pan lube, 1417 with the PC
I still want to try some 4895 and some loads around 15-1600fps, but I could stay with the loads I've already tried for most anything I'll ever do with it.

Dontcha just love it when a plan comes together? I usta shoot an original Stevens 44 1/2 single shot chambered for the 38-55, but I shot black powder loads. It killed deer very dead and always shot good groups. Like you say, a 38-55 can be a lotta fun. Looks like you are on the right track. Good on ya.

Once I sort out what loads I want to stay with, the scope will come off. I've got a Skinner Express that I shot a couple groups with before mounting the scope to see what front sight height I'll need. New front is on order, will be fitted to the keeper loads once I settle on them.
Going to do a pound cast of the chamber/throat and order a mold from Accurate molds. Probably a variation of the 38-250B.
Can't wait for deer season again, had been getting kind of bored with it using the 270 and similar rounds.

Ole 270,

I just got mine back from Alan Siegrist on Saturday. Same as yours, Marlin 336 rebored to .38-55. Similar internal dimensions. Was only able to shoot to 30 yards to get the scope on paper (Old Redfield 2.75 post reticle) and I'm optimistic about the grouping ability. I shot 20 rounds of the Lyman 375248 PB over 8 grains of Trail Boss, shot pretty much one oblong hole for three, and varying charges of IMR 4198, for some pretty good looking groups. You are right, they can be fun.

Old70

Old70
I don't have any Trail Boss but have plenty of Universal, it's my main 16 gauge powder. I'm getting around 1235fps with 10 grains. I need to get some more 3031, beginning to look like 28-30 gr. will make a great hunting load in this rifle.

I've got some 3031 loaded for the next range trip, I'll see how she shoots. I also loaded up some 5744 today, I'll take those too.

Great shooting Ole_270..
I have a few 38-55's but never came close to shooting groups like those above..

Once in a while the stars align and allow me to shoot up to the rifles potential. Just wish it would happen more often.
Since I've pulled the scope and gone with the skinner peep and a fiber optic front I doubt it will happen for me anymore. My Son-In-Law did shoot a 1.5" group at 100 yards off the shooting sticks last week. The gun will shoot, just need the nut behind the trigger to get better.

Finally got a chance to hit the range, and 28.5 gr. 3031 looks like the ticket with the Lyman 250 gr bullet, over several groups, it averaged about an inch at 50 yards, at about 1575 fps. Should be fine for deer.

You're getting about 100fps faster than I am with that load, may be partly due to difference in chronographs and light conditions.
I finally got the chance to range test the bullets from the new mold. Got an Accurate 38-250B sized to drop at .377. Had some problems with the pot of lead I used, must of gotten some zinc mixed in. Got a few sized to .377, powder coated, loaded with 10 gr. Universal and shot them late yesterday. The scope is gone, using a Skinner peep and a fiber optic front I got just over an inch for 7 shots. Need to find a better target for the sight combo, while it's great for hunting, it lacks precision for paper work.

Tried the Lyman load at 100 yds, and it fell apart, 6-8" groups. Did some measuring and found the bullet was .375, and the bore was .376, so I ordered a mold from Mountain Molds, to cast a 220 gr. GC bullet, with a meplat that was 75% of bullet diameter, figured I'd want the big flat nose to hunt with. Well, cast of my alloy with a Gator gas check and LBT blue, it weighs right at 220. So I sized some to .378, and loaded them over RL7 and 3031. The RL7 didn't shoot well, but 33.5 gr. of 3031 cloverleafed three at 100, with the fourth about 3/4" away. So I loaded up more and headed to the range today. They shot very well at 50 yards, no group of three was bigger than 1.25" and one of the groups was just a large hole. The bullet was doing 1650 10 ft. from the muzzle. I moved to 100, and four went into 1.25" I think I found my load for the late antlerless season here in MI. Have other plans for the opener.

Old70

Sounds great, since I've replaced the scope with a Skinner peep and a fiber optic front for hunting so my group testing has taken a back seat to banging gongs for practice. Son-in-law and 8 year old grandson shot mine with 10 grains Universal and the 250-350B at my backyard gong this afternoon. Neither missed though the grandson needs a rest to hold up the weight. That load runs about 1250 in my 20" carbine. While I might load a little heavier load for hunting, I have no doubt the 10 grain Universal load would kill any whitetail I will ever come across.

Sounds like a good afternoon. Good luck if you do take it hunting.

Well, got the Marlin blooded. Went out mid-morning to still hunt/scout the thick timber creek bottom during our early doe only season. Was easing along checking for sign more than hunting when a young doe popped up about 50 yards in front of me. She wasn't alarmed, just trying to make out what was moving through the brush. I hit her quartering toward me, through the center of the onside shoulder, tracking across and exiting the offside flank. Put a 2" hole in the back of the shoulder and rib cage, took off the top of the heart, blew up one lung and damaged the other before going on to the exit. Doe made about a 20 yard stumbling run and dropped. When I dressed her I found an inch and a half section of lower shoulder/upper leg bone wedged in the near side ribs.
Bullet was a fairly soft Lee 38-250,@9 bhn, powder coated. Starline cases charged with 21 grains of imr 4198 topped with a tuft of dacron for just over 1400 fps in this 20" carbine.
Really glad I had this rebore done, I'm liking the cartridge/bullet combo more all the time. I may load some of the Accurate 38-250b bullets over a faster load for buck season in December. The alloy I cast them from turned out at 14-15 bhn after sitting a month.

Very cool.

I wonder how he cuts the leade? I've had to about lengthen and change the angle of the leade in every Marlin to get cast bullets to behave right.

Not sure. The drawings I've seen show a 6 deg. taper into the rifling from the case mouth Probably on the reamer.
The 38-55 has been pretty wild with variations over the years. Factory grooves anywhere from .377 to .382 that I've seen listed. I've seen some posts with later Marlins at up to .381, makes it hard to fit the groove if the loaded case won't chamber(.382 + (case wall thickness X2) trying to fit in the neck area of the chamber). JES goes against tradition with the .375-.376 dia., supposedly so you can use .375 Win jacketed bullets. The purists object, but I don't plan on using any jacketed bullets so it really doesn't mean much to me. I'll fit to whatever the groove is anyway with cast bullets.
In this rifle I've tried 4 powders, and bullets from 2 different molds as well as pan lube and powder coat. Haven't found one combo it didn't like yet.
You can run cast up to around 2K with this case if you like recoil, just don't see the need at woods ranges.

Steelhead, you got me to thinking so I dug out the poundcast I made of the chamber when I first got the rifle back. With the exception of the bore and groove dia. I think he uses a Saami chamber reamer. Just eyeballing with the calipers it looks like about 2.13 from the base of the case to the start of the taper, 2.19 to the groove dia.
I'm using Starline cases (listed at 2.082 length) that when trimmed square came out 2.075. I don't think I'm all that close to the lands with the bullet but it doesn't seem to matter, especially since I'm going with iron sights till my eyes go really bad.

Thanks

I'd love to see picture of the MM bullet once you get the mold and a few cast.

Forgive the poor photo.
Accurate 38-250b on the left, Lee 38-250 on the right.



The Accurate mold was ordered to drop at .378 and it's pretty close. You can see the difference in drive bands, and I wanted the flat base. The 250b has a wider meplat and a bit more drive band above the crimp groove. All this can be altered when you order your mold to fit your preference and your rifle. The mold is available with or without gas check or mixed cavities.
After hunting season I need to put a scope back on and compare the two for accuracy in different loads. Right now I can't tell the difference with irons.

Thanks, I was asking about the Mountain Mold 220gr mold bullet you ordered.

I know that wouldn't have been delivered yet, but when you do receive.