H & R target in 38-55..... Opinions?

[Shooter6br]

Have a chance to buy H & R 38-55 Cassic . Slugs .376 . With shipping and dealer transfer $370.00 I like the 38-55 but never loaded cast for it.

[Springfield]

I have one, slugs .379 so I have to crimp real careful or it won't chamber, , but it shoots fine with BP. Haven't tried smokeless in it yet.

[wgr]

mine slugs at .380. had my chamber reamed to take the large bullet never size my fire formed brass shoots great with 250grain cast bullets i use alot of 3031 and 2400

[leftiye]

My barrel slugs - bore .377". Groove .382" Needs a custom mold to work.

[NickSS]

I never slugged my bore but it shoots bullets sized to 379 so well that I never felt a need to. For under $400 bucks it is a real buy as far as I am concerned as it shoots every bit as well as my C Sharps High Wall with a badger barrel and for less than 1/4 the price.

[C A Plater]

I have one that slugs out at .378" but until I fixed the chamber everything would keyhole. I rented a .400" "neck" reamer and opened up the chamber using a tap wrench. That cured it forever and now I find it a real fun shooter instead of the PITA it was.

[Piedmont]

What is the twist on these and how heavy can you go in them with bullet weight.

[John Boy]

374 377 1:18 ... 320gr

[troyboy]

Like has been said the throat might need reaming. It all depends on when it was made. The later made marlin barrels were done correctly and do not need to be reamed. For the price you had best bite. They are a fine platform for lots of different calibers custom and factory. They are no longer made and are very sought after. Check Greybeard,s Handi forum go to the FAQ,s and read about the Handi 38-55.

[44 WCF]

I bought mine from a shooter who couldn't keep bullets from keyholing..........well I stoked it with soft cast, 20:1 .380 bullets and it's a champ......I had a higher dollar Uberti High Wall and the H&R smoked it with the loads I tried,,,,,,,,,,albeit all smokeless powder,,,,,,The Uberti was a beauty for sure and I make a buck or two selling it.........one thing I reallly enjoy about the H&R so easy to slap on a high power scope and see what you can squeeze out of it for 100 yard groups............I do miss that High Wall feel though,,,,,but the H&R is a shooter.......a damn good inexpensive shooter.....................it the the one I kep for what I enjoy doing.