38-55 green dot load on doe

[DaveOhio]

292030

My 13 year old son got this doe yesterday at my cousin's property. We went out for the 2 day youth only weekend here in Ohio. We were only in the stand a few hours Saturday morning when he spotted this 150lb doe trotting though the bottom. He missed his first shot, but put one right through the lungs and broke one shoulder with a follow up shot. He was super excited, as was I.

The load we used was out of an old manual I have. It was 9gr Green dot over a powder coated cast lee 250gr bullet. I chronographed this at 1169fps. It is a very low recoil load, and is fairly quiet to boot. I was a little concerned that it wouldn't have enough power to cleanly kill a deer, but I was completely wrong. She went about 10 yard after he hit her and never got up. We never found the bullet, but it destroyed her lungs and heart and went through her shoulder bone. I am very impressed with how well this load worked, and sighted in to 75 yards it doesn't deviate more than 2 inches from point of aim. Adding to that, it shoots cloverleaf's at 50 yards! The gun is a JES rebored 336... I haven't heard of many using green dot, but I am really happy with it's performance.

[Jedman]

Congrats to your son ! Shows you what a well placed shot with a cast boolit will do, I also have a Marlin 336 that JES rebored to 38-55, great caliber !

Jedman

[missionary5155]

Good morning and to your son Congratulations !
That is a fine photo of a young man who has put in the time practicing. Making a good follow-up shot takes a good steady aim and trigger finger. Good shooting !
The 38-55 has been smacking corn crunchers for double my age and will keep right on doing so. Anytime you wonder about a cartridge capability just look into that same cartridge or one similar using black powder. The 38 Extra Long and 38-50 Ballard has been about for 150 years doing fine service on bean eaters and bears.
Our house has a few caliber 38 JES Rebores sitting about also

[30calflash]

Nice work, just goes to show you don't need a belted case or big numbers on paper for good results.

[444ttd]

way to go!!!!!!!

[DaveOhio]

Thanks guys! He spent a lot of time at the range this summer practicing with his 22. I'm pretty proud of him.

[nagantguy]

Following up and making a hit shows he keeps his head under pressure many go to pieces when that first shot misses and do nothing but watch or start slinging lead like a battle rattle! Wonderful job!

[Orchard6]

Nice job! Yup, it can take a lot less power than most people think to knock a deer over as long as it’s placed properly!

[Texas by God]

I think of it as a "baby 45-70"- and I like mine, too. Your son has me jealous now- I haven't got one with my Win/JES 38-55.....yet!

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Midohhntr]

Nice job! Gives me confidence in possibly using mine this year..

[HD.375]

Got to love it.
Awesoem to hear the round excelled your expectation at a 'low' velocity --- big fan of the 38/55-375 deals an this right here is awesome too see!!

good on the Lad.

[sharps4590]

Well done sir, your son and you!!! the 38-55 is a grand old game getter and your son and load just proved it again.......however.....

Not possible...obviously phot shopped and a different firearm and cartridge was used. EVERYONE knows it takes at LEAST 3500 FPS, a $4.00 solid copper bullet, and a 12 X 36, A/O, BDC scope to kill a 120 lb. white tail at 50 yards.....lol!!!!......[smilie=1:

[marshall623]

Good job to you both and the young man keeping it together for a dead on second shot .

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

[centershot]

Congratulations and Happy Thanksgiving! As stated above, it doesn't take magnum power to kill a deer. A 250 gr. cast boolit @ 11-1200 fps has been gettin' the job done for years, and will continue to do so!

[G W Wade]

DaveOhio, your thoughts on if the GD 9gr load was enough. 1200 fps with a 250gr slug is equal to a full house load in 44 Mag revolver. I have a Win 94- 375 Big Bore loaded with 16 gr 2400 under RCBS clocking 1300 fps Fabulous gun and load. Keep the kids shooting GW

[barkerwc4362]

I have killed two 200+ lb hogs with my Marlin 1893 in 38-55. One was with a Texas heart shot at about 125 yards and the other was at about 75 yards. With an original Marlin 26 inch light round barrel it is a joy to carry. I use IMR 4895 and the RCBS 250gr FN bullet to get a velocity about 1300 fps. The RCBS bullet weight about 265 grains cast of ww and tin. I size to .378. I need to chronograph the load. I use a lyman tang sight and if I miss it is my fault.
Bill

[725]

Putting the lie to the bigger-better-faster always brings a smile to my face. Jes did a .38-55 for me and I love it. Already put one in the freezer last year and Hope to do the same again. Congrats to you for being a good Dad and congrats to the kid for listening to what I'm sure has been a few years of instruction and care.

[gunseller]

Congrats to you and your son. There is nothing as much fun as being out with kids. The GD loads are not heard about much as other powders sound so much more modern. I have Lyman books from the late 50s and 60s that show a lot of GD loads. Enjoy.
Steve

[Old Footman]

Nice job and congratulations to your son. JES does good work, he did a .375 Winchester for me that will also take .38-55 short brass. Thank you for the information on the GD.

[Smoke4320]

Congrats to the Boy. He should be hooked on deer hunting now. Plus using an "classic" caliber and cast bullet .....Way to go

[OFFSHORE]

:happy dance::happy dance::drinks: Congrats!!!

[Prodigal Son]

Great job, I have a JES rebore but have yet to kill anything with it, it shoot awesome, so i know it will do the job when the oppertunity arrives! That being said, JES 405 I have has taken deer and hogs! Congradulations to your son on a job well done!

[GooseGestapo]

And to think my “case forming” load is that same bullet from my .375Ruger over 16.0gr of Unique!
That’s a powder puff load compared to my .375!
Makes you wonder why we “want” a jacketed bullet @ 2,800fps!?

[versa-06]

It's stories like this that enlighten us to reality vs. gun rag hype.

[todd9.3x57]

It's stories like this that enlighten us to reality vs. gun rag hype.


admit it!!!!!!!! he just found the deer laying there dead. no way that a 38-55 and green dot can kill a deer!!!!!!


congrats to your son!!!!!!!! tell him, i don't like recoil all that much (disabled due to a stroke) so i use ALOT of 2400. i shot a fork horn at 50+/- yards with my 35/30 and 200gr rcbs fn with 2400/tuft of dacron going 1726fps. he ran about 10-15+/- yards, stood there bleeding(high behind the shoulder shot) and then he fell over.

[DaveOhio]

Thanks for all the encouragement guys. I was at a family get together this evening and my uncle was telling me that he saw this post on cast bullets and how proud he was of my son. It sure makes a feller feel good.

Merry Christmas guys!

[JDL]

Dave, tell your son for me that's very impressive! I've been hunting for over 60 years and missed a coyote a few weeks back not 50 yards from me. Even worse I didn't have the where-with-all to work the lever for a second shot because it was an impossible to miss shot![smilie=1::lol:

[dverna]

If you hunt enough, you will miss. Might be a twig or sapling. Might be buck fever. **** happens

A friend of mine blew the leg off a deer this week. He knew he jerked the trigger and hoped for a clean miss but no suck luck. He tracked that animal for about 5 miles and got it. I commend him for not giving up but razed him on his lack of marksmanship.

[T-Bird]

good job! I've had a JES rebore 38/55 for a couple years, love it, but haven't killed anything with it yet.

[versa-06]

This thread has really inflated my bubble, I don't have a 38-55 yet but a few 35 cal rifles ( only .017 diff.).
I am going to have to do some 250 grain penetration, expansion, & bullet drop tests at these low velocities.

[pworley1]

Heavy and slow will still get the job done. Congratulations to both of you.

[Whit Spurzon]

This thread has really inflated my bubble, I don't have a 38-55 yet but a few 35 cal rifles ( only .017 diff.).
I am going to have to do some 250 grain penetration, expansion, & bullet drop tests at these low velocities.

A little over a decade ago my friend and I lined up some milk jugs to see how many the Lee 250 grain RF jogging along around 1400 fps (the video notation is incorrect) would go through.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-kTlnhsa2Q

We also tested it, the 45-70 and the 32-20 on a slaughtered bovine.

The 32-20 penetrated 30 inches of cow and 6 water filled milk jugs.

The 38-55 penetrated 30 inches of cow and 5 water filled milk jugs.

The 45-70 penetrated 30 inches of cow and 7 water filled milk jugs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b_h7ViNeJQ

[versa-06]

Whit; Thanks, Impressive!

[veeman]

What will going to use when you run out of SR4759? Not being made anymore, correct? whats that powders equivalent? Nice shot at 400 yards!

[GooseGestapo]

Without 4759; you’re looking at:
#2400, Shooters World “Buffalo Rifle”, Accurate 5744 (same thing as Buffalo Rifle), H4198, Reloader 7.

[woody1]

What will going to use when you run out of SR4759? Not being made anymore, correct? whats that powders equivalent? Nice shot at 400 yards!

For me it's IMR4227 bit I'll prob'ly not run out of MilSurp 4759.

[Buckeye509]

Well done and congratulations!