Huntin with the 38-55

[Dom]

I have a Marlin Cowboy 38-55. Never have hunted with it. Now have been casting a LBT 260gr GC bullet. BHN 15 & PC. My chrono says about 1485 fps. I'm figuring deer, but have a fair amount of elk in the area. Looking for info as to the capability of this round? Effective range , penetration ??Attachment 285232

[badguybuster]

Within 100 archery ranges (50 yards) I would venture it would pass completely thru an elk on a broadside shot. Elk have been effectively killed with 44-40 for years before the advent of more powerful rounds.

[725]

I would tend to concur w/ badguybuster. Pick your shot and place it well. Read a great review by (?) about "The Medium Medium Bore" or "Gentle Medium Bore" or some such. I'll try and find it.

[725]

>38-55, The Gentile Medium Bore by Chuck Hawks. Quick search will produce it.

[Jim22]

That will do well on deer, I think. For elk you will have to do your part. Pick your range, pick your shot, and, as suggested, expect penetration.

Edit: It sounds like your rifle is producing levels a bit above the .44 Magnum in a revolver. They have taken both deer and elk. The difference is that you will be able to shoot a rifle more accurately than a handgun.

[Kylongrifle32]

I have been hunting with a Chiappa mini sharps 38-55 for a couple of years. A Lee 250 grain FN traveling at 1200 fps. I don't have a lot of kills with this rifle but all shots at deer have been pass thru shots.

[quilbilly]

Having taken elk with authority with my muzzleloader using a 265 gr .429 SWC with a sabot at approximately the same velocity, you will be very impressed by its performance on elk if you do your part at ranges under 150 yards. I was so impressed the first time on elk that I downloaded my .444 to match the muzzleloader for Roosevelt elk which are a bit larger in body size as an adaptation to our violent climate.

[Landy88]

I would tend to concur w/ badguybuster. Pick your shot and place it well. Read a great review by (?) about "The Medium Medium Bore" or "Gentle Medium Bore" or some such. I'll try and find it.

You were right, twice. Their was the specific article that you cited by Hawks, and a more general one before by Barsness "Medium Mediums."

[Jim22]

This is making me rethink the loads I have been trying to reach in my single-shot .375 JDJ with cast boolits. My original goal was 2,000 fps. with the Lee 250 grain GC boolit. I think I may dial that back for the recoil reasons that Chuck Hawks mentioned. I am 74 years old and don't like recoil as much as I used to. I currently have no plans to hunt elk or moose. I would think 1300 to 1500 fps would do well.

I am currently concentrating on my .357 MAX rifle and 200 grain Lee Cast GC's. The .375 will wait a while longer.

[Dom]

Thanks so much for the info. I really want to try this 38-55. The bullets I cast at BHN 15 are kind of a compromise.Hard enough to take the 1500 fps velocity , but not overly hard to where they could shatter. Only a few months till the season opens again. Want to be absolutely ready. Because of all the big trees on the place most shot's are 150 or less with many being under 100yds.

[Jim22]

Speaking of the .38-55, have any of you had experience with Henry's brass frame side gate model in that caliber? Have they made any in steel frame? I find the brass frame to be garish. I have one of Henry's single shots. Needed trigger work but it shoots well.

If you were going to buy a lever action in .38-55 which would you choose?

Jim

[725]

I'd find an old Win 94 or Marlin 336 and send it off to JES. His work is impeccable. I started to say it might be a cheaper way to go, but with today's whacked out prices it'a anybody's guess.

[Norske]

Call Henry. That brass might be admiralty bronze, stronger than mild steel.

[PositiveCaster]

Within 100 archery ranges (50 yards) I would venture it would pass completely thru an elk on a broadside shot. Elk have been effectively killed with 44-40 for years before the advent of more powerful rounds.

[I want to be clear, I mean no disrespect to the poster, it’s just an example.] I gotta lol when I read many posts similar to this. Folks “guess” that a bullet will “pass completely through” an elk? Through both shoulders? Deer sure, large elk doubtful. What if the hunter isn’t offered a “broadside shot”?

Elk and brown bear have been killed with .22LRs but that means nothing to a responsible hunter. 19th century hunters using a .44-40 on elk didn’t have a choice, they used what they had. Just because it can be done doesn’t mean it should be. As far wiser hunters than me have stated: “don’t choose a cartridge which will perform under perfect conditions, choose one which will work under poor conditions”.

Will the OP’s load humanely kill an elk? Of course, under near-perfect conditions. As a handgun hunter, over the past 40+ years I have passed up a great many shots on many dozens of animals because conditions were not good enough. Is the OP willing to pass on a shot that is not ideal? If so, good on him. If not he may want to increase the effectiveness of his load, or reconsider shooting an elk.



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[centershot]

The history of the 38-55 tells us it was cherished as a hunting round, with good cause. The original loading was a 250 or 255 gr. bullet at something like 1300, IIRC. Pretty sedate by today's standards, but it killed well! Later n, higher velocity loads were introduced but "they" say it didn't group as well as the slower load. My own experience is limited to a Marlin 375 that I chose to load to 38-55 ballistics, and happy that I did! I, also, used the 250 grain Lee RNFP-PB, settling on a charge of 10 gr. of Unique which gave me 1312 fps average speed and grouped 2" @ 100 yds. I could not have been happier! Easy to shoot, economical and kills deer really well! Get inside 100 yds. of that elk and put one in his chest! You'll do fine!

[missionary5155]

The whole key to me is your basic cast design. The old 255 grain looked much like yours with that flat nose. That will dump energy as it pushes through skin ribs, organs and whatever else.
You have roughly 300 fps advantage over the 1899 load so just put it through the heart / lungs and get ready for the real work and eating.

[Dom]

All sounds interesting. As an elk hunter/harvester of many years I am well aware of how many times elk hunting I was presented with a sharply angled shot, from the front or back. On a shot like this penetration is paramount. Maybe I should consider a heavier bullet than my 260gr mold. I would have to check my twist as I don't remember what it is in the Marlin. Will it stabilize , say a 280gr bullet? I'm not sure. Just thinking of options. Would rather err on the side of a heavier bullet, than a lighter one. I should be able to drive a 280gr bullet easily to 1400 fps in this modern strong Marlin.

[koger]

I am planning on hunting with my Marlin/JES 38/55, or my Win. Hi Wall. I haver some 338 gr slugs I am going to be shooting here shortly, could run across a bear where I hunt. I have had great accuracy, with a max load of 24grs IMR 4198, and the Lee boolit which comes out at 265 gr with my alloy, both rifles shoot great.

[warren5421]

The 338 gr slugs will be to long for the Marlin. Will work great in your Hi Wall. I use a Lyman 336gr slug in my Browning Hi Wall that started out as a .40-65. The 265 gr works great with the Marlin. Load the 265 gr with black powder for the Marlin, it likes the black and Pb real well. If you load with black load max length that will cycle in your Marlin. Shooting the Marlin use Bore Butter as you gun lube and use a good black powder lube on your slugs.

[MT Gianni]

A friend who has a lot of different choices carries one as a wandering around gun in the western part of Beaverhead County. That can be thick and isolated or open up to 150 yards or so.