What bullet for .38-55 Target Rifle?

[Riot Earp]

I am checking out one of these rifles this Saturday and will probably buy it. From my searches through this forum, it appears that the correct .379" bullet will not always chamber in these guns. So what diameter bullet should I use? And should I use lead or jacketed?

[quickdtoo]

Depends on what your bore and chamber specs are, anything made since Marlin started making the barrels in late 2006/early 2007 will have a decent chamber and bore, but previous barrels were SAAMI spec'd and had tight necks that wouldn't chamber cast bullets big enough, .381" or bigger, for the oversize bores to shoot well and require the neck to be reamed to chamber those loads. The late built barrels shoot .379" jacketed, or .380" cast bullets equally well, see the FAQs for build year info as well as a couple links on loading for the 38-55 H&R, there are also numerous threads on it that can be found using the search function, select just this forum from the list and search for 38-55 in subjects only, you'll get 4 pages of hits.   

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php?action=search

[Riot Earp]

Thanks!

[Riot Earp]

Serial number is HW325349. 2006 manufacture, which means it probably doesn't have the improved barrel.

[quickdtoo]

It still could be a good one, slug the bore, there's a link in the FAQs and Help sticky, a good bore will be .379" in the groove. Bigger and it's an older barrel.

Tim