I would think a 38-55 would be a wonder to shoot and is enough for deer. Even if you don't have the loading stuff for it it is relatively cheap and available (Brass, dies, bullets). 
Charles

I own a number of different .40 caliber single shots and they are all favorites. My most favorite is the .40-85 Ballard that are easily made from readily available 9.3x74R brass. Only thing needed if it's chambered to use the 9.3 donor brass is to have the rim recess cut slightly smaller for that brass blown out to .410" case mouth. 
The .40-65 is another great choice, and brass is even easier, plus dies are cheap still. Either of these cartridges would be deadly on deer or hogs.

i've already got everything I need to reload 45/70, 40-65, 45-100, 40-90 BN, 30-40 Krag, 22 Hornet and numerous modern rounds. Not interested in resale or anything in 38, my grandson will end up with all my guns one day anyway. I learned along time ago not to sale any of them as I always regretted it. Leaning heavily toward 45/70 or 40-65 right now. 
Chris W

Chris W,  before you recline that sharps do some research on it. Somewhere a long time ago I read that two smooth bore guns were issued per company as forager rifles to gather food for the troops. If yours is an original it is pretty scarce.
LD1

I had never heard of this and found this online:
A "Sharps Forager" refers to specialized, often converted, firearms from the Sharps Rifle Company used by U.S. soldiers for hunting/supplementing rations on the frontier, typically post-Civil War, often obsolete muskets modified into 20-gauge smoothbore shotguns, known for their versatility and use in "foraging" for game like birds and waterfowl, distinct from the famous buffalo-hunting Sharps rifles. 
Key Characteristics
Purpose: To provide soldiers with a way to hunt for fresh food (game birds, small animals) to supplement poor rations on the frontier.
Origin: Modified Civil War-era Sharps rifles and carbines, often New Model 1863s.
Conversion: Barrels were cut down (shortened), smoothed (making them smoothbore), and sights added, then bored to accept 20-gauge brass shells.
Ammunition: Used special inert 20-gauge cartridges (no primer/charge) for single loading, unlike standard 12-gauge live shells.
Nickname: "Forager" was a later designation, not used at the time, reflecting their field-use role.
Connection to Sharps Rifles: While the famous Sharps rifles (like the 1874 model used in Quigley Down Under) were large-caliber, big-game hunting rifles, the Foragers were smaller, shotgun-style conversions for more general utility.

Thanks, I had read in "Sharps Firearms" by Sellers I believe that some were made into what they called foragers and they were 20 gauge. I've tried 20, 28 and 410 and none fit, 410 falls inside the chamber the other 2 are too big. Someone mentioned 32 gauge on another thread, but I don't have that. Using my calipers I get .525 Rim width, .507 chamber, and .502 at the muzzle. Also the chamber and bore are pristine like they've never had a round down it. If I could figure out what shell it takes it would make a fun little squirrel/rabbit getter! I'm in no hurry to have it lined so will figure out exactly what I have first before I decide what I'm going to do with it.

I was having difficulty with those measurements also, with a 45-70 being loose in the chamber.   

the 45-70 should fit the chamber relatively well, but be too big for the rim measurement given.