Post by twomoons on Dec 21, 2007 11:35:54 GMT -5
Since several of our members are in to 38-55 i thought I would post some of the information that I have been e mailing in reference to this cartridge.
Let's start in about 1885 when the 38-55 Ballard was a target ctg. supreme. Records are beingset at the target range and rifles are coming out, including Bounce's 38-55 Ballard Pacific, a gun described by Ned Roberts as the "Best hunting rifle I owned". Here starts the problem. The bullets used in these rifles measured 375-376 and that is what an original Winchester mould drops. With 55 grains of FFG black in an old thin drawn folded head case the bullet cast of nearly pure lead slugged up to the rifling on firing and wiped the fouling from the tube.
Fast forward to 2000 and I have just rebarreled Bounces Ballard with a brand new liner, and the gun won't shoot. Low and behold a 375 slug pushed by 10 grains of Unique won't slug up and the w/w bullet just rattles down the tube and hits sideways. So after slugging the bore .379 we start over with a 380 bullet and NOW we see why this was a target cartridge.
Fast forward some more and in 2005 I buy a brand new Marlin in 38-55. I am a b/p shooter so afer I slug the bore .380??? and casr some slugs .3815/ the biggest I can cast I go to fill a new Winchester case with powder and can only get 40 grains in the case. Hey, in a cost cutting move Winchester decided that they didn't need to make the 38-55 any longer than the 375 cases and now the cases that are suppose to be 2.12 are really 2.07. In addition the cases for 38-55 have been systymaticy beefed up over the years and are now really only suitable for smokless as they hold only about 40 grains of powder and this drops the 38-55 from a serious hunting cartridge.
With smokless IMR 4895 powder the 38-55 will clock 1750 with a 250 grain cast bullet and will group into 1 1/2" at 100 yards. At this time NO manufacturer makes a really suitable jacketed slug for the 38-55 as the biggest available is 377 diameter. The Winchester 38-55 bullet is only 375 and is loaded to b/p specs resulting in an anemic 1200 fps from a 24" Marln barrel.
2007 is a whole "nother story... Starline is making proper cases 2.120 lone and holding 45 grains of FFfg. Or 4 grains of smokless primer and 40 grains of FFFG. this is putting a 250 grain bullet out the spout at 1350 with excellent accuracy. In the smokless relm the Lee 250 gran bullet comes out the spout at 1650 with no leading and groups under 2" at 100 yards and UNDER 4" at 200 yards!
Now for late doe season Bounce needs to get his Ballard running and make more meat.
Let's start in about 1885 when the 38-55 Ballard was a target ctg. supreme. Records are beingset at the target range and rifles are coming out, including Bounce's 38-55 Ballard Pacific, a gun described by Ned Roberts as the "Best hunting rifle I owned". Here starts the problem. The bullets used in these rifles measured 375-376 and that is what an original Winchester mould drops. With 55 grains of FFG black in an old thin drawn folded head case the bullet cast of nearly pure lead slugged up to the rifling on firing and wiped the fouling from the tube.
Fast forward to 2000 and I have just rebarreled Bounces Ballard with a brand new liner, and the gun won't shoot. Low and behold a 375 slug pushed by 10 grains of Unique won't slug up and the w/w bullet just rattles down the tube and hits sideways. So after slugging the bore .379 we start over with a 380 bullet and NOW we see why this was a target cartridge.
Fast forward some more and in 2005 I buy a brand new Marlin in 38-55. I am a b/p shooter so afer I slug the bore .380??? and casr some slugs .3815/ the biggest I can cast I go to fill a new Winchester case with powder and can only get 40 grains in the case. Hey, in a cost cutting move Winchester decided that they didn't need to make the 38-55 any longer than the 375 cases and now the cases that are suppose to be 2.12 are really 2.07. In addition the cases for 38-55 have been systymaticy beefed up over the years and are now really only suitable for smokless as they hold only about 40 grains of powder and this drops the 38-55 from a serious hunting cartridge.
With smokless IMR 4895 powder the 38-55 will clock 1750 with a 250 grain cast bullet and will group into 1 1/2" at 100 yards. At this time NO manufacturer makes a really suitable jacketed slug for the 38-55 as the biggest available is 377 diameter. The Winchester 38-55 bullet is only 375 and is loaded to b/p specs resulting in an anemic 1200 fps from a 24" Marln barrel.
2007 is a whole "nother story... Starline is making proper cases 2.120 lone and holding 45 grains of FFfg. Or 4 grains of smokless primer and 40 grains of FFFG. this is putting a 250 grain bullet out the spout at 1350 with excellent accuracy. In the smokless relm the Lee 250 gran bullet comes out the spout at 1650 with no leading and groups under 2" at 100 yards and UNDER 4" at 200 yards!
Now for late doe season Bounce needs to get his Ballard running and make more meat.
