Found Gold in a Mould

[ColColt]

I think I may have found a winner in an old Ideal mould...the 375166. I found one brand new on ebay after reading John Boy extolling the virtues of it on ASSRA forum some while back. Hopefully, it will shoot as good for me. There's one left if anyone wants it. It's suppose to give MOA or less in the 38-55 from various places I've seen write ups on it.

[country gent]

Hope it works as good for you as you are thinking. Give it a chance and test it. Let us know how it works out.

[Chill Wills]

From the looks of it, your bullet has a full diameter body and a very short nose. It will seat very deep into the case converting powder space into bullet space. In a 38-55 it will be a small powder charge pushing a heavy bullet. Additionally deep seating can reduce the bullet base diameter when seated into the taper inside the case if your bullets gets down inside the thicker wall.

Another heavy bullet design to try:

Reduced driving band bullet designs help in a few ways. Bullets with reduced bands of that weight allow seating the bullet out into the throat/barrel farther, reduced band designs that use tapered bands can help bullet bore alinement even more then simple two-diameter drive band designs.

Depending on what you end up doing with this rifle, the long body may meet your needs. For greater performance than this bullet will provide, the above bullets or some variation made by a custom mould maker is worth every penny.

Michael Rix

[ColColt]

From the looks of it, your bullet has a full diameter body and a very short nose. It will seat very deep into the case converting powder space into bullet space. In a 38-55 it will be a small powder charge pushing a heavy bullet. Additionally deep seating can reduce the bullet base diameter when seated into the taper inside the case if your bullets gets down inside the thicker wall.

From what I've read anywhere from 42-48 gr of Swiss 1.5 won't be too much of a slouch. Moreover, accuracy will be the goal rather than attempting to knock, over rams at a distance I can't see anyway. This bullet has an outstanding reputation for accuracy, especially with a 1:18 twist. There were 14 new ones on ebay and all have been sold so, someone else must have a knowledge or experience with it.

[John Boy]

Yep, I know that 375166 bullet well!
It all started with Don Miller who did an excellent article for the Spring 2007 issue of the Black Powder Cartridge news entitled … A New Twist Rule Applied to Black Powder Rifles. In his very extensive calculation, he determined that the Ideal 375166 bullet has the best ballistics characteristics in a BPCR with a 1:18 twist - 17.65 ratio!

So I spent 2 years putting a group buy together for the remake of mold. They are the ones on eBay. Had to design it to a CAD using pictures of the original Ideal 375166 because there is 1 known original. The owner won't sell it and he promised me some bullets but he never came through with them

Hope it works as good for you as you are thinking. Give it a chance and test it. Let us know how it works out.
In answer to Country Gent ... The 1st Range Test of the 375166 ...
http://www.shilohrifle.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=13911&highlight=375166

Since then, I took the bullet to Ridgway loaded with 42grs of the 2010 lot of KIK. Shooting a 40 consecutive shot string with no tubing or patching, started out at the 500m Rams and worked back to the Chickens using the same vernier settings from the prior year with minor adjustments. Accuracy was excellent!
IMO - it is an excellent BPCR bullet

[ColColt]

I felt lucky to happen upon it and a new one at that. I had read several places about what a great bullet it was and thought I'd hunt for it even though it's been out of production for decades. Voila-first link I found there were at the time 15 available so, I jumped on one. It should be here Friday. I don't know how it would do in my Legendary Frontiersmen but I've got another rifle in the makes in that caliber.

BTW, John, it was your posting about it that prompted me to search it out.:)

[Chill Wills]

From what I've read anywhere from 42-48 gr of Swiss 1.5 won't be too much of a slouch. Moreover, accuracy will be the goal rather than attempting to knock, over rams at a distance I can't see anyway.

I am sure it will do fine as I stated.
If you think I am knocking you, I am not. I try very hard to write respectfully. Just providing some free prospective. If accuracy and distance is not you goal as your stated above, I will not wast my time responding. Carry on!

Small groups on rams IS my interest and that combo of light powder charge, bullet weight and shape and slow twist I avoid.
Shoot it on the calmest days you can and have fun. Fun IS the goal for all of us.
Respectfully, Michael Rix

[ColColt]

Nope-didn't think that at all. I think the Lyman 378674 would be a superb bullet as well and may have to try it also. I like experimenting. Since our range doesn't allow, for reasons unbeknownst to me, BPCR shooting on their 1000 yard range I have to resign to the 200 yard range and that's the furthermost I can shoot any rifle I have. I'm not into the Civilian Marksmanship thing with the Garand so, 200 yards is my max. They don't cater to BPCR's there for some reason.

[Baja_Traveler]

What size does that mold drop? My Legendary Frontiersman absolutely demands a 380 boolit or it throws them all over the place.

I've been using a BigLube 38-55 mold, and it gives decent accuracy in our levergun silhouette matches out to 200 yards, but I'm always on the lookout for alternatives. Most molds drop too skinny for my rifles liking though...

[ColColt]

What's your groove diameter....379"? That's what mine is and I have no problem with sizing to groove diameter and 22.5 gr of H4198 giving some very respectful groups.

[Chill Wills]

OK, So IMHO the slow twist 18-1 barrel likely will not support that length bullet. We've been there and done that.
However, your needs are not match accuracy and you can pick your days to shoot unlike match competitors so it will be fine for your needs.

For more stable flight in wind or greater distance, which you clearly described as not needing, a bullet running more like 300 grs or a blunt 315gr would be max in your 18 twist.

Through trial and error experience, I found that a 15-1 twist 38-55 would stabilize a bullet 1.25" long weighing 330-335 grains......Max. Any less twist would shoot hollow groups and throw a flyer wide now and then in calm conditions. Add any wind or gusting and it is hopeless.

The 38-55 Ballard is a great classic cartridge. Yours is set up with the again classic 18 twist. This slow twist is a very friendly 200yard rifle when paired up with the bullets suited to it. Many an old time schuetzen shooter did fine 200y work with this. If you have a good 300 gr bullet and put it head to head with the heavy weight 375166 in all conditions ...... Well, you know the rest. Have fun with this -Michael Rix

[ColColt]

Baja-If you have a mould dropping max .378-.379" bullets and need something a tad larger, try Erik. He's opened up the drive bands for me on at least one other mould I have and does superb work.

http://www.hollowpointmold.com/band-modifications/?picture=487#487