Range Day for the old 1894

[TedH]

I cast up a mess of 250 gr bullets from the Lee mold, which was the only appropriate bullet mold I have for the 38-55. I really wanted a .381" bullet, and these are just .379", but i also really wanted to shoot this old Winchester, so I figured they'd work for the time being. I lube them with BAC and loaded them in Winchester brass.
Starting off light with 9.0 gr of Unique I was very impressed! First group measured just over 1 inch from 50 yards. Velocity was 1135

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Next I bumped the load up a bit with 20.0 gr of AA5744. The first 4 shots going into a ragged hole! Of course the 5th shot pressure got to me and I pulled it out of the group a tad. Still very respectable for a 130 year old rifle.

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I was aiming with the tang sight and it was already at the lowest possible position. I wonder if this rifle was set up to be zeroed with the tang at 100 yards and anything closer you'd use the Lyman #6 dual leaf sight on the barrel? When co-wittnessing both sights it is clear that it will hit lower with the use of the barrel sight. Next time out I'll test that theory with the 5744 load. I see no reason to try any other loads. My goal was an accurate load with a wheel weight alloy bullet at 1500 fps. That load ran just over 1500 fps and will be plenty good to take a deer in the woods this fall

Edit: I was sharing info about this is old rifle on another site. A fellow told me the old timers used to put a nail in the bottom of the stem of the tang sight to have it bottom out at their desired elevation setting to keep it from being inadvertently moved. I turned my stem out all the way and sure enough it has a small brad or nail in the bottom. All I need to do is shorten their nail a tad to let me lower the stem to get my desired elevation setting.

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[Ray]

This is cool !

Those are "bullety" looking bullets as Dean Grennell used to say.

[Drawdown]

Love that rifle and good shooting! 1 pulled to spoil a great group like that is a heart breaker, done that! No matter the 4 shot shows what it is really! I had a Marlin 336 30-30 set up same way, I put a Marbles Tang on it, had it on it lowest setting which gave a 200yd+ zero. The folding barrel sight is had zeroed at 100yds. Makes a great versatile hunting rifle!

[2ndovc]

That's awesome, Ted!

When i first got my grandfather's .38-55 I received several boxes of ammo with it. I ran through a couple of boxes, bought bullets, dies etc. to reload for it.
Checking my manuals came up for a fairly hot load for it. The factory ammo targets looked just like yours, but my reloads were all over the place.
One of the guys here told me to keep the velocity under 1600 FPS and the next batch was dead on. Can't remember what that load is, but it shoots extremely well in my Ruger #1 as well.

Have fun with it!

jb

[Bill in Oregon]

Ted, she’s not only a beautiful old 94, but she shoots too. How does it get better?

[TedH]

Ted, she’s not only a beautiful old 94, but she shoots too. How does it get better?

I don't think it can get any better! Definitely lucked out finding this one.

[OldWin]

Excellent! Looks like you made quick work of that load experiment.
I have used 10gr of Unique under an RCBS cast of #2 with similar results (I'd forgotten till you mentioned it). I've never tried 5744, but have always wanted to. It seems like it's never in stick in my area. Your results have made it more of a priority. I hadn't heard of the nail trick. I will have to check my tang sighted rifles. One of my 38-55s has one.

[.45colt]

Great All Around !!! .

[GunnyMack]

Ted, I think your waiting for the grail gun of your life was worth the wait!
Not only did you get a fantastic specimen but it's a grand shooter !

[black river smith]

TedH,
You need to go on Ebay and search for '38-55 Winchester bullet mold'. My search brought up 10 molds of various quality and pricing. I am certain you could find something to match the quality of your rifle. I have two mold but not in a position to go get them and tell you the diameter measurements and weight at this time. But I will edit or post that information a little bit later.

Also, another option is to search for the 38-56 Winchester bullet mold. It produced the 255 grain bullet, also. Search for 38-56 and/or 38-255 Winchester mold.

I know crimping a Blackpowder designed bullet is not as easy as the Lee with a crimp groove but it still can be done, successfully.

Will get back to you later.

BRS

PS -- Did my looking and both my molds are marked 38-255. Looked in Lyman 39th manual and both the 38-55 and 38-56 used 255 grain bullet but different alloy 40/1 and 20/1, respectively. Now, my moldings are both with 40/1 alloy so --- 1st one Diameter of 0.376 with a weight of 248 grains ---- 2nd one is Diameter of 0.374 - 0.375 with a weight of 252 grains. So maybe from what you posted you would not want one of these molds due to diameter measurements. But here is the information.

[JBowen]

Very nice Ted! Very nice rifle, great loads and great shooting!
Thanks for sharing,

JBowen