10 BHN Works Just Fine!

[JohnH]

Shot a doe this morning with my 38-55, shot was about 35 yards, load was Lyman 379449 over 24.5 grains of WC680, velocity 1700 fps +/- a tad. Bullet is 10 BHN made from 1 to 1 WW and a lead/tin alloy of 8 BHN. She was quartering away, shot broke three ribs on entering and exited her throat, she dropped like the proverbial poleax, lungs were shredded. Would have thought she was hit by a 30-30 150 grainer or more if I didn't know better judging by her insides. I think I can grow to like this combination. :) Everything I've learned here made this possible, Thanks Guys!

[Buckshot]

.............Hey John, that's great. A great combination of boolit diameter, weight and velocity. Not to mention shooter accuracy too! What rifle were you using?

.............Buckshot

[w30wcf]

JohnH,
Great story! Thank you for sharing. Nothing like harvesting game with a vintage rifle with ammunition crafted to give the old .38-55 W.H.V. ballistics.

Here's a similar story to yours - .38-55 - 8 bhn bullet - 1,575 f.p.s. + deer photos .....
http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12385&SearchTerms=38-55

w30wcf

[JohnH]

Buckshot, It was my NEF. Lots of complaints abound about mismatches of bore/groove diameter and chamber diameter dimensions of Marlin/NEF 38-55's, guess I got lucky, my groove diamter is 379 and while the chamber is a tad tight, simply belling the fired case and then running it into the sizer die turned into the press 1 3/4 turns (decap stem removed) to straighten the bell works great. This rifle has shot practically every load I've fired through well. Like any rifle it shoots some better than others, but I've not seen anything truely lousy. Gonna be carring my NEF 357 Max now till I get one with it. Load for it is 21.5 grians of 4198 and the RCBS 35-200. Velocity is circa 1700 fps. I've no doubt it will perform equally well. Nothing like taking game with bullets you made yourself, really deepend the relationship. I have an idea how the first guy to use an atlatl or fletching must have felt.

[Fireball 57]

Congrats, John! Thanks for sharing. Happy Thanksgiving, ALL :coffeecom

[waksupi]

Good going, John. They do work good, don't they?

[LAH]

Great report.