Author Topic: 38-55 loads in Target Model (Read 873 times)

cheatermk3 · « **on:** December 28, 2004, 10:00:21 AM »

Is there anyone out there loading cast bullets for their Target model that would care to share data?
I have one with a .379 groove/ .376 bore and a .400 chamber, so I'll be shooting .380 dia cast bullets in turned cases. I have not a clue what powders to use, but I do have lots of H450 and H414, AA2700, also several kegs of DATA 2200(similar to H322 and AA2230). Also have several thousand Remington 9-1/2M primers, so I'd like to use what I have on hand, but would like to know what people have had success with in case what I have just doesn't work.

Thanks in advance and Happy New Year!

Escalante · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2004, 12:59:19 PM »

Cheatermk3
Try Bonus Bullets out of, Colorado for your cast bullets.
There .380 shoots great in my .38-55. Find some IMR SR4759 or AAXMP5744 for powder. These powders work very well in my rifle. I have not tried any of the powders you listed. Sorry.
Escalante.

Leftoverdj · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2004, 04:41:19 PM »

I have not been able to find a Target Model, but I have done a fair amount of cast bullet shooting in straight cases and in Handi barrels. H 322 is the slowest powder I normally use for such work. Lee #2 shows 24 grains as a starting load under a 250 grain lead as giving 1523 fps. That's a bit faster than I would expect to give the best results in an NEF barrel with a plain base bullet. Think I would work in the 20-24 grain range.

I'd also give NEF customer service a call. I know the parent company Marlin will open .38-55 chambers to more reasonable dimensions on request. NEF should be doing that, too, and deserve some nagging if they ain't.

You could also get in touch with Dave Manson about a reamer to get that chamber to cast bullet dimensions. His email is David@mansonreamers.com and the phone is 810-953-0732. There are a lot of folks with your trouble and you can recover most or all of the cost of the reamer renting it out.

Lone Star · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2004, 04:02:23 AM »

Lyman has a lot of .38-55 data in their manual, as does Accurate and the Pet Loads book. The powders listed by the original poster are all really too slow to be appropriate for top cast accuracy, although som emay work for hunting loads. For target accuracy, powders like AA5774, WW296, 4759, 4227, and 4198 are all proven fine performers.

I have two .38-55s - neither by NEF/H&R - and shoot a lot of cast bullets through them. The RCBS 250FN works very well, and with the gas check allows good velocity without leading. But it may come out of the mold too small in diameter for you; mine casts at .3775" in my allow and shoots better in my .377" barrel than in my .379".

cheatermk3 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2004, 04:26:10 PM »

Thanks for the replies, guys. I should have all 80 of my cases turned down .005" by noon tomorrow so I'll be working up loads right away after that. It's been 7 or 8 years since I've done any reloading besides filling cases with my pet loads so I was a bit rusty when I started on this 38-55 project. I lucked out and hit the proper setup for my outside neck turner on the first try, last night--a perfect .005 reduction of outside diameter which is what I needed to make things fit properly. I was fuming for 2 days before I realized that the "expander ball" for this type case is in the expander die, not the sizer as it is in dies for bottle-necked cartridges. As Bugs would say, "Whatta Maroon!!"

Edit: I got 20 cases turned but lost 10 in the process; I guess .005 is a long way to go in 1 pass. I think I'll be checking out Manson Reamers and setting up the chamber properly for .380 dia bullets. I want to be able to just fill 'em up and shoot 'em.