38-50 heburn

[Ron r]

what do you all think of a 38-50 in a sharps rifle
thinking about building one

[JeffinNZ]

I have a .38-303 that is a .303 Brit blown out near straight to .375 cal making is basically a .38-50 Hepburn. It is a great round. Mine LOVES a 275gr 20-1 alloy boolit over 60gr of Swiss 1.5Fg powder compressed .35 inch. 1370fps and it shoots. My Lee Enfield action wears a 1-18 twist barrel but a faster twist will spin up the heavier .38 boolits for you. I like it.

[Jon K]

I have a CPA 38-50 RH, 30"#3 contour/1:16 twist. I am shooting 55.5gr/1.5 Swiss or KIK/365gr PJ 38001.
It's accurate and pleasant to shoot.
You might try the BACO Money bullet w/12 or 14 twist.

Jon

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Have a Shiloh Sharps in 38-50 1-14 twist Douglas Barrel (shiloh don't make 38 barrels) Steve Garbe Chambered the 38-55 out to the 38-50, Love mine, have done well with it at Silhouettes and the Medal Match NRC championship several times.

KW
THe Lunger

[JeffinNZ]

Forgot to mention my .38-303 also does well with a 300gr Pope style boolit with a heavy card wad over 37gr of W748. 1670fps.

[McLintock]

I've got a C. Sharps Hi Wall what was originally a 38-55 with a 15" twist barrel and I had John King, a well known BPCR gunsmith in Montana, put a Green Mountain 14" twist barrel on it in 38-50 Remington. What little I got to shoot it, it shot great, very pleasant to shoot and I believe, without looking it up, I could get up to 60 grs of Swiss 1.5 under a Steve Brooks 335 gr Creedmore bullet; wish I could still shoot it, but my back says otherwise. Good round and you'll like it.
McLintock

[Chill Wills]

I have shot a 10# Highwall chambered 38-50 with a 1-12" twist and 350gr. It was obnoxious and most unpleasant. I suspect the relatively light weight, combined with the heavy boolit and quick twist were the reasons. 1-16" will easily stabilize the 335gr Lyman.
Not to pick a fight but rather a difference of experience, I would not like a 16 twist 38cal shooting a 1.25" long or longer bullet. I gave up on the even faster 15 twist with that combo long ago. GM makes a 14 twist 38cal and if the faster 12T does not sound fun at least use the 14-T option. In calm air the slower twist barrels will appear to work fine but let some cross winds or sheer conditions prevail and the bullets are all over the place.

If you are at the point of getting a rifle and options are open....and you do not tolerate recoil think about the 35's. A 35-40 uses the 38-55 necked to 358" gives better down range performance with little pain on the shooters end. Neat cartridge.
Michael Rix

[Antietamgw]

A 35-40 uses the 38-55 necked to 358" gives better down range performance with little pain on the shooters end. Neat cartridge.
Michael Rix
I'm thinking of a sporting weight rifle on a spare Rolling Block action for plinking, small game and likely whitetail inside 100yds. I thought of .38-55, already have a reamer, but really prefer the .35's as I have a pretty good selection of molds. The .35/30-30 came to mind or maybe a straight tapered case with a parallel neck section. Is the .35-40 a straight tapered case or a bottleneck? Do you know where I might find some more info or maybe a reamer print? Thanks!

[Chill Wills]

35-40 Maynard case is the full name.
yes, it is a straight tapered case. Not a bottle neck. A good number of BPCR gunsmiths have the reamer. Steve Baldwin, Steve Rhoades, Mike Lewis to name a few that I know do them.

Try Manson for a reamer and a print. Dan T has this info but really is not talking much anymore unless you know him and he-you. Try Manson first. good luck - Michael Rix

[kokomokid]

Chill, How much powder are you getting in the .35 and what brass are you using? THANKS LB

[Chill Wills]

Chill, How much powder are you getting in the .35 and what brass are you using? THANKS LB

Sorry, I can not help you on that. I shot DanT's for a day some years ago and have been around quite a few at matches but do not own one yet. That is the extent of my experience with it. I have thought that I would like to have one for my young son to get him going but $$ is tight and he will just have to shoot the 38-55 when the time comes.

[Antietamgw]

35-40 Maynard case is the full name.
- Michael Rix

When I first read the thread I was thinking it was a newer development, didn't think of the Maynard cases until later that evening when I looked through Cartridges Of The World and Donnelly's Conversions. That looks like a good choice with about the right capacity. I like the .32-35 Stevens case as well but want to stay with .35 or larger for his rifle. Thanks!

[kokomokid]

35-40 maynard is a squeezed down 38-55 brass, C H has dies on the cheap. A sight maker from Oklahoma is very competitive at the nationals with 330 grain bullet in one.

[JeffinNZ]

330gr .35cal! That's a pencil. Would 'hold up' well I suspect.