.38-55 Bullet Size

[Teacher]

Hi! I am new to this forum, and I hope that this is the best place to post this request. I have just purchased an H&R .38-55 Target Rifle after a while away from shooting. After the purchase I have been reading that this rifle can be hard to handload for due to chamber dimensions. Those who use more "modern" powders seem to have accuracy problems with cast bullets smaller than .379 in this rifle, but the rifle chamber seemingly doesn't want to accept any cartridge with a larger bullet than a .378. I would like to shoot black powder or a substitute. An experienced shooter that I know says that black powder will cause more obturation (?) than smokeless powder so I should be able to shoot the smaller diameter bullets such as a .378 or .377. I am drawing up my plans to purchase reloading equipment and am trying to decide exactly what is needed. Has anyone had any experience with this rifle and black powder or a BP substitute? Any recommendations for handloading with black powder? Thank you for your help.

 

[Jim Watson]

Black powder or not, it will take a pretty soft bullet to bump up and shoot well in such a case. Worth a try, though. My Winchester has a .379" groove diameter but the chamber will take cartridges loaded with bullets that size. If you want first class performance, the chamber of that H&R can be enlarged to take groove diameter bullets.

I shoot BPCR with that rifle and have no use for fake powders, Swiss is best, Goex is ok.

Here is a good introduction to BPCR loading.
http://www.ssbpcrc.co.uk/Resources/Introduction to BPCR Loading.pdf

Buffalo Arms has regular and specialty dies. I recommend any good brand of loading die, plus B.A. expanding die (or plug to go in your die) and compression die or plug.
http://www.buffaloarms.com

You don't HAVE to start out casting, there are a few sources of decent bullets. Montana Bullet Works has the best selection
http://www.montanabulletworks.com/wst_page7.html
The 255 grain bullet is original to the calibre and would be your best bet. If it will handle the Lyman 358674 335 grain bullet, that will be good for ranges longer than a couple hundred yards. It is what I use.

Maybe if you asked, they would send you a selection of sizes so you could pick the biggest that would chamber freely.

Midway sells Montana Precision Swaging bullets (same state, different shop) and they are ok.

 

[Teacher]

Jim, thank you for your help and suggestions. I will give them a try. Do you know of any gunsmiths who do this type of work?

 

[Smith & Wesson Man]

It is funny to see this post. I have been thinking of getting an H&R 38-55. How do you like it? I have reloaded for over a year now, and I have found out that every gun is sometimes different. By that I mean every barrel is different. What you have been told is true. I have found out one thing with reloading is make some rounds, shoot them, and then document your groupings. What does work for one might not for you I have found this with some 45lc loads. Have you reloaded before? Get two manuals to cross-check loads. If your going to start reloading those manuels will also give you some information about this round. If you need the gear look into a RCBS reloading kit. They have several avaible. They can give you pretty much all that you would need except for dies, primers, bullets, and powder. I hope this helps, just my two cents

 

[Teacher]

I love the feel of the gun and the black powder cartridge chambering. The Sharps (Pedersoli, C. Sharps, and Shiloh), rolling blocks, and the 1873's are out of my reach right now, and this seemed to an excellent alternative for the type of shooting that I do right now. I have not yet shot it, but I will this next week. I was lucky enough to find 3 boxes of factory rounds in the area, so I have some working stock. I intend to start handloading as the factory stuff is used up. Thanks for the advise.