38-55?

[James B]

Has anyone hunted with their 38-55? What is a good load for deer hunting with this rifle?

[JPH45]

I'm still waiting on my barrel, should be here between tomorrow and the next 2 weeks (they've had it 4 weeks now)

Obviously I can't speak to hunting loads from experience, but in Lyamns 48th edition, they show a picture of their 264 grian that was fired at 1750 fps into a hog about 80 yards away. They say the alloy was about 10 BHN which leads me to believe it was 20:1, especially looking at the picture of the recovered bullet in the manual. This is where I am headed to when my barrel gets here. I want to drive either a 20:1 bullet or a WW with 1.5% tin between 1700 qnd 2000 fps. This should be very doable. Even if the soft bullet leaves a little leading, so long as it is accurate, what does that matter? Once load development is over we are only talking 1 to 5 such bullets a year. But I am willing to bet that with a top grade lube (I am going to use FWFL, Felix World Famous Lube, a homemade recipe that is the equal to LBT Blue or Apache Blue, perhaps better) such velocities will be achievable even with a soft bullet, but it will require a bullet that fits the bore and groove diameter as well a being proper to the throat, so it might actually involve a custom mold. After seeing the Lee 250 and the Lyman 264, I have no problem investing in a custom mold for my 38-55 barrel if that is what it will take to make it shoot. Imagine if you would a 44 Magnum 265 grain bullet with a ballistic coefficient of .325 or greater, and that is what we are talking about, or in other terms a 30-30 shooting 250+ grain bullets. If you can't kill 'em with that.... :grin:

[James B]

I forget, what is the diameter of the bullets they like.?

[quickdtoo]

Here's a memory refresher, James....

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=49386

[cheatermk3]

what is the diameter of the bullets they like.?

It dependson your barrels' bore and groove diameter.  Mine was .376/.379 lands/groove, so I got .380 bullets for it.  Unfortunately the chamber was too tight for rounds made with that diameter bullet.  
So, not wanting to ream my brass I sent the rifle back to the factory.

They got it 1/31 which I knew by the delivery date on the tracking number when I called Fedex last thursday.  I called the factory and Customer service said that they had some 38-55 barrels on hand so if they decide to replace it I should have it back in a week or so.

If all they do is ream my chamber out another .005" and refit it, I'll be happy with that.  CS said that the rifle should shoot factory ammo, so they'll probably replace the barrel since no way will it stabilize factory bullets, which are .375".

[cheatermk3]

It dependson your barrels' bore and groove diameter.  Mine was .376/.379 lands/groove, so I got .380 bullets for it.  Unfortunately the chamber was too tight for rounds made with that diameter bullet.  
So, not wanting to ream my brass I sent the rifle back to the factory.

They got it 1/31 which I knew by the delivery date on the tracking number when I called Fedex last thursday.  I called the factory and Customer service said that they had some 38-55 barrels on hand so if they decide to replace it I should have it back in a week or so.

If all they do is ream my chamber out another .005" and refit it, I'll be happy with that.  CS said that the rifle should shoot factory ammo, so they'll probably replace the barrel since no way will it stabilize factory bullets, which are .375.[/quote]

[James B]

Thanks to all. I still have a lot of work to do. :grin:

[riverjackal]

For those interested in jacketed bullets in their 38 55 rifle  that are .375    diameter, here is a link to an article on the subject. Scroll down to where it says, 38 55 will do it too.  It is an article about shooting a bear with the   caliber.  It is titled ( Black Bear Guns  And Cartridges I've Known ).  I think it will shed a little light on the subject.
  I hope this helps, the writer of this article has some experience.

http://www.galleryofguns.com/shootingtimes/Articles/DisplayArticles.asp?ID=5448

[cheatermk3]

Yeah, Layne Simpson says that jacketed bullets will "bump up (obturate)" given sufficient pressure.

He also states that he got 1802 fps out of his rifle using a maximum load from the Lyman manual, which lists a velocity of 1543fps for that load and that "...chamber pressure seemed quite mild in my rifle."
If he got 200-plus fps more velocity, he almost certainly had higher pressure, it seems to me.  Plus, it's not the groove dimension that matters so much as it is the engagement of the lands; that's what spins/stabilizes a bullet.  Good 'ol Layne doesn't give the lands measurement; nor do we know whether he slugged his rifle or is quoting Marlin's nominal spec for his rifle.

The chamber in my Target was long enough, with enough clearance between the bullet and the bore, that I can't imagine trying to "bump up" a stoutly constructed bullet, as are just about any .375 dia jacketed slug, so that it'll stabilize and perform.  Factory ammo out of my rifle keyholed at 50, as did the one round I shot using Hornady 277gn interlocks.