She likes the Chey-Cast bullets

[handirifle]

Got just a few spare minutes this morning, so I took advantage of them and headed to the foothills with the 38-55 Target Model.

First off, where I go is about 5 miles from the house.  The last mile or so is on dirt roads.   Turned off paved road and onto dirt, about 1/2 mile in I notice movement to the left side of the road, it's a coyote running.  This boy is RUNNING too.  A little more observation and I notice the reason.  He is being chased by a bunch of ravens.  for you eastern fellers, a raven is like the eastern crow, but about 2 1/2 times his size with a mean disposition.   They chase him for about a quarter mile and finally leave him alone. 

About another quarter mile down this road, make a left turn onto another dirt road towards the hills.  About 200yds in I notice something start to cross the road, look my way, and dart back.   I gas the truck a little to see what it is.  As I get within 50yds it comes back out and runs alongside the road.  I ease up along side and confirm my suspicions, IT'S A BOBCAT!!! 

Man what a morning, and I haven't even got the rifle out of the truck yet.  Good omens.

Anyway, I get setup at about 50yds (forgot the rangefinder) and bang away.  Well it really LOVES the Chey-Cast (pronounced shy-cast) 245gr and GOEX Cartridge powder.  My first three shots with that load were in about 3/4" and the next two made the group about 1 1/2" overall.  Keep in mine I never cleaned the barrel during 30 shots.  A BIG no-no with black powder, but I figured, well, let's see what happens.

I'll post pics and more info later, but just finished the yards and it's time for a date with momma, can't miss that.

Catch ya'all later tonight.

[Roudy]

WOW....I really like my Target Model but didn't know it was a GAME MAGNET too!

Roudy

[handirifle]

Yep, the morning was a success before a shot was fired.

Here are some pics of my targets.

This first one is with 2.8cc of GOEX Cartridge and the 245gr bullet.  Note, this was a five shot group, and the tape measure is in front of the first three.  That's about a 1/2" 3 shot group.  Later pics show the whole group. 



This next one shows all 5 shots (plus others taken later).  The 5 shots are in the larger circle, and the first 3 are in the smaller one.  Again, I didn't clean the barrel at all at the shoot.  When I did clean it at home, there was a noticable constriction in the last 5-6 inches of the barrel, due to the residue being hard.  I have no doubt the rifle is more accurate than this.  To say I'm pleased is a big understatement.



The next shot is the 5 shot group, yes FIVE, with same bullet and same volume of Pyrodex RS.   This shot well also, but not quite as well as the GOEX.  Sorry, it's a little blurry, but the slightly enlarged hole in the center of the line of three, is actually 2 shots. 




The next shot is two of the 335gr bullets.  It looked to me like they were starting to keyhole, but not as bad as I expected.  I think I'll chrono these and try pushing them a bit harder with smokeless, later on, and see if they stabilize.  The pic with two holes is with GOEX and the 4 holer is Pyrodex.  Only 2.5 cc of each.  The dirty barrel may not have helped either.  Anyway, just letting ya'all know how it went.

[handirifle]

Oh yes, forgot, to show you the bullets.  You can figure out which is which I'm sure.

[BANG_OW]

Great shooting! This is with the factory throated .38-55 chamber? No problems with the longer 335gr bullets? I am starting to collect the parts,pieces,dies,brass etc.. to shoot this round.
Thanks,
Don

[handirifle]

Yep.  I never touched the chamber or throat.  Once I figured out the chamber was so tight that the empty cases wouldn't chamber before being fully resized, then I found out they would chamber even with the longer 335's.

I'm not sure if the rifling (1-18, I think) is fast enough to fully stabilize them, but I knew that before I bought them.  I'm just the kind of person that HAS to try it for myself.