'New' vintage 38-55 with range report (photos)

[KirkD]

Sold my old 38-55 that I got last year and bought another vintage Winchester 38-55 that is in beautiful original condition. The original case colors on the lever are brilliant. The smudges you see on the receiver are from a bit too much Conservator's Wax .... which I forgot to wipe off before shooting the photos.

The factory records indicate the following:

Serial number applied on March 24, 1905
Type: Rifle
Caliber: 38/55
Barrel Type: Round
Trigger: Plain
Shotgun Butt, Rubber plate
4 cartridge magazine
Received in warehouse on July 10, 1905
Shipped from warehouse on July 10, 1905, Order number 15546

The Marbles tang sight is a high condition original that I installed myself (with great care, using the proper hollow ground screwdrivers).







With some careful shooting, I was able to put 5 rounds into 1 & 3/4" at 100 yards. A photo of the target is below. I still need to tweak the shim under the tang sight and I should then have it bang on in windage. I used an Accurate Mould 38-255L and pure clip-on wheel weights which drops a bullet weighing 256 grains before lubing and gas check, 262 grains after lubing and gas checking. A photo of the mould and bullet is also shown below.

[BrentD]

Hell of a nice deer rifle. I hope you take it out and get lucky with it.

[BigSky56]

Nice rifle Kirk,love them short mag tube levers. danny

[ollogger]

Well Kirk as always you came up with another beautiful Winchester!!!
Looks like a great shooter also


ollogger

[kaschi]

Real nice find, Kirk! It seems to me that 38-55 rifles with round barrels are hard to come by so that makes it an especially good find. I see it has a flat buttplate too which you don't see all that often.

[fordwannabe]

VERY NICE! I love the photography also. I want to try that load with my bullets and see how it works. I have been using 10 grais of unique. A real beauty Kirk.

[.45colt]

Great as always Kirk, Thank You.

[Nath]

This was worth the wait Kirk, you are a good shot Sir.

Keep up the Good work

Nath.

[rbertalotto]

I got something like that................

1978 Win 94 that was 30-30 until JES go ahold of it. Now it is 38-55.........Love it.

[JerryB]

Beautiful old rifle Kirk. Are you taking it to the island this year? The load of 18 grains of 5744 for the 255 cast bullet sure did a fine job on that big doe last November, thanks again for the help.

[Shasta]

Wow! You sure know how to pick 'em, Kirk! Vintage Winchesters in that condition are seldom encountered. It must have originally belonged to a Marlin guy to have seen such little use!

You are the perfect custodian for such a fine rifle. I really hate to see them relegated to the walls of some museum, to never again be used as intended. I know you will take extreme care and pride in conserving and at the same time using your Winchester. I hope and expect to see a picture of you with this rifle and one of those big Canadian deer!

Thanks for posting this, and I really enjoyed the great photography!

SHASTA

[Nath]

" It must have originally belonged to a Marlin guy to have seen such little use!"

[gamekeeper]

Well Kirk as always you came up with another beautiful Winchester!!!
Looks like a great shooter also


ollogger

+1 I like the Marlin comment too.....

[Sixgun]

Dang! Thats nice. Don't come much better than that. As usual, nice photgraphy.-------6

[Old Savage]

I concur and nice shooting.

[Canuck Bob]

Nice rifle! You sure make me want to put a tang sight on something!

[GoatGuy]

Kirk - Great photos, beautiful rifle and another superb post. Never expect to see anything less from you though, friend. Hope you and your lady enjoyed your GB vacation to the max.

[Griff]

Congrats on a great find, Kirk. I wish any of my mdl 94s were in such fine condition!

[KirkD]

Beautiful old rifle Kirk. Are you taking it to the island this year? The load of 18 grains of 5744 for the 255 cast bullet sure did a fine job on that big doe last November, thanks again for the help.

Jerry, I am planning to use my 45-70 this fall, as I will be hunting both deer and Moose.

[Nath]

Beautiful old rifle Kirk. Are you taking it to the island this year? The load of 18 grains of 5744 for the 255 cast bullet sure did a fine job on that big doe last November, thanks again for the help.

Jerry, I am planning to use my 45-70 this fall, as I will be hunting both deer and Moose.

The ole' trap door?

N.

[samb]

Beautiful find! Welcome home.

[KirkD]

Beautiful old rifle Kirk. Are you taking it to the island this year? The load of 18 grains of 5744 for the 255 cast bullet sure did a fine job on that big doe last November, thanks again for the help.

Jerry, I am planning to use my 45-70 this fall, as I will be hunting both deer and Moose.

The ole' trap door?

N.

Nath, I sold that one to a friend. It will have to be my '86.

[Borregos]

Kirk, that one looks great.
I put a Marbles tang sight on your "old" 38-55 (not an original), as I am a great fan of tang sights, almost like scoping it! However my eyes need a bead to go with the tang sight so I had to change the front sight as well.
Did you change your front sight? Is it a bead or a blade?

[bdhold]

Kirk has the best toys.

[Ben_Rumson]

Very nice on all accounts! Cant wait to see what you get when you upgrade this one!

[Nath]

Beautiful old rifle Kirk. Are you taking it to the island this year? The load of 18 grains of 5744 for the 255 cast bullet sure did a fine job on that big doe last November, thanks again for the help.

Jerry, I am planning to use my 45-70 this fall, as I will be hunting both deer and Moose.

The ole' trap door?

N.

Nath, I sold that one to a friend. It will have to be my '86.

You traded for a modern'er one!

Best wishes.... take your camera!

N.

[KirkD]

Kirk, that one looks great.
I put a Marbles tang sight on your "old" 38-55 (not an original), as I am a great fan of tang sights, almost like scoping it! However my eyes need a bead to go with the tang sight so I had to change the front sight as well.
Did you change your front sight? Is it a bead or a blade?

I use the original front sights with my tang sight. I do think, however, that it is a matter of preference. I can see where a bead might help centre the front sight better.

[JerryB]

Kirk, after the big doe with the 38-55 last fall, I said I would use the 45-70 this fall with your load of 5744 and the 405 cast.

[KirkD]

Jerry, we shall see how our 45-70's do this fall!