I never tried BP in a .38-55. Can it not be done by employing fine grained powder inserted via a drop tube, and compressing the heck out of it? (BP needs be compressed anyway for max efficiency.) Also, BP is measured by bulk with a measure, not by weight- would that have been an influence? Dunno, just asking.
As for the .25-35, it was never a BP cartridge. Woulda/coulda been the weight of the original smokeless charge? Anybody have an 1890's-vintage factory cartridge they could break down and weigh the powder charge? I certainly don't know the makeup of those early smokeless powders- if they were super dense and a caseful would've weighed 35 grains or not. I looked in Phil Sharpe's Guide to Handloading and even the old obsolete powders ballyhoo'ed in that pre-war tome came nowhere close to 35 grains as a full charge- stuff like #17 1/2, Lightning, Sharpshooter, Hi-Vel, etc. Maybe some guy at Winchester just liked the euphonious ring to ".25-35". Who knows?
I think it's agreed that the .30-30 employed 30 grains smokeless whatever in its original factory loading. Makes sense because today 30 grains 3031 and a 150 grain bullet is a safe/sane load. I doubt you could get 35 grains of 3031 into a .25-35 and have enough room to seat a bullet. It's a lot smaller than a .30-30 case.
Last edited by gnoahhh; 05/28/18.
