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View Full Version : .38-55 Highwall...Chapter 2



Kraschenbirn
04-12-2007, 10:59 PM
First off, I want to thank all the folks who replied when I first asked for pointers on loading the .38-55.

Finally got back to the range today. Weather was miserable (34 degrees, 20 mph wind gusting to 30, with intermittant snow flurries) but, what the heck, I was nearby on business, anyway.

This trip, loads were assembled using the methods suggested by this forum...neck size only, compression die, .030 fiber wad, bullet seated to touch the rifling, just enough crimp to remove the "bell" from the case mouth, etc. and difference was night and day. Shooting off the bench at 50 yards, I nearly clover-leafed the first three rounds then pulled the next two about 1 1/2" to the right (30 mph cross-wind?) opening the group to a touch over 2 3/4". Ran a damp patch (followed by a dry one) through the bore, made a slight sight adjustment and fired five more which printed a fairly even cluster a little over 2" in dia. Repeated the damp/dry patch and fired another group...first three shots went under 3/4" center to center, fourth opened the group to 1 3/8" and the fifth was a called flyer about 2" below group center. Considering the wind, the factory buckhorn sights, and the fact that I was losing feeling in my fingers by the time I touched off those last two shots, it looks like I may be getting the piece sorted out. Didn't try any 100-yd groups...2" rain yesterday and I didn't have my mud boots...but tagged the 8" gong out there four out of five from sitting position.

I put a refurbished (original) 1884 "C" sight on my (H&R) Trapdoor carbine last week, so I test fired it, too, while I was there. Lyman 457124 plain-base RN (398 gr in 25-1 alloy), Emmert's lube, over 55 gr Goex FFg (.060 fiber wad), in Starline nickle cases. Best 5-shot group just a hair over 1 1/4"and worst a bit under 2"...still at 50 yards.

Thanks, again, guys.

Bill

John Boy
04-12-2007, 11:50 PM
Bill, If your range is longer than 100yds ... give it a try. Sounds like the 38-55 is ready for the Big Time!:drinks:

Kraschenbirn
04-13-2007, 09:02 AM
John...

Our club range runs out to 300 meters but what few matches in this area (east central IL/west central IN) are mostly 100-200 yard affairs. Once I get a solid basic load worked up, rifle will get a mid-range tang sight with Redfield 17A front and, then, I'll get serious about some longer range work.

Also, up to this point, I've been shooting commercial CBs (SPG Lube...yeecch!) but I've got an old Ohaus mould for 255-grainers enroute (eBay buy) so next time out, I'll be shooting my own.

Bill

Bullshop
04-13-2007, 12:37 PM
Kraschenbirn
That Ohaus mold is designed as a hunting boolit for lever guns. If you are realy going to get serious about long range and want to shoot GOOD scores you will want to get a boolit designed for long range.
Figure out what twist your barrel has then go with the longest boolit preferably with a less blunt profile that will be stable to the longest range you will want to shoot. My rifle is 1/14" and shoots boolits with rounded or pointed nose of 300 to 330gn very accuratly out to 850 yards. It may shoot them well beyond that range but that is the farthest I have used it.
At these type ranges that short stubby 255gn boolit will be far more sensitive to wind and temp/pressure changes than the higher BC boolits.
I mean not just a differance in inches of impact dispersion at long range but in feet. It will be a rare day (calm) that the 255 FN will do well at realy long range.
BIC/BS

Kraschenbirn
04-13-2007, 01:23 PM
Bullshop...

So far as *real* long distance shooting, there's only one range in the whole state of Illinois with more than 500 yds...and, so far as I know, only two in the state with even 500 yds that are available to civilian shooters. Hell, our state rifle ass'n high-power range is only 300 yds!! (end of rant)

Be that as it may, I'm aware that 255 gr flatpoint isn't exactly optimum for reaching way out there but, given the lack of shooting room in my area, I doubt the gun will ever be shot at much past 300M...not by me, at least. Also, my Uberti Highwall has a 1-in-18 twist...which should stabilize a 300 grainer...but is probably more suitable for somewhat lighter boolits. I have been thinking, though, of something along the lines of an NEI .376-304 plain-base somewhere down the road.

Bill

Bullshop
04-13-2007, 06:30 PM
OOPS! Sorry bout that. For some reason I thought you were headed for the silhouette range for some ram bashing. One of my favorite mid range boolits is the NEI tapered pointed 300gn. It gets breach seated and shoots ever so good from my rifle. I have not used it for long range but for out to 200 yards paper punching I have found nothing to beat it.
For long range we have been using an NEI mold that drops a 320gn (in WW) RN. Its a GC design but we load it W/O the check. JR used it at Amidon ND
and cleaned my clock at the 600 yard target. It was a T-Rex silhouette and I just couldnt see it well. On the 850 yard buffalo we had gusting cross winds and I came back and bested him. I could see the buffalo but he hasnt developed the wind savy yet. Still he hit 4 for 8 and bested many more seasoned shooters. Young sharp eyes! We also use the Lyman 330gn RN but the slightly shorter NEI seems to out do the Lyman at long range. The Lyman may be just a wee bit too long and is becoming unstable at the longer ranges.
Enjoy !
BIC/BS

John Boy
04-16-2007, 01:05 AM
The bullet that best coincides with a 38-55 (1:18 twist) is the old Ideal/Lyman 375166 (330gr - 6 groove - tapered) ... which isn't made by Lyman any more. It calulates to 17.65 twist

A second choice would be the Saeco 571 (tapered - 300gr - 6 grease grooves) and a 3rd choice would be Lyman 378674 - 335gr