Vintage 38-55 cartridges - some with scoring - safe?

[huntinlever]

So my son has his great-great-grandpa's 38-55, built at the turn of the 20th century. Just discovered 60 rounds, all decades old. Some had this scoring or ring on the cases:

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-not sure what it's from or whether what that would be safe to use, or should be pulled and discarded. Secondly, outside some 22's his other late great-grandpa's .22/410, never fired ammo this old. Safe?

[HWooldridge]

It’s a cannelure. Meant to keep the bullet from pushing back into the case when loaded in a magazine. Should have no problem shooting them.

[huntinlever]

It’s a cannelure. Meant to keep the bullet from pushing back into the case when loaded in a magazine. Should have no problem shooting them.

OK great, thanks. I didn't know cases had cannelures - only familiar with them in bullets themselves.

[barnetmill]

OK great, thanks. I didn't know cases had cannelures - only familiar with them in bullets themselves.

One sees it now and then. Most modern bottle neck cases lack it. Most often on pistol rounds or straight wall black powder rounds intended for a tubular magazine. There are tools that will put a cannelure on a straight wall case for you.

[HWooldridge]

Straight walled black powder cases didn’t need anything to retain the OAL because the powder cake was the right length to keep the bullet from pushing too deep. Some of those cartridges got a cannelure when the switch was made to smokeless. I used to have some 44-40 shells with cannelures and you occasionally see them on 45 Long Colt.

[pworley1]

Shoot and enjoy, reload and repeat.

[BFJ]

A picture of the rifle, would be great.

[huntinlever]

Thanks for the info guys, looking forward to reloading and shooting this one. Lot of deer from an old Arcadian-Yooper.

[huntinlever]

A picture of the rifle, would be great.

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[Frank V]

Nice, enjoy, the .38-55 is a cartridge that deserves more recognition!

[huntinlever]

Thanks Frank. He's pretty keyed to use it and I'm pretty keyed to reload it for him. In top-flight condition, testament to his great-great grandpa down to his grandpa.

[georgerkahn]

So my son has his great-great-grandpa's 38-55, built at the turn of the 20th century. Just discovered 60 rounds, all decades old. Some had this scoring or ring on the cases:

314497

-not sure what it's from or whether what that would be safe to use, or should be pulled and discarded. Secondly, outside some 22's his other late great-grandpa's .22/410, never fired ammo this old. Safe?

I do not know -- "ignorance speaks loudly"! -- but, if it were my ammo, I would question the probability of the primers employed as having been corrosive? I wish I knew of a simple test, having actually thought of making a "tester" from a cap screwed on a short length of iron pipe with a hole drilled in its centre, where case with bullet pulled and powder removed chould have primer detonated; wait a couple of days; and "see"? BUT, never got around to it ;)...
Anyhoos -- 'specially if it is an awesomely beautiful old .38-55 your son has -- it's not thaaaat much effort to pour some hot, soapy water down barrrel after shooting... just in case?
geo

[freakonaleash]

Clean your gun after you shoot it and there will be no worries. Doesn't everybody clean their guns?

[FergusonTO35]

I'm 99.9% sure that the .38-55 was never factory loaded with jacketed bullets and corrosive primers.

[HWooldridge]

I'm 99.9% sure that the .38-55 was never factory loaded with jacketed bullets and corrosive primers.

Agreed, my stepdad had some factory rounds from the late 1920’s that shot fine and never caused any corrosion issues. The lead tips were white from oxidation but they all went bang.

[Texas by God]

Winchester 38-55 ammunition was/is loaded with 255 gr jacketed bullets.
My 94/JES 38-55 has never seen a jacketed bullet. The Lee379250 works perfectly for my needs.
It’s a good thing, too. Because I haven’t seen any component .375 flat nose jacketed bullets for sale in a long time.


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[725]

TBG - I've been after the Barnes 255 gr, specific for the .38-55 for a couple years. It was a super combo in the .38-55. Now it's just no longer available. I'm shooting cast now.