Stiff load for .38-55-250 gr Lyman FN

[BrentD]

I'm looking for a stiff load for a Lyman 250 grn bullet cast out of Lyman #2 alloy for a .38-55. The load needs to kill wild pigs at 100 yds or so, must be smokeless powder, and suitable for a Marlin 93 rifle. I'm not looking for a red-line load just to push the limits. Something comfortably within the limits for this cartridge and rifle would be good, but it does need to be a bit more stout that I use for target hunting. I'm loaning a rifle to a friend that is going pig hunting so I need to work up a suitable load for someone else.

Thanks.

PS. I have on hand 3031, Unique, IMR4895, H4198. Powder being hard to come by.

[ascast]

21 grains of IMR4198. start lower and work up. using gas checks? unique will also work, around 10 grains I have not tried the others

[BrentD]

No gas checks.

I've been using 19 gr of 4198 for a target load. I'll give it a try with 21 and see what happens.

[Deadeye Bly]

Brent, 3031 should work well for a load with more power. I was looking in an article in The art of Bullet Casting by Wolfe Publishing and the author was using 3031 up to 1800 fps in a Marlin '93. He was using gas checks. You should be able to find a load about 1300-1400 fps that will work on pigs without leading your barrel.

[runfiverun]

the no gas check thing is gonna limit where you can go here.
I had a rough time breaking 1400 with my 375 win using a plain base mold.
but think about what you do have.
1400 fps with a 250r boolit that will penetrate like the 375 cals do [especially with that alloy] is still a pretty formidable load.
there ain't a whole lot of pistols that will do that.
a round in both shoulders should come out the other side pretty handily.

[BrentD]

V e y good points. Could use soft gas checks, bug probably not needed.

[Chill Wills]

Brent,
Both H-4198 and IMR-3031 are great.
How bout a fiber wad under the bullet and a duplex load using that 3031? About 4 grs of that and the remainder some odd lot can of 2F that you don't shoot because it is not the same as the rest?

Or, I could just send you some gas checked bullets from my old NEI mold? Glad to do it. It is a six cavity. Fifteen throws and I made 90 bullets. No problem.

MichaelRix

[fryboy]

Not the most accurate ( accurate enough tho for 50 yards ) but I got some of my best velocities with that slug with rx7,Lyman #4 list 24 to 27.5 @ 1661 & 1788 fps respectively albeit w/30" bbl ,my 23" only chugged it a shade over 1500
I got better accuracy with 4759 and 4198 but at a lower velocity, unique makes an awesome plinking load, if you're going to push them hard using a good lube may help ( my preference is FWWFL )

[TXGunNut]

SkeetTX shared his load with me; I load 30grs 3031 under the 380681. I shoot it in a 1901 vintage 1894 and a comm 94 so I'm not looking for a hotrod load, IMHO the 38-55 doesn't need it. Yes, I have a 375 Big Bore but that's a whole 'nuther cartridge.

[taco650]

I'm looking for a stiff load for a Lyman 250 grn bullet cast out of Lyman #2 alloy for a .38-55. The load needs to kill wild pigs at 100 yds or so, must be smokeless powder, and suitable for a Marlin 93 rifle. I'm not looking for a red-line load just to push the limits. Something comfortably within the limits for this cartridge and rifle would be good, but it does need to be a bit more stout that I use for target hunting. I'm loaning a rifle to a friend that is going pig hunting so I need to work up a suitable load for someone else.

Thanks.

PS. I have on hand 3031, Unique, IMR4895, H4198. Powder being hard to come by.

Will water dropping the bullet/alloy combo you're already using harden the bullet enough to increase the speed without causing leading?

[Digital Dan]

Lyman 49th; Universal Receiver; 30" barrel:

#375248 #2 alloy, sized .379"

IMR4198 - Start 24.0 gr (1497 fps/16,700 CUP) Max 25.8 gr (1719 fps/25,800 CUP)
IMR3031 - 27.0 gr (1419 fps/18,500 CUP) Max 30.0 gr (1719 fps/27,500 CUP)
IMR4895 - 31.0 gr (1408 fps/16,300 CUP) Max 35.0 gr (Compressed 1752 fps/27,700 CUP)

Start load of 4198 gave best accuracy

[BrentD]

Michael,
Thanks for the offer of the bullets, but this is for a friend who has limited (at best) experience with big game and rifles in general. If it happens at all, he would borrow a rifle and take it to TX so I'd like to have something that will not require a great amount of cleaning or even any at all. More than likely, he will feel the need for a bolt rifle with scope and with that, I cannot help. We will see what he does however. I made the offer of one of my rifles, thinking I would make something fairly "normal" work with one of them and the Marlin seem the choice in a lot of ways.

[BrentD]

Lyman 49th; Universal Receiver; 30" barrel:

#375248 #2 alloy, sized .379"

IMR4198 - Start 24.0 gr (1497 fps/16,700 CUP) Max 25.8 gr (1719 fps/25,800 CUP)
IMR3031 - 27.0 gr (1419 fps/18,500 CUP) Max 30.0 gr (1719 fps/27,500 CUP)
IMR4895 - 31.0 gr (1408 fps/16,300 CUP) Max 35.0 gr (Compressed 1752 fps/27,700 CUP)

Start load of 4198 gave best accuracy

For some reason, I always forget that I have this reference. Thanks.

[Bodean98]

I use the 31.0 gr of IMR4895 load listed in the Lyman manual. The 24.0 gr of IMR4198 was nearly as accurate in my rifle. I have an 1895 vintage '93 w/26' barrel, relined by John Taylor. The recorded velocities were very close to the published velocities.
380681 lyman boolit sized to .380, loobed with FWFL or SL68b. No leading with either loob. The SL68b is the better of the two having no cold barrel fliers. 96/2/2 alloy, Starline long brass trimmed to 2.120, WW standard primers.
The IMR4198 load gave me 5" groups(10 shots) @ 100 yds over irons. My rifle actually prefers the Lee 379-250 boolit with the same loading. Using it with the SL68b loob and IMR4895 I get 3 1/2" @100.
These loads were stiff enough to cause me to remove the tang sight while hunting. There was enough recoil for the folded down sight to make contact w/my cheekbone when the rifle was fired. That was unpleasant to say the least. I have not taken game with this rifle/load yet but anticipate no problems.
Hope this helps.

[Chill Wills]

Michael,
Thanks for the offer of the bullets, but .......

10-4
This turned into an interesting thread anyway. Some good info. I really like the 38-55 in either the repeater or singleshot!

I wish your friend a good hunting trip!

[Hickok]

Probably no help, as my boolit has a gas check.

Win. 1894 AE 38/55 26" barrel.

Accurate Mold 255 gr GC 25gr/ IMR 4198 1703 fps.

[Prodigal Son]

I use 28.9 grs of 3031 around 1500 fps! Groups great, breaking clay Pidgion at 100 yards every shot!

[Prodigal Son]

Oh 245 gr PB bullet no leading ever!

[MarkP]

18 gr - 4198 is my normal load, accuracy falls off at 22 to 23 gr. Best accuracy at higher velocity was with RL-7 (25.3 gr) ~ 1,700 fps with PB, able to maintain accuracy for 20+ shots. All the cartridges I had loaded at the time. Using the 379-250 LEE in a Win M 94 with a 24" bbl.