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Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions (Read 8518 times)

Bulseyetom Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1029 Location: Santa Maria, Ca Joined: Oct 31^st, 2010	Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Apr 6^th, 2017 at 6:39pm	Print Post
	I have a modern 38-55 Model 94 Winchester that I want to try some duplex loads in and need some advice. I haven't shot bp in a cartridge for maybe 15 years and have forgot all I ever knew if I ever knew anything. That was for a 45-70 Hiwall. I have some 265 grain cast bullts but they are probably lubed with smokeless lube and not SPG. I have some 4759 left and both Goex ffg and fffg for my muzzleloaders. I have no wads. I have no compression die. Am I looking at a disaster waiting to happen with my bullets as lubed? Do I need to compress the charge and if so, how and how much? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Since I will be hunting the most I would expect to shoot in a day would be 3 or 4 rounds. Thanks. Tom


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Mick B Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1007 Location: 19 Ian Nicol St watson ACT aus Joined: Apr 11^th, 2013	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #1 - Apr 6^th, 2017 at 9:09pm	Print Post
	If it were me in your position I would firstly see if I could seat the bullet, with all grease grooves in the case, when using 55 gr of FFF drop tubed into the case, without excessive pressure being applied to seat the bullet, then apply a good crimp. I would then try this load on the target to see if you can fire three shots with acceptable accuracy without having to wipe the barrel. If you can do this you are good to go, however if you can't then try using a pull through after each shot to solve the fouling problem. You could also try duplex loading of course, or perish the thought, smokeless powder, but if you stick to straight black powder loads you will be doing as they did originally and you will feel much better about yourself afterwards. Just my 10c worth. Mike.


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beltfed Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 1827 Location: Central Wi Joined: Dec 20^th, 2007	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #2 - Apr 6^th, 2017 at 9:38pm	Print Post
	I think you will have a time of it trying to get 55 gr of Goex FFG under the 265 gr bullet. Probably too much compression-may even bulge the cases. In any event do not try to compress the powder by seating the bullet. It will be deformed. Use a compression plug die after measuring how deep to go for that bullet to be seated properly to the crimp groove.Also, highly recommend a 0.060" LDPE wad over the powder as you compress. Figure on compressing the Goex perhaps 1/4"or so to start. Fill a case up to about 1/4" more than the final bullet base depth. Use whatever that amount of powder for starters. beltfed/arnie


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Ol_Deuce Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 343 Location: Billings,Montana Joined: Nov 19^th, 2008	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #3 - Apr 6^th, 2017 at 11:34pm	Print Post
	That 55gr of 3fff is going tobe tough to get with modern brass ...I'm plum happy with a less than 55gr in the 38-55 Ol Deuce

	Do The Best With What You Got !!!
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Mike Gish Full Member Offline Posts: 183 Location: colorado Joined: Jul 6^th, 2006	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #4 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 12:37am	Print Post
	Try 43gr of 3f on top of 4gr of 4759 and use your neck expander die for compression to be able to seat the bullet so they will cycle through the 94. The duplex load should burn clean enough to get 4 or 5 rounds off even with the lube you have. They will work better with a BP lube and a wad.


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Mick B Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1007 Location: 19 Ian Nicol St watson ACT aus Joined: Apr 11^th, 2013	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #5 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 8:15am	Print Post
	Perhaps I should have been clearer in my suggestions, 55gr was just a starting point to try, I should have said just put enough in the bring the bullet to the coal cartridge length and then add an over powder wad of either 30 or 60 thou and then compress the load, using the bullet to apply .060" compression will not distort the bullet to any degree that will affect hunting accuracy. The original happened to be 55 gr of whatever grade the used, however the cases used then had greater capacity than what is available now. I'm not sure of what muzzle velocity Winchester were getting with the original loading of 55gr but I'm pretty sure that if you can get say 50 gr of 3f Swiss into the case it will beat, or at least equal the original load. You're not looking for MOA accuracy, minute of deer will work fine. Mike


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Bulseyetom Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1029 Location: Santa Maria, Ca Joined: Oct 31^st, 2010	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #6 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 10:19am	Print Post
	I will load up 5 rounds and see what h w opens with the duplex load and a slight compression with my expander plug. Nothing to lose. The rifle performed great with a 255 gr jackected bullet on deer last fall so thought I would try it on a hog this spring. Tom


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jy3855 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 368 Location: California Joined: Jul 13^th, 2015	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #7 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 12:53pm	Print Post
	It's easy to remove the hard lube if you care to. I just put them on several thicknesses of paper towel and heat them in the oven to about 250*F. The lube melts and is absorbed by the paper toweling, they can then be relubed with the lube of your choice.


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Bulseyetom Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1029 Location: Santa Maria, Ca Joined: Oct 31^st, 2010	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #8 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 3:14pm	Print Post
	I loaded up 5 rounds duplex with 4 gr of 4759 and 40 gr of Goex fffg and no wad. That gave me 1/4" compression with my 265 gr bullet. Compressed with the sizing plug to allow the bullet to just seat. No bulged cases and all looks good! I have no idea what my velocity will be or if I can hit the barn door but will soon see. Thanks to all. Tom ps: any guess as to what velocity I might get out of a 26" barrel?


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craigster Oldtimer Offline Posts: 825 Location: lost coast CA Joined: Feb 20^th, 2011	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #9 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 3:58pm	Print Post
	I've played a bit with black in the 38-55. I'd guess with your load, in your rifle, velocity will be around 1100 fps, (+/-)


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calledflyer Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3995 Joined: Mar 9^th, 2015	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #10 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 4:45pm	Print Post
	For pete's sake, just load two or three grains of black and a normal amount of 4759. You can have better velocity, smoke to fool your friends and a hog. For smacking hog, I'd take the velocity over tradition. Just my opinion, of course.


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jy3855 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 368 Location: California Joined: Jul 13^th, 2015	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #11 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 4:49pm	Print Post
	I don't know about cast out of 20:1, but one of my mentors showed that a hard cast 38-55 bullet (250 gr) at 1100 fps will shoot completely through a steer with a cross-body shot.


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Bulseyetom Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1029 Location: Santa Maria, Ca Joined: Oct 31^st, 2010	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #12 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 6:58pm	Print Post
	Called flyer, I like your reasoning! 😁


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calledflyer Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 3995 Joined: Mar 9^th, 2015	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #13 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 7:16pm	Print Post
	Thank you. I like to think I'm generally logical and practical. My wife seldom agrees.


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Ol_Deuce Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 343 Location: Billings,Montana Joined: Nov 19^th, 2008	Re: Reloading 38-55 hunting rifle with bp questions Reply #14 - Apr 7^th, 2017 at 8:07pm	Print Post
	I'm getting 43.6gr of 3fff under the SAECO 571......No Duplex .........Very happy with the load! Ol Deuce

	Do The Best With What You Got !!!
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