I bought 3 boxes of old and I mean old gold boxes of Barnes 255 gr. 375 bullets..I suspect these are for the 38/55 but wouldn't swear to it, and the boxes are in decent condition and shiny gold color with black lettering from Barnes...Anyone seen these before, are they a collector item or just an old hunting bullet.Im 85 and never seen these, so I mean they gotta be old..

Maybe you just never saw them before.
Staying out in the boonies as you've
done. HA! Ray, that's your cage rattling!

George

They sound like Barnes Originals to me. Cup and core bullets. I used to shoot that bullet from my 375 Win chambered Contender pistol. Good deer or black bear bullet. I'm not sure I'd drive them out of an H&H, they're a bit on the soft side.

Tried some .30 cal 110-grainers intended for 30/30 in my .300 H&H. Even at 25 yards the "pattern" of one shot was two feet apart. They fragmented -- at 100 yards there was no hole anywhere on the target. (Imagining the same for those mystery bullets in a .375 H&H.) I can see ya laffin' Mr. Ray!

Ray, If they're Barnes Originals, you probably remember they made them in both .375" and .377" diameters. Latter for the .38-55s, etc. My understanding is there were no other differences, ie., jacket thickness, etc. Well, possibly cannelure placement. I have some of the .377".

They'd probably work well in a 375 2 1/2" or something of similar velocity. If they are round noses, which I suspect they are, the 9.5x57 guys would love them in their MS 1910s.

The old 255 gr bullets should be flat point or HP for tubular mags.

They could be 377 or 375 diameter. Check this

https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...010414642?pid=723830

They are not real old, I have the same in cardboard boxes with a stick on decal stating the cal.dia, and weight. Those boxes came out way later.
As said, they came in .375 and .377

Ray, those must be some of the ones you got from me when I sent you your hernia package. I don't even remember where I got them or when but its been awhile.

Yep that's them..I understand the Barnes Originals and Im sure that's what they are, but I don't remember the pretty shiny gold boxes!!??.and its the boxes that confuse me...

They are a bomb at 2700 FPS Im told and with all that lead exposed and the flat point, Im sure they would come apart at high velocity as they are ment for 38-55 velocity..should make a heck of a rock chuck or coyote load in my 375..