Does anyone know where I can buy cast bullets in the 38-55 cal in 265 to 285 grain gas checked. I prefer a 270 grain if I can locate where to buy them. I need them in a bore dia. of .382 as my bore is .381.
Any suggestions is appreciated, as I am very new to cast bullet reloading and shooting. If you shoot this load what is your load data?
Respectfully,
The Senator
Jerry Kazee jerry.kazee@yahoo.com

Jerry,

The standard 38-55 groove/bullet diameter was supposed to be .378, often old black powder era guns have oversize bores, I think you'll have problems locating any commercial cast bullet bigger than .379. You may have to have a custom mould made. I would try posting on the "Cast Boolit" forum, someone there may be able to help you.

Good luck.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

I can find plain base bullets but am not so sure there are any gas checked that diameter.

You may have a train wreck with bullets that large. The goofy .38-55 chamber is often too small to allow rounds loaded with bullets large than .378 or .379 to chamber.
To fix this requires the thinner Starline brass, turning the brass or having the chamber enlarged in the neck.
All in all, the .38-55 can be a minor PITA until the chamber and bore dimensions in your rifle get sorted out.

A big thank you to all that replied.
I have some work to do on this gun.
I will start with a chamber cast etc.
Thanks again
The Senator

Hunters Supply offers a Model#: 013762604 .381" 260gr bullet that can be gas checked, that's the best I've been able to come up with, Midway stocks it.

http://www.hunters-supply.com/...6124efb59faed70ef2d4

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewP...uctNumber=2046270933

Wrongtarget:
A big thank you. Do you know where I can get gas checks for the .381 260 gr. 38-55 round.
If so what size, cal. etc. I am very very new to cast bullets. Don't know what the heck I need.
The Senator

Lyman .375" gas checks are .385"+, I just got a box of the HS bullets today, I experimented with them seating them in the Lyman 450 using the gas check seater, then I ran them part way thru a .379" sizer die just far enough to size the gas check to a diameter of .381", but not far enough to resize the bullet, I used a piece of steel bar stock 5/16" thick to place between the stop rod and die ram since the adjustment on the 450 won't adjust up far enough to stop it that shallow.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewP...productNumber=189171

wrongtarget:
Again a big thank you, I will get on this right away. I want to shoot in our next cast bullet shoot at our range. Do you have any good loads for the 260 grain bullet? We shoot silhouette's steel target's so I need a load that will go about 1600 to 1700 fps. Thanks again,
The Senator

Sorry, I don't, I have an H&R and use Lyman 375Win data in it, but the Lyman 48th has 38-55 data for a 249gr plain base bullet that would work for starters, they list A5744, IMR4198, RL7, IMR3031 and IMR4895 with velocities to just over 1800fps in a 30" barrel, pick your powder and I'll give you the data if you don't have the manual.

I used 5744 and 3031 powder 4198, and 4895.
Thanks again, I owe you!
The Senator

My lee 250 grain flat base mould throws wheel weights at 0.3815.

390ish:
Thank you I will look into that one.
The Senator