'New' 109 year-old 38-55 and range report

[KirkD]

Last week I received the latest addition to my very small collection of vintage Winchesters.

The factory records indicate the following:

Serial number applied on March 24, 1905
Type: Rifle
Caliber: 38/55
Barrel Type: Round
Trigger: Plain
Shotgun Butt, Rubber plate
4 cartridge magazine
Received in warehouse on July 10, 1905
Shipped from warehouse on July 10, 1905, Order number 15546


The Marbles tang sight is a high condition original that I installed myself (with great care, using the proper hollow ground screwdrivers). I took it to the range today and with some careful shooting, was able to put 5 rounds into 1 & 3/4" at 100 yards. A photo of the target is below. I just need to tweak the tang sight shims a bit more to get it bang on in windage. I used an Accurate Mould 38-255L http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=38-255L-D.png and pure clip on wheel weights which drops a bullet weighing 256 grains before lubing and gas check, 262 grains after lubing and gas checking. A photo of the mould and bullet is also shown below.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/3855Win/Desktop%20Photos/38-55-full_zpscc7f5786.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/3855Win/Desktop%20Photos/38-55-close-up_zpsadb3e16f.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/3855Win/Desktop%20Photos/Lever-Left_zps49aefd5e.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/3855Win/Range%20Results/Target_zpsa8b9ce06.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/3855Win/Mould-38-55_zps74d7546e.jpg

[DeanWinchester]

Good stuff, thanks for posting.

This is the perfect example of balance between class and muscle while NOT being abusive. A 262g boolit at 1300 fps must be a joy to shoot.....unless you're the white tail it's pointed at.:mrgreen:

[Bullshop]

I like the shotgun butt much better than the standard crescent butt.

[MrWolf]

She's beautiful. Very nice.

[KirkD]

Good stuff, thanks for posting.

This is the perfect example of balance between class and muscle while NOT being abusive. A 262g boolit at 1300 fps must be a joy to shoot.....unless you're the white tail it's pointed at.:mrgreen:
It is a pleasure to shoot. I like to use original ballistics in my old Winchesters.

[DeanWinchester]

I like to use original ballistics in my old Winchesters.
They worked back then.....and they STILL DO. ;)

[dverna]

She's a fine old girl. A true classic beauty.

Nice shooting too.

Thanks for posting

Don Verna

[OverMax]

For its age. Certainly a nice clean rifle. Shoots good too.

[TXGunNut]

Awesome-as usual, KirkD. Beautiful rifle well photographed. A rather deserving addition to the collection. Something tells me this old girl is going hunting again.
May need to try that boolit in my 375 Win, rifles like these don't need GC boolits.

[Catshooter]

Sweet Kirk, sweet.

That rifle is actually older than you are! :)


Cat

[Tatume]

What length is the barrel, 24", 26"? I REALLY like the magazine! It looks grrrrreat!

[kenyerian]

Very nice!!

[hunter64]

Nice rifle Kirk. What size does the mold drop the bullet at with air cooled WW? Some of those old girls like 3 of mine have a really wide barrel/throat and to get any accuracy out of them they have to be fat like .381 or .382. The problem with that is the brass is sometimes to thick which is the case for my rifles so I picked up some starline brass and they just barely chamber with the bullet seated correctly.

What we really need for these old girls is a hollow base bullet of .379 or .380 and soft lead so it will expand upon firing, with that size it would be easier on the brass and better accuracy.

When I finally settled on a good bullet/powder combo like you have I bought a lyman tang sight and I actually had to remove a slight bit of metal from one side of the mount and shim the other side as you said you will have to do.

Now I just use the standard rear sight for 125 yards or less and if I am shooting 200 yards then I just pop up the sight. 4 Mule Deer can attest to this method. Nothing like still putting meat in the freezer with a 110 year old rifle.

[NSB]

A really nice gun. Something I'd love to own. Tell me, did they make them back then with a case colored hammer and lever and leave the receiver blued? It makes it look even better that way.

[Guesser]

NICE,!!!!!!!! Obviously a special order Winchester. I looked for something like that in 38-55 for a lot of years, never found it. I finally had one built. Mine looks a lot like yours but obviously mine lacks the character yours possesses. Bravo Zulu to you and the original owner, he had the desire for a finely built special order rifle, you now possess that rifle. Thanks for posting.

[KirkD]

The barrel is the standard 26". When you order a mould from Accurate Moulds, you tell them the alloy and what you want to size the boolit to and the tweak the diameter accordingly. Mine drops them at about .382 and I size them to .381, which is about as large as I can chamber with Starline long brass. I have not yet slugged the barrel. The case colouring is original. The did the hammer, lever and buttplate up until then teens sometime as far as I know.

[smokeywolf]

As usual for you Kirk, great photography and range report. Beautiful rifle! "Nickel Steel" barrel?

smokeywolf

[KirkD]

I don't see 'nickel steel' on the barrel anywhere, so I'm assuming it was the standard steel they used in 1905.

[missionary5155]

Greetings KirkD
That is a beauty !! Will certainly be a prize for many years top come.
Got me wondering when my after 1900 was made.. 1907, 26 inch round, full mag but only 60% blue left. Has a fat throat. Needs .383 to shoot smokeless descent. But with a case full of 2F, a cereal box wad and my fat 375248 style cast of 40-1 it does well. Hoping to run some 3F through it this time up in June.
Hard to beat a caliber 38 model 1894 on a sunny day at the shooting place.
Mike in Peru

[KirkD]

Missionary5155, sounds like you own a fine old 38-55 that performs as out should with black powder.

[yooper]

What a gorgeous special order 1894! The color case on both the hammer and lever is outstanding. You say you have a "very small collection" of vintage Winchesters. With quality like that you don't need quantity to have a fine collection you can be proud of, and that shoot well to boot.
yooper

[KirkD]

Glad you enjoyed the photo of this fine old rifle. It is a pleasure to handle and shoot. My total collection of vintage Winchesters consists of only five rifles, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of them.

[Bzcraig]

She is gorgeous! I'm feeling a bit :mrgreen:

[propwashp47]

just a proud dad

[ajjohns]

As always beautiful rifle, darn nice shooting. Love your pictures.

[Artful]

Thanks for sharing - there is something about those straight walled cartridges that you have to love