Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots New 38-55 shooter questions

Hey-I`m all new to this cartridge.Is there anything wrong with starting with Lee #379-250 RF unsized, Lee liquid lubed,#2 alloy and 31gr.IMR3031?
Shooting in a new Win Trad.Hunter `85 copy.
I`d sure appreciate any ideas or favorite loads!
Thanks,
Tom

That sounds like a stiff load to me, but I don't shoot a lot of smokeless. When I do I use a 250 gr lyman in 25:1 and about 16.5-17.5 gr of 4227. Otherwise, 46 gr of Swiss 1.5 fg and the same bullet. The .38 is a fun cartridge, but I often find it frustrating to get the accuracy out of it that I think I should.

Hi Tom -

That sounds in the ballpark, maybe a little warm. I don't have my old load data handy. I used a little over 30 grains of 3031 under the 220 grain Hornady in a Marlin 336 "cowboy" .38-55.

I suggest checking Lyman's cast bullet manual .. RCBS' as well, plus some other sources, for a sanity check.

Tom

just a casual look at Hodgdon's site suggests that load would be somewhere between typical .38-55 loads, and .375 winchester loads. They don't show any 3031 data, but do show a max of 26 grains of H4895 (a slower powder) with 250gr cast bullets.

In that strong action, I'd have no safety concerns, but I'd question how well those cast bullets are gonna shoot at that velocity.

Thanks,men, for the helpful comments. That`s a starting load out of Lyman manual.Might still be too hot for best accuracy & no leading.
After some digging, Lyman`s 42nd shows a 250gr bullet with 10.6gr Unique @1310fps-looks like a better plinking/accuracy load, maybe.
Wondering if I`ll be able to shoot these bullets unsized and Lee lubed as I do in 44Mag, 45-70? Anyone check the bore diameter on one of the new `85s in 38-55?
Thanks again,
Tom

If it was me, I'd want a slower powder that fills up more of the case, compared a light Unique load, so I'd go with 4895. Or I'd go black, for that matter.

I will add I saw a used Win 94, Chief Crazy Horse commemorative in .38-55 at this weekend's past gunshow. If it had better wood I might have bought it, just to work with the cartridge. Hawk bullets does sell .377 dia flat nosed, thin .025 jacket bullets in 200, 225, 255, and 280gr weights, and they should be dandy for short range hunting.

Tom, I love this cartridge, I shoot a 38-55 Uberti 1885 carbine and it is a shooter! So I pulled the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook looking at the data for the 249 grain Lyman bullet, it shows 27 grains of 3031 as the starting load and the Max at 30 Grains. I recommend starting somewhere below 30 grains and do not start at 31 grains of 3031. A modern version 1885 will probably take more but why start hot? Shooting lead from the 38-55 seems to be more accurate between 1500 to 1700fps in my experience. It is also real important with the 38-55 to have the right size bullet and slugging the barrel is recommended. Other good loads for the 250gn lead bullet is 23gns 5744, 25 gns RX7 and 24 gn IMR4198. The 38-55 is a fun cartridge. With a good tang sight, you can have a lot of fun on metal or busting rocks at a good distance with a little practice judging distance and adjusting the sight. Some shooters are only interested in high velocity and miss the fun of the slower cartridges. Almost two different sports. Good luck.

The Lee bullet doesn't have a gas check, does it? You will be better off below 1500 fps or so.

Thanks again-good ideas-reminds me what cast bullet research is like. Haven`t played with them in recent years except handgun cartridges and fire-lapping. I seem to remember a few disapointments, also. 6.5 Swede was the best. If this 38-55 will shoot that good, I`ll grin `til it hurts.
I did find brass..finally. Rifle,dies, and mold are on the way. Nothing like a new project to get me fired up!
Thanks again for the constructive comments-
Tom

RL-7 in my C Sharps. I believe my load is 26 grains and a 279 lead gas checked bullet.

Have shot the Lee bullet a lot as you have suggested unsized, but I used a different lube, 50-50 mix of bees wax and Tkompson bore butter and some what softer than the #2 alloy. achieved good to excellent accuracy in a Marlin Cowboy and a H&R Target with the following.
AA5744 19.0 CCI250 vel 1380 some unburned powder. Best in H&R.
RL7 24.0 CCI200 vel. 1701 Best in Marlin
Unique 10.0 CCI200 vel.1287 good accy. not in excellent category. Improved if powder settled to bottom of case.
Full case of Swiss 1 1/2 pre compressed .020 card wad CCI250 H&R
Pyrodex RS & or Select 50.0 measured not weighed .020 card wad
pre compressed approx. 1/8 inch. H&R.
RL7 proved to be best powder on average with both cast and jacketed bullets under 300 gr. in my rifles.

Thank You!

Vv N120 is a great powder in my 45-70. Haven't tried it in a 38-55. IMR/H4198 and H322 are in that same general burn rate category.

DF

tom, I have the same rifle as you set up with a Shaver soule sight and Lyman 17 front. I mainly shoot a 260 cast bullet with 9.5 gr of Unique. It is very mild and deadly accurate. Have fun with it.

Thanks again,men. Dies and mold arrived today. no rifle yet, but soon!
Have a good weekend-
Tom

Men-
Newly cast bullets measuring .382...I`m a little worried.
Won`t know `til rifle gets here, but I`m afraid they won`t chamber. More will be revealed..
Tom

I have a Traditional Hunter in 38/55 and it takes .375 jacketed bullets; the 220 gr. Hornady does very well as does the 200 Sierra. I've also shot the .378, 260 gr. g/c Cast Performance but it didn't do as well (this bullet is extremely accurate in my H&R Classic Target which will not shoot .375 bullets...keyholes). My loads have centered primarily around stout loads of H-4895 and IMR 4198 although H-4895 has worked best in both rifles.

Thanks for the good info. I`ll probably end up with a size die for the ol`lubri-sizer. Waiting for the rifle so I can figure out what size to order.
Thanks again,
Tom

250 gr. bullet with 20-22 gr. 4198 (either one). Same bullet over 8.0 gr. Red Dot for an accurate plinker.

In this month's Rifle Dave Scovill talks about cast bullets, and mentions that he's found .38-55's frequently have oversized bores, measuring as large as .382. That might explain why some have had trouble getting that caliber to shoot well.