38-55 load with a roundball

[harrygoat]

Anybody ever reload the 38-55 with a roundball, using either smokeless or blackpowder? I would think one would use the usual methed in loading bp cartridges with a lubed felt wad over the powder,maybe use a filler, then seat the ball. But that's the rub, how do you seat and or crimp the roundball? Any advice would be appreciated.

                Thanks HARRYGOAT

[handirifle]

If you were using BP, I'd think load it to the point that with a filler wad on top, the round ball would seat just at halfway or a hair below.  Then maybe just run it in the seating die to make a taper crimp just tight enough to keep the ball from falling out.  I wouldn't put any in the magazine though.  They might be OK in there, but you never know.

No suggestions on smokeless.

[Leftoverdj]

Never done .38-55. Loaded RB in a bunch of other stuff, though. A bit oversized is best. I stay away from wads when I can.  I have crimped on the center of the top ball for multi ball loads and it was easy enough, but for a single ball is best seated flush or below. I just rub a little bullet lube on top.

You did not say what size ball you have. .380 would be about ideal, but I don't think those are easily found. .375 is, and I think I would patch those and load them into reprimed but unsized cases. Should be able to just thumb press them in. You might find that you can seat them deeply enough to reduce the case capacity to the point that you don't need a filler.

.38 Special data for the lightest bullets would be a pretty decent guideline.

[elblerinnv]

I use a .380 ball cast in a Lyman mold, over 4.0 Red Dot, Winchester large pistol primer.  The balls are tumble lubed with Lee Liquid Alox and seated with thumb pressure flush with case mouth.  Noise, recoil, and cost are all low, and accuracy is ok at 25 yards.  Good cottontail load, and would work ok for tree squirrels, if we had trees, and if the trees had squirrels, here in Nevada.  I have used half a sheet of toilet paper loosely set over the powder, but did not notice any kind of improvement.  The reason for the wad was to keep the powder against the primer when the rifle was pointed slightly downhill for cottontails.

I think Lee still makes a .380 mold, and the Lyman's turn up from time to time on Auction Arms and Ebay.

[Trapper-Jack]

Don't have a 38-55 but I've loaded round ball in my 45-70.  Primed unsized cases and loaded with about 20 grains of BP.  Then I pressed a card wad on top of the powder with a lubed patched .445 ball down tight on top of the card.  Pressed the patched ball down onto the powder with a muzzleloader short starter.  The card was to help keep the lube from the patch from migrating into the powder.  Accuracy was good out to about 25-30 yards.

[Leftoverdj]

Got me curious enough to check. Hornady makes a swaged .395 RB. Quick pass through a .380 sizer and you have exactly what you need. I've done this in other calibers and the added bearing surface helps accuracy.

[moxgrove]

HOwdy, I AM NEW TO THIS SIGHT. I HAPPEN TO HAVE BEN EXPERIMENTING WITH ROUND BALL LOADS IN MY .375 WIN. 94. I HAVE FOUND THAT USING A .377 CONICAL BULLET FOR BP REVOLVERS OVER  
 A COUPLE OF FELT WADS WOKS GREAT. BE SURE TO SEAT THE WADS DOWN OVER THE POWDEWR FOR REIABLE IGNITION IF YOU ARE USING RED DOT OR UNIQUE. I AM GOING TO DO UP A BATCH WITH5744 THIS WEEKEND. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE LESS SENSITIVE TO CASE VOLUME. HOPE I HELPED. MOXGROVE

[Leftoverdj]

Mox, I don't think you wanna do that. You go seating two felt wads on top the powder with a running start of an inch or more to the base of the bullet and you will ring that chamber sooner or later.

Probably sooner.