Miroku 1885 Winchester Traditional Hunter 38-55 with CBP .380 x 260gr load info ?

[Eddie Southgate]

Am interested in using Cast Bullet Performances .380 diameter 260 grain bullet in my dad's Miroku/Winchester 1885 TH and was hoping for some input from someone who owns this rifle and has experience with this bullet . I am interested in using it for hunting Deer and maybe larger game sometime in the future . Would 1400-1500 fps be reasonable with this bullet in this rifle ? How does this bullet perform on game ? I hunt fairly tight cover so almost all shots will be under 60 yds .He loaded Lyman's bullet cast hard moving not faster than 1285 fps and it shoots well but I like the looks of the wider FN on the C P bullet better. Thanks for any help you may be able to give.

Thanks,
Eddie

[koger]

I have a Miroku/Winchester 38/55 Hi Wall, 28"tapered octagonal barrel, and it likes a .377 to .379 diameter bullet, does not do as well with the .380. I am shooting the lee FP 260gr from my mold. I have sized them down to .377 and have pan lubed them and shot them .379, but they are snug going into the chamber, Both shoot equally well. For now I have started to size them all and have no issues in this rifle or a Marlin 336 that JES has rebored and rifled. It too prefers the .377, as a .379 requires some exertion to get it to close tightly. I am shooting 24grs of IMR 4198, and man does it shoot well, about 2000fps, and the other day I shot a 3 shot offhand group at 140 yds, that went into 2". Sandbagged it will cut all the bullet holes together with no paper in between the holes at the same distance. I have a Marbles tang peepsight on it and love it, would not do without it.

[shortlegs]

I have that rifle too. I think your boolit and load will be fine for hunting. I am just punching paper and banging steel with mine. I am working on a load using a 330 gr boolit and looking for 12 to 1400 fps.
Koger, I have that lee mold and will try your load of 24 grs of IMR 4198. I hope my rifle likes it as well as yours does.

[pbcaster45]

I don't have a Miroku but this might help.

Gun: Cimarron Arms 1885 High Wall 38-55 Winchester (1 in 18 twist rate, 30 inch bbl.)

Bullet: Cast Performance 260 gr. LFNGC (.380)
Powder: 20.0 grs. Accurate 5744
Primer: Wolf Large Rifle
Case: Winchester (.377 inside neck diameter)
Average Velocity: 1523.78 fps
ES: 30.32
SD: 14.10
Comments: Ten shot group at 100 yards measured 2.10 inches.

[Eddie Southgate]

Thanks Guy's .

[lotech]

I bought a Traditional Hunter .38-55 not long after they came out, more than twenty years ago. I've tried several bullets in it and everything was accurate, but finally settled on the Lyman 270 grain gas checked flat nose cast of wheelweight alloy and run through a .379" size die. Chronograph figures are in the 1,400 -1,500 fps range; don't recall exactly. I've taken one whitetail buck with this load at about 135 yards, for me about the maximum distance considering the not-so-flat trajectory of the .38-55.