Marlin did its run of 38/55's at .380 groove diameter for a majority of the rifles. As cast boolits must be .0005 to .001 over groove diameter for best accuracy and little leading, this is a problem, because there aren't many companies offering those boolits. I've found Rimrock, though they're pricey at 80 bucks for 500 ct without shipping for .382, , Midstates and Montana Cast Bullet company both have .381 If anyone knows of a source for .381 bullets or larger please post it.
If anyone is interested in a superior bullet for their Marlin Cowboy, Beartooth sells it's gas checked hard cast boolits at the same price others sell mere soft lead. If enough people contacted Marshal Stanton at Beartoothbullets.com, he would make some in .381 for the 38/55 He told me he needs pre-orders of about 2000 ct total to do the project. That's not much.
Starline finally offers the proper longer length brass for this cartridge, and the case wall's slender enough so one can use the larger diameter bullets without running into the chambering problems of the thicker Winchester brass many encountered a couple years ago.
I'm hoping this thread will reach one or two Marlin Cowboy 38/55 owners and they'll write Beartooth bullets.
munk
If anyone is interested in a superior bullet for their Marlin Cowboy, Beartooth sells it's gas checked hard cast boolits at the same price others sell mere soft lead. If enough people contacted Marshal Stanton at Beartoothbullets.com, he would make some in .381 for the 38/55 He told me he needs pre-orders of about 2000 ct total to do the project. That's not much.
Starline finally offers the proper longer length brass for this cartridge, and the case wall's slender enough so one can use the larger diameter bullets without running into the chambering problems of the thicker Winchester brass many encountered a couple years ago.
I'm hoping this thread will reach one or two Marlin Cowboy 38/55 owners and they'll write Beartooth bullets.
munk
