gunshow 38-55

[twotoescharlie]

bought one at a gunshow this AM, model 1871,
plus a box of Winchester Condum boolits. two bullets missing from box, said that was all he had shot in it , needed money, sold it for $250.00 OTD.
Slugged the barred, .374-.375 on the lands,.379-.380 on grooves. fire formed 30 30-30 cases. need a mould anyone have a mould or could reccomend a mould to use in this shooter. did I get screwed or did I do OK. I'll be leaveing early tomorrow AM and will not return until next friday. will check back when I return.

TTC

[garandsrus]

Sounds like a great deal to me.

John

[timkelley]

Didgood! Check Lee they have a .375/38-55mold that, at least in my case, casts at about .381 and about 260gr. using water quenched wheel weight. I size it to .379 and feed it to my 94BB chambered as a .375 Win. I like it a lot.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I've used over the years, in 3 Winny rifles (a 94 SRC, an 1885 Hi-Wall and a regular 94) Lyman mold 375248. It drops from the mold using straight WW at .378..but using Lino or just adding a little tin could get that up to .380. I prefer to lube them only and shoot em unsized. I also use 2 original WRA single cav molds that have the walnut handles and brass ferrules. There is one on E-Bay at the moment. These molds cast a 255 grain bullet with WW at .379 and are the original, right bullet for the 38-55. As for loadings, there are a lot of powders that work well-starting with 55 grains of BP, if you like BP, and numerous others from all the major firms. I 've used IMR 3031....starting with 25 grains and working up while watching the grouping. I've gone up to 30 grains which the Lyman Handbook of Cast bullets says...goes at 1575 fps. That delivers a fair amount of smack for hunting purposes and recoil as well. You did very well on the whole deal. Good luck with your rifle and good shooting. LLS

[NickSS]

I use the Lyman 375248 mold and mine casts at 379" with WW. I run them through a .379 sizing die and shoot them in all 4 of my 38-55 rifles (marlin cowboy, Winchester 94 (vintage 1913), C Sharps 1885 high wall and an H&R 1871. The H&R cost me $369 and I consider it a real bargan as it shoots as well and any rifle I own that cost me two to five times as much. My favorite load is the Lyman boolit with 18 gr of AA 5744. This load shoots into 1.5 moa out to 200 yards.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

I have a 94 Winchester Legendary Frontiersman and a Wesson and Harrington 1871 Target rifle in 38-55 and use Springfield's (http://www.whyteleatherworks.com/)Big Lube bollets sized to .380 with great result over 48 grs of 3f Goex.

Sounds like you got a real deal.

Sam :D