PDA

View Full Version : .38-55 Loads/Loading Tips?



Kraschenbirn
03-22-2007, 11:26 PM
Took my new Uberti Highwall to the range today. Overcast with light rain, but had some business calls to make over that way so I went ahead and shot anyway. I'd loaded 30 rounds last night: 15 BP and 15 smokeless, both using the same 255 gr Montana Precision FP bullet (sized .379) from Buffalo Arms.

Results weren't great but not terrible either. Off the bench, the smokeless loads...32 gr H4895/Fed Lg Rifle primer...shot into about and inch and a quarter at 50 yds. The BP loads...43 gr Goex FFG/Fed Mag Pistol Primer...however, ran more like 2 1/2"-3" at the same distance.

The H4895 load looks promising and I'm planning on trying both 3031 and 2015BR, as well.

Guess the question is; what can I do to bring the BP loads into line? The W-W cases I've got (factory .38-55s, not blown-out .30-30s) will only hold about 45 grs of BP when charged from my 28" drop tube. Considering the smaller case capacity, would I be better off using FFFG?

Also, my bore slugs .377 with a 1-18 twist. Bullets I've got are 20-1 alloy sized .379 with SPG lube but I'm shopping for a mould dropping an RN or SP of around 275 gr. Once I find one, will size to .378 using 25-1 alloy and my regular home-brew lube. Does that sound about right?

Last, how much compression can I get away with? 43 gr FFg (from drop tube) fills case to within 1/8" of mouth. Seating bullet to crimp groove compresses charge approx 9/16" (approx. 30%). Too much?

Any other ideas, hints, etc. will be greatly appreciated.

Bill

boommer
03-23-2007, 12:33 AM
kracshenbirn you are saying compressing the black 9/16 of a inch whoa!!this 43 GRS is this by weight or volume next to start out with a pistol primer! ICAN HELP YOU
BUT ITS 11.00 GOT TO GET UP AT 5.00 BUT DONT LOAD ANY MORE BLACK LOADS UP GIVE YOU A LITTLE HELP or UNTIL ONE OF US CAN you need to tell us more like are you using a card are you using a compression die on your powder and I have found seating the bullet out to the lands works well no crimp work with neck tenision this black is a diff world !!! so break it down the best you can.

Boz330
03-23-2007, 08:57 AM
With Goex I would try lg rifle primer or even a lg mag rifle primer. 9/16 is a lot of compression with a boolit, I can't believe that your not distorting it leaning on it that hard. Get a compression die for doing that and just thumb seat the boolit over a card wad. Goex likes a lot of compression to get a clean burn. Just a suggestion here if you don't have a lot of Goex try some Swiss. On a volume basis the Swiss weighs more and I have gotten 55gr by weight in my 38-55 cases,but deffinately not the most accurate load. Mine seems to like about 47gr with a little compression. Swiss also burns cleaner.
As Boomer pointed out try seating the bullet out to touch the rifling and then also try backing it off a little, sometimes that works better. Are you blow tubing, if not the bore will foul pretty quick and ruin accuracy?
As far as trying 3F just give it a try and see what happens. The twist on your gun is pretty slow so the faster speed might help. Mine is a 15 twist and it shoots the 330gr boolit the best but I hunt with a Lee 250 and it shoots respectibly for that, about 2MOA, which is about all I can do. I'm sure I am forgetting something but this is a good start. BP takes a lot more tinkering but it's well worth the effort.

Bob

SharpsShooter
03-27-2007, 07:05 AM
I'll second the fact that Goex likes compression, but if you are using the boolit base to do it...............well, it doesn't work too well. Typically what occurs is you distort the boolit's base and that kills the potential for accuracy on the spot. I too am amazed that you are not getting case wall distortion from that much compression. Ya really need a compression plug for your expander die to make it easier annd give you more absolute control of the actual amount of compression that you decide to apply.

Swiss is a powder that gets a lot of mention when conversation turns to the 38-55, but I am sure the others can work as well if given the opportunity. I like Goex Cartridge grade for my use and light it off with federal #215's.

FWIW


SS

NickSS
03-28-2007, 09:05 PM
I load a Lyman 250 gr flat point bullet over 42 gr of FFG Goex with a 030 vegitable fiber wad and use large rifle primers in my C Sharps high wall. I size the bullets to .375" and use my own lube. I found that 42 gr drop tubed into my WW brass that has been fire formed takes .25" to campress it and the bullet is inserted by hand. I only neck size the brass but this makes it a snug slip fit for the 375 bullet. This results in 3 to 4 inch groups at 200 yards in my rifle. My bullet alloy is three to one range scrap to WW.

R. Dupraz
03-31-2007, 11:01 PM
Kraschenbirn:

First you need to find the goove or more better the throat diameter of your barrel. Then make sure that the bullet is at least the same size or .001"-.002" larger.

I have two 38-55's, a Marlin CB and A CPA-Stevens. The Marlin will put five shots into 5/8-3/4" at fifty yards with smokless and the CPA 's best so far is ten shots in 2 1/4" at two hundred yards using black powder. This is after using a blow tube and wiping with one dry patch after each shot.

The Marlin's groove size is .379" and is loaded with the Lee 250 gr. PBL bullet sized to .379" and IMR or H 4227. I also load the RCBS 250 gr. GC bullet with IMR3031. Not quite as good as the Lee and H4227 but almost, and also sized to .379"

The CPA-Stevens has a 1-14 twist and the grooves are .3755" The bullet is a 330 gr PBL Hoch and measures .377". It is shot unsized with 45-47 grs of Goex 3F black powder using my own lube. So far, I can't tell much difference in group size with either the 45-47 grns. They are getting very close to 2" inches at 200yds.

The cases for the black powder loads are neck sized only. Then expanded to .001" over bullet diameter. This allows the bullets to be thumb seated in the case, The BP is dropped tubed into the case and a .030" paper gasket wad is inserted. The charge is then compressed just enough, in a die, to allow seating the bullet so that the leading band will just touch the constriction in the tapered throat of my CPA.

When shooting, a blow tube is used. I blow the number of breaths through the bore that will cause the fouling to come out wet and greasy on the dry patch that is pushed through after each shot.

So, for the black powder rounds, you really need a compression die and and expander that will allow easy seating of the soft lead bullet. Black burns better with compression and if the bullet is used to compress while seating, the soft lead can expand, preventing the round from chambering.