Remember, first time out, 3" groups at 50 yds., 245gr C.D.P hard cast, .379 dia. and very light loads.

Now, 30gr of RX7, same bullet, clean barrel -1st round at 25 yds OK. 2nd round at 50 yds misses the target (a standard 25 yd NRA pistol target). Back to 25 yds, and a 6 3/8" five shot vertical group about 3" across. I think Marlin needs to take a look. Advice? Glad I'm doing this now as I'd like to take a whitetil or two with this gun in the fall.

Glenn. I wonder if you might be having an ignition problem? Are you using any kind of filler? I know a lot of people don't like fillers, but I've had good results with Cream of Wheat in my 45-70's. I don't load for the 38-55, so I don't know what level your load is.
You might also want to size your bullet to .380 rather than .379.
However, I still think the problem is one of ignition.
Paul B.

Thanks Paul. 1st: in another post on "fillers and barrel ringing" there was so much data that I went into information overload. It does seem that a fair amount of shooters feel that fillers can creatate problems. So, is there a powder other than black that will fill the .38-55 case and eleminate the need for the filler? 2nd: since I don't cast is there a source for .380 or larger, 38-55 bullets? And finally, you may be right on the ignition issue. Thanks for recognizing that .39 really was .38.

Glenn: I'm a fan of the 38-55. I own four - 2 that measure .3755(a new browning '85 and a Win '94) one that measures .3775 (older high wall) and one that measures .3799 ( factory Ruger #1). The 375 and 377's are fun to shoot with both cast and jacketed. The Ruger(like your Marlin)is a cast only deal. I have just got a Saeco 300gr .380 (casts 380-382 depending on hardness)mould to go along with my NEI moulds. A couple things to remember - shoot .001 to .002 over slugged bore size when using cast bullets. Slug your bore to be sure what you need( a friend's Marlin slugged .3795 and shoots great with .381) Re-7,AA 1680, and AA 5744 are good powders for the 38-55. I've never used fillers. I've never had ignition problems with these powders. In modern actions you can load from mild target to surprisingly effective hunting loads. Don't know of and commercial casters personally - cast my own - but I bet a web search would find you a few. Good luck with it!

I have not had any experience with the 38-55 but for reduced loads in my 375 and 30-06 I always use magnum primers, sometimes with filler sometimes not. I have heard that the magnum primers fill up the case with fire such that wherever the grains of powder are in the case they will ignite giving more uniform ignition. Also there is a powder made for those large cases XMP 5744 I believe it is. Might be worth a check out on the search engine. Good luck. "D"

Glen,

When we had Re 7 in Australia I always got easy ifgnition and good results.

Just a couple of days ago I had a 375 H&H at the range and used 39 grains of our Austrainal equivalent to IMR 4227 with 220 Hornady flat nose. Perfect ignition and groups of an inch at 100 yards.

At 35 grains iginiotion was good and accuracy was about 1.5" and pressure was so low that the cases were blackened

Just checked the hodgdon site and the list H4227 as an Extreme (temperature resistant) powder, which means it will be the Australian powder they are selling.

I will hopefull restart casting bullets again after a 15 years lay of and for the 375.

Mike

Thanks for the input, guys. Suggestions sound reasonable. But, just read "Reloading and Shooting the .38-55" in the June, "American Rifleman" and am still stumped.

Author McPherson recorded 5 shot, 100yd, 1.5" open-sight groups using Win. factory loads and their 255gr, .376 dia. bullet at 1200 fps, and 4" groups with the Bear Creek Supply .377 bullet at 1930 fps. He also used the 'powder position' test, noting that best accuracy was was with powder either against the bullet or evenly distributed along the length of the case. McPherson usually sticks to the facts with little or no embelishment, so his I tend not to doubt his data. Will try the .381 bullet, but am not too hopeful.

Glenn, slug the bore of that Marlin and see what you have. The early run of them had .380 groove size barrels but chambers that wouldn't accept over a .378 bullet. The fix is to open up the chamber to the proper size. The later ones seem to have fixed the problem and will work out of the box. Undersize bullets sounds like the problem as long as they are of good quality and properly lubed. (If they started out the right size the chamber will swage them too small as the bolt is closed.)

I ran across a 38-55 mould on ebay....

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1145682710

My marlin mod 93 made in 1895 had .379 x .383 bore to grove diameter. The bore also was rough. That rifle would not shoot cast bullets at all. jacketed bulets are not available. I rebarreled it with a heavy octagon Badger barrel .368 x .376. shoots great now. try the 5744 powder as I have had good results with it. If this rifle is one of the new Marlins try the hornady jacketed bullets. The 220 harnady's can be driven to 2000 fps at 38-55 pressures,they are real killers of big game. Cabellas offers cast bullets to .380 dia. cast bullets can be trying to get to shoot. good luck and good shooting.