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Thread: Uberti or Browning 1885

  1. #21
    Boolit Master

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    I have a Taylor arms branded uberti. Mine is .382ish and I bought a fatter mold from Tom. The uberti twist from what I read is set up for sub 300 grains. I am shooting 250-265 grains between my cast and commercial .381” bullets.

    So check your twist which limits bullets and know what you want to do. I don’t think my gun will shoot 350’s for 1000 yards. I don’t plan on that anyhow. I am playing at 100-300 yards.

  2. #22
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by .45Cole View Post
    Maybe going Uberti would be best if one was looking at a companion marlin 38/55 too. Is there any difference between all the Italian guns for hte 1885 in 38/55 (taylor, uberti, navy arms, cimmarron, ect?)
    Uberti is a manufacturer. Cimarron, Navy Arms and Taylors are importers. Each importer may have slightly different fit and finish specs for a specific gun made by Uberti but the guts of the gun are the same. I should note that in some instances a model may be importer specific but this mostly applies to the revolvers. Pedersoli also manufactures the 1885 rifle.
    63/37 Sn/Pb is a terrible boolit alloy but its other use pays the bills.

  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Throwing in another choice here just for thought. The uberti and Browning are Off the shelf firearms you get what they make and if needed modify/upgrade from there. There are different models but not a lot of specific choices. A C Sharps highwall gives the options of barrel length, contour, twist rate, and finish. The receiver action you get selections on trigger, finish. Wood can be upgraded to almost any grade and type applicable. Also fore end tips caps grip caps checkering. Engraving is also an option. Sights can be just what you want also from barrel sights to a period scope. Here there are a lot of choices to get just what you want.

    The drawback to C Sharps and the custom rifles is wait time is longer since rifles are built to order not on the rack. Also cost is a little higher.

  4. #24
    Boolit Master
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    Yeah, I'd pick a C. Sharps over either of the two brands suggested, although my Browning BPCR was an excellent rifle. I was just afraid to take it apart.

    Chris.

  5. #25
    Banned bigted's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    I am somewhat of a traditionalist (dont shoot fake blackpowder = subs) but now and then common sense has to get a bit of a run too - counting myself very fortunate that my Oliver F Winchester 38/55 came out of the factory with the wrong size bore - its a tackhole shooter - I can take my pick of the mob of 375 boolits, molds, ammo, thats available rather than cussing at a pretty gun that wont shoot worth a hoot unless I mess with uncommon sized components. I had thought that the oversized bore thing was just winchester being sloppy wih their machining - not so aparrently - does anyone know for sure at what point the 38/55 became a 37 and a half/55 ?? (the 55 bit is suspect too - no way no how they ever got 55 grains of black in there with a boolit that would cycle, on top of it)
    Cant answer the year they became 37 and a half-55's but can answer the 55 grain question as i was mystified by this me self.

    The original 38-55 was a target rifle which began during the pre smokeless days. Being a target rifle i believe Ballard was the first rifle chambered such and was a single shot.

    They loaded 55 grains of the original powder in the case and as i understand, it came to the top (mouth) of the case where there was a card wad that was crimped over to hold the powder in and then the bullet was breech seated or muzzle loaded down on the case of powder.

    These were single shot rifles designed for top shelf accuracy and originally were not thought of as a repeater style cartridge.

    By downloading to 46 grains, Marlin did the deed and loaded a 250 grain bullet that loaded length wise to work through their model 1893 rifle. Winchester jumped on the band wagon with their 1894 rifle and as they say ... all history from there.

    I have been tempted to try loading the cases to 55 grains with a .060 vegi wad crimped in the mouth, and try my hand at muzzle loading a boolit to engrave the rifling as it is loaded down on the charged case of powder, but have not done so as of yet. Maybe find a breech seater or build one for me modified Miroku heavy barreled 38-55. Should be a treat to play with.

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
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    Actually even the very first Ideal Handbook list's the 38-55 bullet diameter as .375, and that includes Winchester and Marlin.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    It matters little what it is called in any handbook. The only thing that matters is what the manufacturers produced in the rifles.
    For new production only the SAAMI standard drawings are the US authority.


    The current SAAMI drawing is not a .375. See link to dwg.
    The groove diameter is specified to be .379 plus .002 minus .000.
    It is possible to make a good chamber with the SAAMI drawing but a dumb manufacturer like H&R can make bad chambers too.

    Of course I am referring to the US convention of usually using the groove diameter and bullet diameter.
    My own .38-55 has a .375 land dia and .380 groove dia. It would hit nothing with a .375 bullet. How do I know it is .375 land dia? I pushed a Hornady 270grn jacketed bullet through with one hand on a cleaning rod.
    My .375 Win in a Marlin and .375 Win in a #3 Ruger measure .377 to .378 groove dia. so they are not exactly .375 either.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=saam...YX7hnFa-bAv6M:
    Last edited by EDG; 09-23-2018 at 08:23 AM.
    EDG

  8. #28
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigted View Post
    Cant answer the year they became 37 and a half-55's but can answer the 55 grain question as i was mystified by this me self.

    The original 38-55 was a target rifle which began during the pre smokeless days. Being a target rifle i believe Ballard was the first rifle chambered such and was a single shot.

    They loaded 55 grains of the original powder in the case and as i understand, it came to the top (mouth) of the case where there was a card wad that was crimped over to hold the powder in and then the bullet was breech seated or muzzle loaded down on the case of powder.

    These were single shot rifles designed for top shelf accuracy and originally were not thought of as a repeater style cartridge.

    By downloading to 46 grains, Marlin did the deed and loaded a 250 grain bullet that loaded length wise to work through their model 1893 rifle. Winchester jumped on the band wagon with their 1894 rifle and as they say ... all history from there.

    I have been tempted to try loading the cases to 55 grains with a .060 vegi wad crimped in the mouth, and try my hand at muzzle loading a boolit to engrave the rifling as it is loaded down on the charged case of powder, but have not done so as of yet. Maybe find a breech seater or build one for me modified Miroku heavy barreled 38-55. Should be a treat to play with.
    I made a breech seater for my lever gun and did the case full of powder thing with a card wad - it was a PITA and didnt shoot any better than my normal case loaded rounds - very shortlived project that was hope you have better luck/more fun with it

  9. #29
    Boolit Master
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    Ted I have shot a fair number of breech seated BP loads in a few single shots. As a matter of fact I'd say that my most accurate black powder single shot rifle, at least at 200m is a .38-55 breech seated. Joe it did take a fair bit of experimenting to find the right bullet and powder to make it really work. And it was easier for me because I was using a CPA rifle and a Russ Weber breach seater so I didn't have to custom build anything.

    The funny thing about that rifle is that it has a Sammi spec chamber, not the one CPA advertises that they put on their schuetzen rifle. But, with the right bullet it is super accurate.

    Chris.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gunlaker View Post
    Ted I have shot a fair number of breech seated BP loads in a few single shots. As a matter of fact I'd say that my most accurate black powder single shot rifle, at least at 200m is a .38-55 breech seated. Joe it did take a fair bit of experimenting to find the right bullet and powder to make it really work. And it was easier for me because I was using a CPA rifle and a Russ Weber breach seater so I didn't have to custom build anything.

    The funny thing about that rifle is that it has a Sammi spec chamber, not the one CPA advertises that they put on their schuetzen rifle. But, with the right bullet it is super accurate.

    Chris.
    Chris -- I didnt try real hard and proly did a number of things wrong - the rifle shoots really, really nice with a bog standard load - so less room for improvement than there sometimes is - my boolits were too hard - would like to try it again sometime with a heavier boolit soft enough to seat ok.
    joe

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
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    Joe the funny part is that mine didn't really shoot any bullet/load very well until I found this oddball mold from Buffalo Arms so I guess we have opposite guns


    Chris.

  12. #32
    Boolit Bub
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    I'd go with the fit/finish...Browning

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check