38-55 1-16 twist. What has worked best for you?

Thanks,
Craig

Check the bore diameter.

The .38-55 while being listed as a .375 were originally anywhere from .377 to .380 in diameter.

I have an 1894 Winchester Chief Crazy Horse Commerative and the best accuracy I get from it is with 255 grain Barnes Originals in .377 diameter.

Thanks, it's a Douglas .375". Have you used any cast in it ?

If you're shooting jacketed, try Les Vollmer's bullets. He makes the best around in various diameters. I've used them in my 375 Winchester and 38-55 Sharps.

https://vollmer-bullets.myshop...8-55-caliber-bullets

For cast, I use the Lee 250 as cast from Lyman #2 alloy double dipped in liquid alox.

I looked at the 38-55 hard before ordering my 40-65 Sharps and found MOST of the cast lead bullet makers have at least one, and sometimes more, bullets for 0.375" to 0.380" and of course most of the jacket bullet makers have 0.375" in several weights.

IF it is a 0.375" bore then just pick one or three 0.375" bullets and go to work...255 gr seemed to be the one many said was "THE" weight to use, but I found MANY references(in forums mostly)but also in reloading manuals for bullets ranging from 200 to 400 gr.

It ain't no thang bro...it's just another caliber to load for...Black or smokeless works great. The 38-55 ain't nothing special unless it is the "REAL" 38-55 with the "odd" bore size then you have more work to do....EVERY RIFLE is different....tada, tada, tada...there is NO universal whatever.

I shoot smokeless in cartridge and Black in muzzle loading rifles/pistol smoke-poles...tried Black in my 50-90 Sharps and didn't like it but I have 4 smoke-poles and find it no problem...go figure.

I've found that 0.002" oversized cast lead bullets and caliber size jacketed shoot most accurately in my few single shot "ol' timey" shooters but you will have to work that out on your own as various rifle shoot various size/oversized bullets just like the "other" kinds of shooters... just like always.

I like Beartooth, Cast Performance and Oregon trails TrueCast bullets and shoot more of them in the calibers I shoot cast in than others(NO mucking around with the lead pot) except for those that I have molds for...mostly 45 and 50 cal, and there are a few bullet makers out there with excellent reputations to buy from.

DEFINITELY DO use lubed bullets and slather on the liquid Alox...at least one coat and preferably two depending on How your rifle reacts.

I use bullets as cast from molds I requested 0.002" oversized designed for gas checks AND 4-6 small lube rings...check-out Accurate Molds, I have a few listed and there are several very good designs for the 375 Win and 38-55.

I liked the 38-235RG and 38-310E but with a gas check when I was after the 38-55. I'm STILL looking at the 38-235RG mold or something like the 38-260D with GC, two less lube rings and a truncated cone nose for my 375 JDJ...probably never get that round toit to doit.

Good Hunting

Thanks for the input.

Here's another take on the subject:

https://www.assra.com/cgi-bin/...l?num=1546485815/0#2

A large percentage of 375 cal bullets will stabilize at 1-16, from 1000 fs up...DEPENDING on the bullet length, weight, nose shape, boat tail, lead/jacketed and velocity, temp humidity, altitude and all the rest of that "stuff". If you are talking about 38-55 velos and weights you need to narrow your parameters to ≈1.3" to be on the safer side BUT...AS USUAL...bullet length/shape/lead/jacketed and velocity dictate the rules.

YOU have to do YOUR work to determine what bullet length/weights work best in YOUR shooter....again-again.

A 1-16 will stabilize a 1.6" bullet at 3000 fs but drop to 1000...nyet, nyet.

At 1000 fs a 1-16 is down to ≈1.3" which STILL takes care of MOST bullets to 350 gr, at least some of the cast lead RN types...AGAIN depending on the bullet shape, lead or jacketed, etc.

All my 375's are 1-10 or 1-12...Most of the cast lead 0.375-0.380 bullets I've measured directly or taken from reloading programs/Accurate-Mountain molds, etc, for 375 Win/38-55 are in the <1.4" range...from ≈.685"/200 gr to ≈1.375"/400 gr. If I do a 38-55 barrel I will use a 1-10 or 1-12 so I can take advantage of the REAL LONG ELD's/TSX/EOL's...I have two NEF stub/switch barrel receivers that will work great at 38-55 pressures...just requires a chambered, threaded barrel and I'm good to go...using a 375 Win reamer and a throater and 38-55 brass. Been on my mind for quite a while until this 38-55 thread came up and I had to go big at 40-65...

Wha'cha' looking for there Boss Craigster??? All this stuff is over there at ASSRA...and MORE on other cast lead/SS/forums.

Good Hunting

quote:

Originally posted by NONAGONAGIN:
Wha'cha' looking for there Boss Craigster???

I was looking for an answer to a specific simple question. And you know what, I got an answer from a fellow on ASSRA.

"My 1-16 Shiloh 38-55 really came together with a 285 gr NOE bullet cast 20-1. The Lyman 335 Postel shot really well for rams using 1-16 lead."

Imagine that, a simple answer to a simple question. Who'd a thunk it ?

Hummmm...questions are NEVER simple, Hoss, and posters neither...I was wondering, like I always do, whether an answer I spend time and/or effort on giving is just wasted time...very few EVER toss in a thanks...or say it helped or thought it as bulsh** or a meaningful continued conversation...mostly just one sentence quips and maybe a few followups...or 200 pages of What?

Of course YOU know all this.

Good Hunting

I do.

Thanks !

NONA....

Although this is a 2.5 year old thread...

Hey I always thought the details mattered.
As you pointed out cast bullet equations start out with a max bullet length for any given velocity and twist.

Of course bullet fit and hardness for the type of propellant is next.

FWITW, most appreciate the detail, thanks

RJ

quote:

Originally posted by NONAGONAGIN:
Hummmm...questions are NEVER simple, Hoss, and posters neither...I was wondering, like I always do, whether an answer I spend time and/or effort on giving is just wasted time...very few EVER toss in a thanks...or say it helped or thought it as bulsh** or a meaningful continued conversation...mostly just one sentence quips and maybe a few followups...or 200 pages of What?

Of course YOU know all this.

Good Hunting