QuickLoad and 38-55 Win

[JustsayMo]

I have recently acquired a Marlin 336 Cowboy in 38-55 and I'm in the process of working up loads for it. I'm finding that the velocities I'm getting typically exceed the manual estimates by 10% or more using the published load data. I'm not showing any pressure signs, the primers look fine, easy extraction, no scorching, good accuracy, no unusual significant leading.

Comparatively the data for this caliber is sparse so I was wondering if anyone with the Quickload program could help me out with some baseline information.

-Winchester Brass 2.080" with water weight capacity of 51.3 grains from a once fired case
-Ranch Dog TLC 379-235-RF cast bullet weighing in at 240 grains Lubed, Gas Checked and sized to .379". It is .815" in length.
-The Cartridge OAL is 2.480"
-The powders that have so far given me the best results are Unique and 2400.
-Winchester Large Rifle Primers

I'm hoping to get some idea of the charge I can use with these powders and components and remain inside the SAAMI 30,000 CUP standard.

Any help or insights is greatly appreciated.
Mo
[email protected]

 

[Offfhand]

I thought the Quickload program was still available. Have they stopped selling it?

 

[azar]

Having never loaded for the .38-55 Winchester I don't know if this data is in-line with published manuals or not. Use this data at your own risk. If this data seems significantly different from the load data you do have, DO NOT USE IT. Personally, I wouldn't use more than 12.4g of Unique or 21.0g of 2400 according to this data just to give myself a bit of wiggle room.

Cartridge          : .38-55 Win.
Bullet             : .379, 240, Ranch Dog TLC 379-235-RF
Useable Case Capaci: 39.451 grain H2O = 2.562 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.480 inch = 62.99 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : Alliant 2400

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-20.0   49    16.80   1547    1276   19077   2114     99.2    1.955
-18.0   50    17.22   1576    1323   20044   2157     99.4    1.915
-16.0   51    17.64   1604    1371   21044   2197     99.7    1.877
-14.0   52    18.06   1632    1418   22078   2236     99.8    1.840
-12.0   54    18.48   1659    1466   23148   2272     99.9    1.802
-10.0   55    18.90   1685    1514   24253   2307    100.0    1.765
-08.0   56    19.32   1712    1562   25394   2339    100.0    1.729
-06.0   57    19.74   1738    1609   26573   2371    100.0    1.695
-04.0   58    20.16   1763    1657   27790   2403    100.0    1.661
-02.0   60    20.58   1788    1704   29046   2434    100.0    1.630
+00.0   61    21.00   1813    1752   30343   2466    100.0    1.599  ! Near Maximum !
+02.0   62    21.42   1837    1799   31680   2497    100.0    1.570  ! Near Maximum !
+04.0   63    21.84   1862    1847   33058   2529    100.0    1.542  ! Near Maximum !
+06.0   64    22.26   1885    1894   34480   2560    100.0    1.515  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0   66    22.68   1909    1942   35947   2591    100.0    1.489  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0   67    23.10   1932    1989   37458   2621    100.0    1.464  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 5% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 5% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     61    21.00   1835    1795   32640   2418    100.0    1.557  ! Near Maximum !
Data for burning rate decreased by 5% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     61    21.00   1785    1698   28043   2525    100.0    1.649

Cartridge          : .38-55 Win.
Bullet             : .379, 240, Ranch Dog TLC 379-235-RF
Useable Case Capaci: 39.451 grain H2O = 2.562 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.480 inch = 62.99 mm
Barrel Length      : 24.0 inch = 609.6 mm
Powder             : Alliant UNIQUE

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-20.0   42     9.92   1331     944   21074   1172    100.0    2.060
-18.0   43    10.17   1349     970   21950   1197    100.0    2.026
-16.0   44    10.42   1367     996   22842   1223    100.0    1.992
-14.0   45    10.66   1385    1022   23748   1248    100.0    1.959
-12.0   47    10.91   1402    1048   24669   1273    100.0    1.927
-10.0   48    11.16   1420    1074   25606   1299    100.0    1.896
-08.0   49    11.41   1437    1100   26558   1324    100.0    1.867
-06.0   50    11.66   1454    1126   27525   1349    100.0    1.840
-04.0   51    11.90   1471    1152   28507   1374    100.0    1.813
-02.0   52    12.15   1487    1179   29504   1399    100.0    1.787
+00.0   53    12.40   1504    1205   30517   1424    100.0    1.762  ! Near Maximum !
+02.0   54    12.65   1520    1231   31545   1449    100.0    1.738  ! Near Maximum !
+04.0   55    12.90   1536    1257   32589   1474    100.0    1.715  ! Near Maximum !
+06.0   56    13.14   1552    1283   33648   1498    100.0    1.692  ! Near Maximum !
+08.0   57    13.39   1568    1309   34723   1523    100.0    1.671  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0   58    13.64   1583    1336   35813   1547    100.0    1.650  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 5% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 5% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     53    12.40   1508    1212   31892   1417    100.0    1.742  ! Near Maximum !
Data for burning rate decreased by 5% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     53    12.40   1498    1197   29062   1432    100.0    1.785

 

[NCsmitty]

Looking at www.hodgdon.com, it would seem that a slower burning powder could give you more velocity and lower pressures, if that is your goal.
Alliant's Rel-7 should be great in it too.



NCsmitty

 

[Kernel]

Other appropriate powders I‘d try for 30 kCUP loads include 5744, N530, and 4198. For hotter loads with jacketed bullets (the 336 action is good for .375 Winchester pressure levels -- a 52 kCUP cartridge), I’d look to powders like 2015, and 3031, in addition to RL-7.