handloading the 38-55
 

I was thinking in getting a 38-55 B.C> 1871 with the 26" barrel
I think it would be a fun gun to shoot with lead bullets and black powder loads I would think FPS around 1200 to 1300
I wonder with jacketed bullets hand loaded what max: FPS can be obtained to reach out to 150 yards on game

RE: handloading the 38-55
 

1600-1800 fps with cast. Slightly higher if you want to shoot a lighter bullet or a GC, or a jacketed bullet. If you do some research you will find this round to be effective past 150 yards. The rifle you are considering would be a very fun rifle at a reasonable price. Especially if you cast your own bullet's. Tom.

RE: handloading the 38-55
 

The .38/55 can be a challenge to reload for. A friend of mine got one of the "baby Sharps" rifles by Dakota Arms, and is it a beauty! But problem about the .38/55's is their groove diameter. This can run from .375 all the way up to .380" or a little more. His is .379" groove diameter. So he can't use factory .38/55 jacketed bullets at all, as they are too small in diameter.

But the .38/55 CHAMBERS are usually cut so it is difficult, ifnot impossible, to use bullets that are big enough in diameter in the cases and still have ammo with necks small enough to chamber in the gun. It is also sometimes necessaryto order a custom-made expander plug for the cast bullets you have to use to fit the bore. (Got mine from Huntington Die Specialties-Lyman could not furnish one big enough. Lymanacted like they'd never heard of this little problem. They've lost a lot of the expertise they once had as the Ideal company!) Cast bullets need to be at least .001" or perhaps even more over groove diameter to properly seal the bore on firing to prevent melted bullet bases, which causes leading and poor accuracy.

So before you purchase one of those rifles, you should ask the makers what their groove diameter is! If it is bigger than .377" or so, look out!

RE: handloading the 38-55
 

Eldequello---Good advice there man..The 38-55 is a bear to load for at times.I had one in a Browning that shot pretty decent..I would never shot jacketed bullets in mine..Some also have a deeper groove than others,like the new cow-boy model Marlin...Once you get copper in there,your cast bullet accuracy could,would,might go all to hello...If you using black powder,I would stick with cast bullets only..You will get different pressures with black and jacketed bullets..Now this is only my opinion..