38/56 loads

[ben1025]

Looking for some starting loads for a 38/56 with smokeless powder.
250 and 335 gr bullets. sizing dia and hardness and powder. FPS also. A
friend just bought a 1886 in that caliber. Came over for bullets and advice.
He is not a cast bullet shooter. He tried 4198 and 3031 and leaded his barrel
with .377 and .378 bhn 13 bullets. I guess he can try some .379 or .380 next.
I amagine 38/55 loads wouldn't be far off.

[Buckshot]

...............Ben, your friend needs to slug that barrel (if you haven't told him to already). And even better yet, a chamber casting. I trust it is an original?

"I amagine 38/55 loads wouldn't be far off. "

Well, they sure won't harm anything and it's a place to start. Where did he get his brass, and who's doing his reloading?

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

[ben1025]

Hi buckshot:
He is a reloader. Just not a cast bullet shooter. The gun is a original. Knowing him he researched it thorouhly. I seen the gun it was real nice. I had gave him .373,.375,.377 and .378 bullets. Told him to try them in the end of the barrel. See how they engraved. Which
he didn't do. I'm sure he won't slug it. He just wanted to shoot it a few times seeing he got the dies and cases with it, and a few cast bullets. He bought it as a collectible not a shooter.
I had advised him to shoot 8 gr of unique. As a starting load but he used 4198 and 3031.
chronagraph at 1700 and 1900. Seems a little hot to me.

[bushka]

38-56wcf and 38-55 data are interchangeable.
I had an original 1886 that I regret selling somewhat because it had a .382 bore.
Proper bullets were never to be found.
Because 38-56 is on a 45-70 case,you can work up loads from 45-70 data
[for trapdoor type actions only].
Currently out of my Meacham highwall 38-56,
I am using 350grain Hoch/14gr Unique/fed215M.
But I am shooting a highwall,the `86 is damn strong also
I think a duplex of 7gr 4759 and 50gr 3f black would bump that .378 bullet up right nice.

[Bluehawk]

MY 38/56 1886 Win Has given me fits for years ,.
It slugs at 379 BUT the chamber will not allow any bullets larger than 377 to be loaded in either Reformed Remington Brass or BErtram Dedicated Brass. ( Bertram as FAR thicker ) Tried turing the case necks but its still not enough.
The gun WILL shoot acurately 377 Barnes Original Jacketed bullets very well and gives me LESS than 2 inch groups regularly .
BUT I do not like shooting jacketed bullets form the older barrel, ( it is pre 95 manufacture and NOT nickel steel)
I have shot some factory loads from the 1930s that i got my hands on that were lead bullets andBP loading and they were superior to the Barnes bullets for accuracy at 100 yards. BUT pulling two bullets they were CUP BASED and fairly soft lead . They were 377 sized and by the base obvioulsy designed to expand the base and fill the bore .
I CAN NOT find any one to make me a hollow base or even cup base mould that would duplicate the bullet and solve my problem .
IM at an impasse without having the chamber opend which I do not want to do on this fine old Winchester.
Hope this helps

[docone31]

With that exotic a bullet needed, had you considered manually making an hollow base?
Cast it, then drill it a bit.
I do not know how you would get an hollow base bullet unless it was a to pour. If you have a top pour, then either you or someone else can make an hollow base adaptation, similiar to an hollow point mold, just in reverse.

[Bluehawk]

The concept of hollow base or cup base moulds is not that exotic . they are still made to day by most manufacturers . Hollow base and hollow point moulds are made today in some calibres and by some companies . MOST paper patch moulds are cup base to provide a place to fold the patch .
IT SHOULD NOT BE THAT HARD TO DO
But every manufacturer of moulds even custom moulds state right out in the guidelines that they will NOT make moulds either hollow base or cup base . IM just SOL . I have looked into the idea of using a paper patched bullet with a cup base but cant find one that woud be suitable to that diameter.

[ben1025]

He came over yesterday with the gun and fired cases. A .381 paper patch bullet seats by hand in a fired case. We didn't slug the barrel but a .380 bhn 5 bullet engraved very nicely half inch in the muzzle. I gave him different diameter bullets to try and suggested he use unique while experimenting. He can use the sizing die to snug up the bullet and remove the flare. Eager to see the results.

[beagle]

Check out George's article on castpics. Reloading the .38/56. He's taken a couple of deer with his and cast./beagle

[ben1025]

Thanks Beagle. Just what we needed.