38-55 mold & reloading question

[gathumper]

I have money in hand finally and am sending my win 94 30-30 carbine off to jes reboring next week and having changed to 38-55. This is my summer gun project and my projects are very economical...for example last summers project was buying the rifle. This year it will be buying the equipment for casting and reloading the 38-55.

I got from his website that it will be 3 grove rifling with a .366 bore and .376 grove and I'm not sure of the twist yet. I know all this is important, but I have not got a total grasp on it yet. I was hoping yall could tell me if what I want will work. First the mold...I am wanting a slightly heavy, wide meplat gas check bullet, so I am looking at buying the Lyman #375449. I will be using only ww's.

I am also wondering about the dies...I was looking at the lee set, but some of the review said it was good for cast loads b/c of sizing. Then I read that's why rcbs offers the Cowboy version. I will only be shooting cast bullets so this is my biggest concern.

Thanks for any help/advice...like I said I don't have the money this year to experiment so I'm trying to buy once and come up with a good load from that. Maybe I can expand my options next year. Oh, i'm just wanting to shoot moderate loads at whitetail, black bear, and feral hogs, if that makes any difference.

[felix]

Use the cowboy dies and 16 twist. ... felix

[gathumper]

Thanks, 16 is the twist mr. jesse rebores to? should the lyman #375449 work well with that those specs? 1:16 twist .366 bore-.376 grove

[ktw]

My copy of 375449 drops at .377 in acww. Should be a good fit for your rifle.
It shoots well for me in a 1 in 18 twist. Your rifle shouldn't have any problem handling it with a 1 in 16.

You might want to consider looking for the Lyman 375248, a plain based 250gr design. This isn't a high velocity cartridge. The bulk of your shooting probably wont require the expense of gas checks. 375449 was originally intended for the 375 H&H.

-ktw

[gathumper]

Thanks for the advice...I wasn't sure about needing gc's so I decided to go with a mold that used them just to be on the safe side. I do a decent cleaning job, but I was worried about lead in the barrel. I guess I can still be persuaded to try a different if the overall opinion is I don't need them. I'm not even sure of what velocities i'll get out of the carbine with moderate loads.

[felix]

If that particular boolit shoots well by experience with the 18 twist, then that twist should be used instead of 16 twist, unless 200 yards will be the most usual range shot. ... felix

[gathumper]

thank yall for the advice...I talked to JES reboring today and he told me that his rifles shoot .375-.376 sized bullets well and he also recomended the lyman 250gr mold...oh and the twist rate will be 15

I know someone has already said I don't need gas checks, but I was hoping to ask one more time. He said I should be able to get about 1400-1500fps out of the 20" barrel with moderate load, do you all feel that type load should need a gas check?

[2Tite]

I have several 38-55's and have loaded cast bullets in them for a good while. I've used a number of different bullets and powders. I strongly recommend the Lyman 375248. It has been the most accurate bullet in all circumstances. I also recommend about 16-16.5 gr of 4759. It has shot well in everything I've used it in. Actually, it's now the only bullet and powder I use in these rifles.

[gathumper]

Thank you so much for the input...i'm writing that powder down. I have never handloaded before, much less with cast bullets so i'm having a hard time wrapping my head around casting then sizing to make things work. If anyone in the south ga/north fl area handload a straight wall cast bullet round I would appreciate very much being able to come and watch the process. I think that will help me.

[Gray Fox]

If you don't mind me asking, what is JES charging to rebore your gun? I let a Legendary Frontiersman in .38-55 go a couple of years back, but might like to play with the cartridge again if I can find a .30-30 in a reasonable price range.

[felix]

15 twist should give you a 1000 yards with moderate crosswinds. ... felix

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I have 3 rifles that shoot 38-55; 94SRC,94 rifle and 1885 Hi-wall. I've used the Lyman 375248 successfully in all three with 3031 powder. Usual charges have varied between 25 and 30 grains differing with the rifle and the range involved. Of course there are other powders that will work as well. I also have two WRA original single cavity molds, casting bullets that weigh around 255 grains, which closely resemble the 375248 except that they have shallower grease grooves. All molds cast in the .378-.379 diameter range, out of straight WW. I shoot all of the bullets as-cast, using a sizer die of .379 dia that does not size but lubes them. The accuracy is good at 100 yards and of course even better at 50 yards: best of all with the Hi-wall. I use NRA 50/50 lube and there is no leading. Recoil is not a major issue except it is more noticeable with the SRC if 30 grains of 3031 is used. The Lyman 375449 is also a good bullet but it uses a gas check which is really not needed for this cartridge and it is just an added expense. As for dies I have both the RCBS and the Lee dies. Both do a good job and I can't tell the difference in terms of performance between the two...either in appearance of the loaded rounds or the grouping on paper. The Lee has the advantage of the "thru the expander" powder charging and of course the totally unbreakable decapping pin, Both do a good job of crimping, ranging from slight roll crimp to more pronounced if needed. I keep the crimping to a minimum-just what is necessary in order to preserve case life. The 38-55 is a good target round and with the necessary attention to adjustment/tuning can perform very well. As a hunting cartridge it can deliver plenty of power for use on larger sizes of game; deer and bear for sure and probably elk and moose as well. Stay with a mold that casts a bullet with a flat/meplat type nose as it will be safer to use in a tubular magazine such as is standard on 94's. Brass is not a problem, but you can make perfectly good cases out of 30-30's if you want/ need to. Advise that if you do that..that you anneal the 30-30 necks first, prior to fireforming them. Good luck/shooting. LLS

[KirkD]

I use Lee dies for my 38-55 and have no problem loading cast bullets from .375 to .382. I use a Lee Factory crimp die as well. With the larger diameter bullets, the Lee Factory crimp die was better than the roll crimp, as it kept the overall OD of the cartridge neck small enough to chamber.

[jtaylor1960]

I have a 38/55 done by Jes.I load my ammo with my 375 win. dies.My cast bullets are sized at .377.The only drawback is that I can't size the case clear to the rim.So far that doesn't seem to be a problem.Repeated firings might cause the case to expand and not chamber easily.Time will tell.The rebore is excellent.It shoots very well and doesn't lead with cast bullets.You will be happy with yours as well.

[gathumper]

Thanks so much for the advice guys, i mailed the rifle off today and he charges $225 and that includes shipping back. The rifle will be used as a 100yd deer and bear gun and I'll shoot at these dang wild hogs as far as I can see them. I'm putting a william's 5d on it as soon as it gets back. I think to help with cost i will go with lee die set since you guys don't have trouble with them and the lyman 250gr mold. I'm going to look for online videos, maybe on youtube, to see if anyone has made a video of handloading cast bullets. Thanks again guys. Lee.

[Steelbanger]

I have a few 38-55's and shoot several different bullets from these. I find that Unique for the light loads and IMR 3031 for the higher velocity projects gives me all I could want in both velocity and accuracy. My latest mould, a Ranch Dog 235 gr wide meplat gas check bullet sounds like what you're looking for. Accurate, proven game killer and still available from Ranch Dog Molds. You're probably aware that RD Molds is closing up shop so if you decide you "need" one you had better act fast. You won't be sorry.

[gathumper]

Thanks, I'll look it up...i'm not ordering anything else until the rifle gets back. Will that bullet stabalize well with a 1:15 twist?

Now this might be a stupid question, but i'm jumping head first into handloading and casting so excuse my ignorance. The die for sizing and lubing the bullet, is it included in the three die sets or is it a die you order on the side?

[gathumper]

I called JES yesterday and after mailing my rifle out from S.GA to OR on tuesday, I'll probably have it back monday. That was faster than I thought...I don't think I need to slug the barrel since he cuts the bore he knows it will be a .366bore and .376grove. And after talking to others I think I'll try sizing the bullet to .377.

What I was wondering is what's the best way figure out how deep to seat the bullet, so its in the right place in the throat? I have a friend how doesn't load with cast, but he said i can mark the bullet of a dummie round with a marker and try loading it into the chamber and if it doesn't want to go easily seat it a little farther until I get it right...he said I should be able to see the rifling on bullet where the marker was wiped off.