Reloading .38-55

[warren5421]

I have a Browning rebarreled from .40-65 to .38-55 by Lee Shaver using a Dougles Barrel. The guy who built the gun had a custom mold made that drops a 330 gr bullet. He used Swiss but stupid me didn't write down his load and now alhizmer (sp) keeps him from remembering the load now. I think it was 34 gr by vol. Swiss 1 1/2, .060 card wad, felt SPG lube wad, and the 330 gr bullet. There was also a dummy round for O.A.L.

Does this sound like a usable loaded round for the .38-55? Should I load different than the way I think.

[Chill Wills]

Warren, That 34grn load is light.

Please understand, BP is not like smokeless powder in that the former owners lot of Swiss BP will not be exactly like your current lot of Swiss.
The way to start is what we all do, that is, figure where the bullet seats in the case by making a dummy round and seating it in the chamber.
I know one was provided, but make your own.
Now you know how much room you have for powder. The empty space under the bullet in the case is filled with powder.
Make a few to shoot.
Load a few with greater amounts of powder and test those too. One of the powder amounts will prove out to be more accurate than the rest.
That's it in as few words as I can write.

[nuclearcricket]

Since you have a dummy round to start with, do this. Measure the OAL of the dummy. subtract the length of the bullet. Subtract the length of an empty case. The negative number is how deep the bullet sets in the case. Guessing the bullet is a Grease Grove bullet you can do away with the lube wad. Fill your case with powder to the depth of the negative number you came up with,weigh that charge, seat the OP wad and then your bullet, that will give you a little bit of compression. Load 5 and shoot them and then work up in 1 grain increments and see if your groups shrink. When they get small and then start to grow, then you have found the charge it likes. My guess is the charge will be in the 45 to 47 grain range.
Sam