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38-55 Bullets...

4K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  Yellowhouse 
#1 ·
I have a Marlin model 1893 of 1906 vintage in 38-55 caliber. This old bore is slick and with well defined rifling. I pushed a soft lead slug, lubricated with Kroil, through the bore and it measured .3776" to .3777". I had heard the old Marlins had bores of .380" and worse but that isn't the case with this one. I want to load this as a back forty deer rifle to about 1600 fps with one of Marshalls 265ish grain bullets. What hardness should these bullets be?

The rifle is stamped "special smokeless steel" so it isn't a BP barrel. I have loaded it with 265 grain hard cast sized to .378" but they are very hard and penetrate they will but I wouldn't mind a little expansion. At 1500 fps it will penetrate about 30" of birch log, which will be handy if I have to shoot through a tree but even after the tree, no expansion. I just wonder if anyone else shoots such a caliber and how you load it.

Also I have found a source for some of the original length 38-55 brass, from Buffalo Arms, made by Jamison I think. The chamber of this rifle, after a cerrosafe cast, shows the long 38-55 chamber so this brass fits nicely. How does 28.0 grains of RL-07 sound for this old relic? That is about 1600 fps with the hard cast.

The rifle is a 20 " carbine but the tube has been changed out for a short tube, I think I'd prefer the full length. With a new Marble tang sight it will shoot about 1 1/2" at fifty yards. As I look this fine old rifle over I wonder how the Winchester won the west and Marlin was sold to the new Remington conglomerate.
 
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#2 ·
You might try some of the Big Lube bullets from www.whyteleatherworks.com

They are cast 20:1 and have SPG lube which works with smokeless and BP. You can safely drive them to about 1500 which is plenty. Also, Buffalo arms has softer bullets too. I use 19 grs of AA5744 for my 1893 and for a new 1885 Winchester LTD. This gives around 1350 fps which again is plenty for deer.

My Marlin slugs at .379.....lucky you!
 
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