I am looking for some feedback on loading the .38-55. I am shooting a .38-55 CPA fitted with a Badger barrel. I think the bore is .377 or .378 with I think a 1 x 15" twist. I am shooting a 350 grain Borton bullet lubed with SPG. I weigh my bullets. My charge is 18 grains of 4227 and I am setting this off with a Remington 2.5 large pistol primer. I am using Winchester brass. My goal is to be able to hold the 24 ring at 200 yards under good conditions. 

In shooting 10 shot strings I can hold 8 out of 10 shots in the 24 ring, but I am always getting at least 2 off-shots out in the 21 or 22 ring spoiling an otherwise satisfactory target. I went back to some basics. I weigh every charge on a scale, and I used a single case in my last test, pretty much the same results.

I am humbugged!

I know some shooters have good results using 4759 in this caliber, but it I think that powder has been discontinued(?) Has anyone tried 4198, or 5744 in the .38?

Thoughts?

Doesn’t CPA mark the barrel groove and twist dimensions under the forearm?

I also think the 350 gr. bullet is a bit much for a 1:15" twist, and might be part of the issue. But I'd also suggest weighing a group of bullets to ensure each one is truly identical, as it's possible an occasional bullet may be different enough to cause a flyer. Since the majority of your shots hit where you want, something else might be the culprit.

Here is a little more information:

You're right CPA does stamp the under side of the forearm with barrel specs.

Bore Sixe: .3766
Twist: 1 x 15"

Bullet specs:
length: 1.426"
1st band: .371
2nd band: .375
3rd band: .3755
Base band: .379

I should add that I am not noticing any bullet tipping on my targets. I am attaching one of the targets I shot this past Friday, it's not too bad, but there are two stinkers on this one which I can't account for, the shot at 1:00 in the 22 ring, and the other at 4:00 in the 23 ring.

I have a CPA with a 1:15 twist Badger barrel.  I tried a few different bullets in it including the Hoch tapered mold.  The best one was an odd one I found at Buffalo Arms.   
BACO 377325CT which is a tapered band bullet with a BPCR Creedmoor style nose.   About 1.26" long.

The bands are 376, 374, 372, 370, 369, nose 367.

It'll hold the 24 ring with black powder.  That's breech seated with a Weber seater.  In that rifle ( a 2 prong buttstock ).  Any time that rifle throws a flyer it's due to a holding problem on my part where the upper prong recoils into my shoulder and rides up.   

I haven't yet shot smokeless with this barrel but will probably try.  I bet you can make IMR-4227 work well.  That's what I've been using in a couple of my other 38-55's.

Chris.

Bullet is too long for the slow twist and low velocity. The Mos bullet mold that CPA sells is ideal for your rifle and just marginally so due to it’s bullet length. Might try Starline’s 2.125 length brass as well, good luck.

MartiniBelgian wrote on Nov 28^th, 2022 at 2:23pm:


I concur, bet on a breezy day the yaw would be considerable. A 15 twist barrel should have a bullet 1.25 or shorter when shooting plain base bullets, jmho.

I have and use a Badger barrel in a Ballard. Twist is 15. Gave me fits during the first several outings.  Flyers. Slugging showed it to be exactly the same size at both ends so I spent about four hours lapping a taper in the bore with a lead lap. 
At the next bench session it held all shots in the 24 ring. That was with iron sights. Not the most accurate .38 barrel I have but it will hold the 24. The fast 15 twist may be the culprit that limits its accuracy. 

My barrel will stabilize 350 grain bullets with no sign of tipping. For me, a waste of lead at 200 yards.  The Hoch tapered bullet shoots fair but the Saeco tapered bullets are best in my rifle.  I use about 17-17.5 grains 4227 and LRPs, no wad, breech seated. For fixed ammo I always use BP and I get BP accuracy.... 

Due to the scarcity and high cost of loading components I do all my load testing in matches these days.