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View Poll Results: Granulation of BP?

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  • 1F

    4 4.60%
  • 2F

    47 54.02%
  • 3F

    36 41.38%
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Results 21 to 40 of 40

Thread: 38-55 Powder Granulation?

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy
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    Ah, that makes great sense, and explains the difference.
    I shoot an 1894 Winchester, and am therefore restricted by
    the action to flat-nose boolits and a specific cartridge OAL.

    You have a single-shot, and therefore OAL can be anything you
    can get to chamber.

    Thank you for the explanation.

  2. #22
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    bad *** wallace, im glad you posted about the size of a bullet and fouling. i have or had several paperpatch fast twist muzzleloaders from .40 cal to .50 cal. the .40 had the most fouling but the .50 1/23 twist that shoots a 700 grain bullet has very little at all. im always amazed at how clean it shoots. their is a little fouling and the bottom in the chamber but very little in the rest of the barrel. i alway figured it was the size and weight of the bullet and with what you said it most likely is. again thank for you input.

  3. #23
    Boolit Master Bad Ass Wallace's Avatar
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    Jeff,

    The full load is Swiss No.2 (3F) and gives me 1128fps ave. I was amazed when chronographing that the SD for 5 shots was just 6fps. The rifle is a Pedersoli and despite reports from others, it is the most reliable and accurate BPCR of about 30 rifles in my vault. BTW I use only Federal large pistol primers as during load development these gave the least shot to shot variation of any brand.

    Sadly Swiss supplies are drying up here and I will have to start again with the Wano 3P brand in the New Year!
    Hold Still Varmint; while I plugs Yer!

  4. #24
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    Chill Wills's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bad *** Wallace View Post
    Jeff,

    The full load is Swiss No.2 (3F) and gives me 1128fps ave. I was amazed when chronographing that the SD for 5 shots was just 6fps. The rifle is a Pedersoli and despite reports from others, it is the most reliable and accurate BPCR of about 30 rifles in my vault. BTW I use only Federal large pistol primers as during load development these gave the least shot to shot variation of any brand.
    BA - I am surprised at the velocity being that low. I would have guessed that load was going at least 1200 fps. My 38-55 running a 330 gr bullet with 51.5 gr 2F Swiss measures 1275fps.

    I am not surprised that the rifle is your most accurate. It has all the good design features built into it. Maybe some day I will own one - but not soon.
    Chill Wills

  5. #25
    Boolit Master
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    I've been using 58gr of Goex FFg Express and a breech seated 320gr PP bullet in my CSA highwall for about 1250fps.

    My CPA with a breech seated tapered Hoch bullet seems to like 56gr of FFFg Express. I've not chronographed that load, but it's looking like an accurate load. This combo worked better than FFg Express. If I can only solve the case stretching that comes with it...

    Chris.

  6. #26
    Boolit Master veeman's Avatar
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    near 9 year old thread

  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by veeman View Post
    near 9 year old thread
    Hey Veeman
    my 38/55 winchester commemorative gets FFFg powder, a single juice box wad, LEE 250 grain cast (plenty lube), gun loves it.
    I rattled 23 through it in a 2 minute rapid fire one time at a 100 yard rabbit target and the last couple went in the middle
    Proly couldnt do that now but it was fun then!

  8. #28
    Boolit Master veeman's Avatar
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    Haven't tried BP in my Crazy Horse yet, some day. Still fiddling around with the 76's mostly.

  9. #29
    Boolit Master
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    I USE ONLY BLACKHORN209, 42grs, 500 - 525 gr BULLET, PURE LEAD, MAG PRIMER, MAKE MY OWN LUBE, A PAPER WAD OVER POWDER, A PLASTIC WAD UNDER BULLET, 1200 fps OR A TAD LESS, VERY ACCURATE OUT TO 1000 METERS,
    I SHOOT A ROLER SO WITH A SLIGHT COMPRESSION>

  10. #30
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by veeman View Post
    Haven't tried BP in my Crazy Horse yet, some day. Still fiddling around with the 76's mostly.
    heard tell blackpowder plays havoc with the silver finish ? dont know - mine is gold plate and the black dont hurt it - finish is ultra thin so dont hold up on edges but its a shooter not an ornyment. Have not had my 76 out for too long !!!

  11. #31
    Boolit Master Lead pot's Avatar
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    I don't shoot a .38-55 but I shoot a .38-50 Rem Hepburn. It's just a little longer shell case than the .38-55 at 2.250" and I use a 356-360 grain PP bullet with black powder only. This little caliber seems to shoot well with granulations from 1.5FG to 3FG testing different ladder load brands of powder.
    This rifle has given me some fine accuracy as well as frustration but all in all it is a shooter.Below are chronograph shot records of some granulations and for a close 100 yard target I shot at with these test loads the velocity this little shell was a surprise and it lays a 500 yard iron ram down in fine shape.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  12. #32
    Boolit Master veeman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    heard tell blackpowder plays havoc with the silver finish ? dont know - mine is gold plate and the black dont hurt it - finish is ultra thin so dont hold up on edges but its a shooter not an ornyment. Have not had my 76 out for too long !!!
    Its the Frontiersman thats silver, the Crazy Horse is Blued and CCH. Shame on you for neglecting the 76! I'm telling the guys on you!!

  13. #33
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by veeman View Post
    Its the Frontiersman thats silver, the Crazy Horse is Blued and CCH. Shame on you for neglecting the 76! I'm telling the guys on you!!
    ooooops ....the one with the nails in the wood ... shoulda knew that
    I like the look of the silver one best - not a particular fan of my gold plated OFW - just wanted a 38/55 - it came into view and the thing shoots!!!

  14. #34
    Boolit Master
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    I tried all of the above and found blackhorn209 worked great for me. 42grs under a 500-525 gr pure lead bullet sized to .461 at 1200 fps or a tad less. 1200fps and very accurate out to 1000 meters and beyond. Blackhorne209 will work well with compression in a 45/70. Just what works for me. No buildup of crud between shots and cleans up easy. No leading, I make my own lube.

  15. #35
    Boolit Grand Master


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    When we get north the 76's come out. My favorite is the 50-95 with a 350 grain with a cereal box wad pushed by 3F Goex. Shoot 10 and run a spit patch. Let it cool in the shade while shooting a 45-60 off the cross sticks. Swap back and forth till the 20-50 rounds are gone.
    "Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
    Male Guanaco out in dry lakebed at 10,800 feet south of Arequipa.

  16. #36
    Boolit Master

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    have used Goex Crtg for years. I found it good enough to hit Rams consistantly.

  17. #37
    Boolit Master
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    They haven’t made Goex cartridge since 1996. You must have a rather large supply of it. Or don’t shoot it much.

    KW

  18. #38
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kenny Wasserburger View Post
    They haven’t made Goex cartridge since 1996. You must have a rather large supply of it. Or don’t shoot it much.

    KW
    I still have 5 kilos of Goex 5FA from the same era - and yeah guilty on both counts 1)had over 100pounds of it stashed at one point 2)dont shoot it much (savin it for a rainy day) I went to a major comp early days with barely enough powder to shoot the events - that aint happenin again ever!

  19. #39
    Boolit Master
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    This is a pretty old thread and in the 9+ years since I've posted my reply I can say that there are a number of powders that work well in the .38-55.

    Swiss 1.5 Fg is very good, and if you don't need quite as much velocity ( i.e. 200 yard schuetzen shooting ) then Swiss Fg and even plain Goex Fg can work extremely
    well.

    The target below is from one of my CPA rifles during load testing with plain Goex Fg. 12 shots at 223 yards. The cold bore shot is the low one. The 9 shots in the ten ring are well under 1 moa. There are two additional flyers that ruined the group. I'm not someone that shoots much from the bench and the traditional stock with pronged butt plate make it easy for me to make ugly flyers .

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Chris.

  20. #40
    Boolit Master

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    to KW both true these days

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check