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Author Topic: Bore Diameter of 38/55  (Read 680 times)

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Offline KIMBER45

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Bore Diameter of 38/55
« on: February 13, 2012, 01:50:37 PM »
Can anyone give me the bore diameter of the 38/55 target. I am having difficulties getting less than 3 inch groups at 100yds. with a scope. It ain't the scope and it ain't me. thanks for any help.
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Offline gunther66

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2012, 02:12:20 PM »
 
I have been  tinkering with the 38/55 for about two or more years. Haven't  shot any groups much less than 4" at 100 yds. I am presently waiting on some .383 bullets I hope this is what it needs.I have slugged the bore and it is funnel shaped from the chamber forward ending at .382 near the muzzle.
I have also opened up the chamber throat to allow the larger bullets to chamber.Good luck with the Handi in this caliber. You will probably need it. G66
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Offline Urny

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2012, 02:40:41 PM »
My very early Wesson & Harrington Target Model is .374"x.3775".  I've heard of very few that measured so small though.  My old rifle shoots pretty well with the RCBS gas check bullet, not so well with any plain base I've tried so far.  I have three Lyman, one Mountain Molds, and one Lee custom mold in plain base, and that selection makes me think plain base is not the way to go with this particular barrel.  I've also tried two brands of commercial PB cast bullets, and they were worse, both brands sized at .379".
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2012, 03:39:04 PM »
Mine slugged out a very even .380 as I remember.  It shoots .379 - 265 gr. JSP's real good!   ;D
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2012, 04:24:33 PM »
I easy to do creo-safe casting will tell you all you need to know!
 
Some years had issues with too small dia a throat, I know mine was one. I needed a .381 slug and only a .379 would chamber... I reamed it with a .400 reamer and was able to load the proper sized slugs for very respectable accuracy. EASILY 2-3" groups with peep sites at 100 yards... Mine would not shoot factory 255g slugs worth a damn...
 
CW
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Offline Frank V

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2012, 04:56:34 PM »
I just looked in the Hornaday 8th edition reloading manual & they list the .38-55 as .375.
Frank
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Offline thejanitor

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2012, 05:04:32 PM »
My daughters H&R 38-55 slugs at .3795 so if you're going with cast bullets either use soft lead that will bump up (expand into the rifling) upon firing, or a oversized lead bullet. Hope you get it dialed in better.  thejanitor
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2012, 06:48:54 PM »
I've slugged the bore or all three of my 38-55 barrels, all are late model extractors, they're .3795" in the groove which is within the SAAMI specification of is .379" +/- .0005". The best shooting cast bullet I've shot is the .380" 325gr Cheycast Snover, otherwise custom .379" jacketed are my first choice. As you can see below, .375" bullets aren't a real good choice no matter what Hornady says!  ::) All shooting done at 100yds using 375 Win data in Starline long brass... not for use in traditional 38-55 firearms.

Tim

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Offline KIMBER45

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2012, 08:38:35 PM »
Quote from: quickdtoo on February 13, 2012, 06:48:54 PM
I've slugged the bore or all three of my 38-55 barrels, all are late model extractors, they're .3795" in the groove which is within the SAAMI specification of is .379" +/- .0005". The best shooting cast bullet I've shot is the .380" 325gr Sheycast Snover, otherwise custom .379" jacketed are my first choice. As you can see below, .375" bullets aren't a real good choice no matter what Hornady says!  ::) All shooting done at 100yds using 375 Win data in Starline long brass... not for use in traditional 38-55 firearms.

Tim
The best shooting cast bullet I've shot is the .380" 325gr Sheycast Snover, otherwise custom .379" jacketed are my first choice.
I did a search and couldn't find those bullets. Can you give me the info so I can buy both types of bullets. thanks.
Those bullets didn't penetrate much. They didn't even dent the wood. lol
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-----------------
Not everyone will understand your journey. That"s fine. It's not their journey to make sense of. It's yours.
--------------------------------
Hawkeye: My father warned me about you...
Chingachgook, he warned me about people like you. He said "Do not try to understand them".
 "do not try to make them understand you. That is because they are a breed apart and make no sense".
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Offline petemi

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2012, 11:12:44 PM »
Those bullets didn't penetrate much. They didn't even dent the wood. lol

What bullets are you talking about?  Have you chronyed your load?  Most of my medium and big bore Handis like a hotter load.......generally around 2000 fps or better.  They do a bit more than dent wood.  The .38-55 at 2275 fps could replace your chainsaw :o ::)

I hope you get it worked out.

Pete
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Offline KIMBER45

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2012, 12:20:49 AM »
Quote from: petemi on February 13, 2012, 11:12:44 PM
Those bullets didn't penetrate much. They didn't even dent the wood. lol

What bullets are you talking about?  Have you chronyed your load?  Most of my medium and big bore Handis like a hotter load.......generally around 2000 fps or better.  They do a bit more than dent wood.  The .38-55 at 2275 fps could replace your chainsaw :o ::)

I hope you get it worked out.

Pete
enlarge the photos in quicks post and you'll see what I mean.
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"In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway."__Mother Theresa
-----------------
Not everyone will understand your journey. That"s fine. It's not their journey to make sense of. It's yours.
--------------------------------
Hawkeye: My father warned me about you...
Chingachgook, he warned me about people like you. He said "Do not try to understand them".
 "do not try to make them understand you. That is because they are a breed apart and make no sense".
-------

-------

Offline KIMBER45

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2012, 12:39:43 AM »
How fast can I push lead bullets before I'll need a gas check?
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"In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway."__Mother Theresa
-----------------
Not everyone will understand your journey. That"s fine. It's not their journey to make sense of. It's yours.
--------------------------------
Hawkeye: My father warned me about you...
Chingachgook, he warned me about people like you. He said "Do not try to understand them".
 "do not try to make them understand you. That is because they are a breed apart and make no sense".
-------

-------

Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Bore Diameter of 38/55
« Reply #12 on: February 14, 2012, 04:35:26 AM »
It would help if I spelled it correctly, it's Cheycast, not Sheycast!  :-[ I gas checked them myself because I knew they'd run around 1800fps, I think you'll can do up to around 1500fps without gas checks generally, but it all depends on how well they fit the bore I think. Shooting cast bullets is an art all to itself, best to ask questions in the Cast Bullet forum to get good answers from those that shoot a lot of cast bullets. ;)

Tim

http://www.cheycast.com/catalog.htm

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php#c6
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