Anyone with heavy weight 38-55 bullet molds in Lever Guns

[Buckshot Bowman]

Hello Lads,
Well I fell in love with the 38-55 a few years back, I have the Marlin Cowboy 24" barrel and I restored a 1946 Winchester 94 and found the last 38-55 Badger barrel on earth it seems, which I had installed on it. It is a 26" octagon and is a real tack driver.

They both shoot the Laser cast 240 grain RNFP in .380 diameter best, and are both tack drivers with this bullet out to 100 yards. The twist on both should support bullets up to 300 grains, as the badger is a 1 in 15 twist with nice deep rifling
I am looking for a 265 to 280 grain flat nose bullet as I would like to try some long range shooting with these rifles, and feel the heavier bullet might buck the wind better than the 240 I am using now. I would also like to shoot both black and smokeless. I am using the long style brass from Starline which helps a lot with bullet length

I bought and sold off two Lyman 375 molds as they would not drop anything over .277, and I figure three won't be a charm I see Accurate has a number of .380 bullets in their line so I thought I would ask if anyone has experience with these or another makers mold that drops a heavier and accurate bullet.

This is mostly paper punching, but I would love to fill a mule deer or black bear tag. I can also hollow point it with my forster tool, as I have had good luck with it on 30-30 bullets.

Drop a line if you have the time.

Thanks,

Buckshot

Donald Bowman

[Bullshop]

How about 350gn LBT-LFN? Not in a 38/55 but in a 375 Win doing 1550 fps muzzle. 38/55 should do just as well if it has the same 1/12" twist rate of the 375 Win.

[shooter93]

I had Tom at Accurate molds make me a 270 grain mold in brass to fit the throat of my 38-55 Marlin I had built. His work is EXCELLENT. Just email him and tell him what you want and you'll have it in a couple weeks. If you want it made for your gun ask him what he needs from you and send it with the order. It's just as quickly made. He's very accommodating and I have a bunch of his molds....all excellent.

[Catshooter]

Mr. Bowman,

I use a Winchester 94 in 38-55 also. And love it.

My two Lyman 375449 moulds both drop boolits that lubed & checked weigh in a 285 grains. With a lever you don't want too long a nose of course.

I did have to lap one of my moulds to get it up in size. But they shoot very well. I use the rifle mostly in lever action silhouette.

Welcome to the forum.


Cat

[Buckshot Bowman]

Cat,
Thanks,
I do like the lyman 375449 shape, but out of three moulds I could not find one that would drop larger than .277. My custom winchester will shoot a .279, but does it's best at .380
The Marlin has to have a .380 bullet as Marlin cut the chamber to a full 38 caliber.

I would like to try a 285 grain bullet in it I think anything heavier will just have too much nose to cycle. the action. A longer bullet will chamber though but only as a single shot. I tried some borrowed 300 grain Saeco bullets in .279 and the accuracy was outstanding, but they won't cycle through the magazine.

Thanks,

Buckshot

Donald Bowman

[Bullshop]

The 350gn LBT boolits I mentioned cycle through the action of a Marlin model 375 without issue. I doubt a Winchester action is shorter than a Marlin.