Author Topic: 38-55 reamed!  (Read 559 times)

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Offline AtlLaw

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38-55 reamed!
« on: August 27, 2009, 10:34:27 AM »
DURN!  Another rifle for deer season!   :(  ;)  8)

I left work a little early yesterday planning to get in a little trigger time.  But, when I got home I found that the .400 chamber reamer/throater I had rented had arrived.  So I played with my 38-55 instead.   ;D

This job was a lot easier then cutting the chamber on the 45-70 out to 45-120!   :o  I was done in a few minutes.  After reaming I cleaned the barrel up, took the TC stock off the 45-70 and put it back on the it's original receiver.  I tell you, I've been moving more furnature around (on these rifles) then I have to when Kathie brings stuff home after a day of antique shopping!   ::)

Anyway, I took the dummy round that wouldn't fit in the chamber before and it slid right in.  So I loaded up 10 rounds with new Win. brass and 255 gr. LFNGC bullets over 28 gr. of 3031 to an OAL of 2.500.  Max OAL for this bullet is the same after the reaming as it was before; 2.551.

Like I said, the original owner, Steelbanger, sent me some pret-ty impressive targets he had shot with this rifle.  So I just used one of his loads.

Put a scope on it to!    :D
Richard
Former Captain of Horse, keeper of the peace and interpreter of statute.  Currently a Gentleman of leisure.
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Offline LaOtto222

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2009, 05:48:28 PM »
Good for you. I would be most interested in any range reports. I details too Good Luck, and most certainly, Good Shooting.
Great men have vision and resolve to make dreams come true.

Offline dpe.ahoy

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2009, 05:52:33 PM »
I need to do that myself.  I haven't shot my 38-55 since right after I got it, over a year now.  Got way to much Winchester brass to just get Starline.  DP
RIP Oct 27, 2017

Handi's:22Shot, 22LR, 2-22Mag, 22Hornet, 5-223, 2-357Max, 44 mag, 2-45LC, 7-30 Waters, 7mm-08, 280, 25-06, 30-30, 30-30AI, 444Marlin, 45-70, AND 2-38-55s, 158 Topper 22 Hornet/20ga. combo;  Levers-Marlins:Two 357's, 44 mag, 4-30-30s, RC-Glenfields 36G-30A & XLR, 3-35 Rem, M-375, 2-444P's, 444SS, 308 MX, 338Marlin MXLR, 38-55 CB, 45-70 GS, XS7 22-250 and 7mm08;  BLR's:7mm08, 358Win;  Rossi: 3-357mag, 44mag, 2-454 Casull; Winchesters: 7-30 Waters, 45Colt Trapper; Bolt actions, too many;  22's, way too many.  Who says it's an addiction?

Offline cwlongshot

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2009, 12:17:43 AM »
GOOD JOB RICHARD!!!

 I reamed mine some time back and still haven't shot it!!!  :-[ :-[ I'm hopefully going to get some trigger time in this Sunday!!  After a trip to Cabelas Sat nite!!! Trouble with going as inaften as I have reciently... I'm gonna give those new leaf springs on my Comanche a real work out!!!  ;D

CW
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #4 on: August 28, 2009, 04:39:33 AM »
Good job Richard, it's about time, eh!!  ;)

Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline Blackhawker

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #5 on: August 28, 2009, 04:47:31 AM »
Richard, would love to hear about a range report and how it shoots for you.  I've had lots of good luck with my 38-55.  I think it's my favorite rifle to shoot!  I took mine out to Wyoming this summer and shot some prairie dogs with it (of all things??)  I took a few at about 200 to 225 yards with iron sights (Marbles tang mounted sight).  If I was able to actually SEE the little buggers at that distance, I typically was able to shoot em. 

I'm also using 3031 but a slightly lighter load under a 265 grain GCSWC.

Have fun with it!  I'm glad to hear you kept the barrel as a 38-55 and didn't convert it or sell it.
(I think you posted a link about that barrel before...right??)

Offline AtlLaw

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2009, 05:37:14 AM »
If you remember, I got this rifle because I wanted the furniture for my 45-70 and the receiver for my 45-120.  Didn't much care about the barrel and planned on selling it.  But as always, the best laid plans of mice and men...   ::)

And, after talking back and forth with Frank (Steelbanger), who is a real 38-55 affectionado, I got curious...  and the frame didn't fit the 45-120 barrel anyway... and I don't have time to play with it right now... and so the TC frame was just sitting there... and Bri (CWLongshot) ground down my Limbsaver pad for the 45-120's stock, and it doesn't look like I'm going to have time to cut down and fit my new thumbhole stock and fore arm to my 7x57 before deer season, not to mention starting from scratch working up a hunting load for it... and I'm getting interested in cast bullets...  and the 38-55 is really a cute little case and probably doesn't recoil at all... and I really want to know if it will shoot as good for me after I reamed it as it did for Frank before I reamed it... and   :-\  and   :-[  uh,  what was my point?   :P
Richard
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Offline Blackhawker

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2009, 06:26:41 AM »
If you remember, I got this rifle because I wanted the furniture for my 45-70 and the receiver for my 45-120.  Didn't much care about the barrel and planned on selling it.  But as always, the best laid plans of mice and men...   ::)

And, after talking back and forth with Frank (Steelbanger), who is a real 38-55 affectionado, I got curious...  and the frame didn't fit the 45-120 barrel anyway... and I don't have time to play with it right now... and so the TC frame was just sitting there... and Bri (CWLongshot) ground down my Limbsaver pad for the 45-120's stock, and it doesn't look like I'm going to have time to cut down and fit my new thumbhole stock and fore arm to my 7x57 before deer season, not to mention starting from scratch working up a hunting load for it... and I'm getting interested in cast bullets...  and the 38-55 is really a cute little case and probably doesn't recoil at all... and I really want to know if it will shoot as good for me after I reamed it as it did for Frank before I reamed it... and   :-\  and   :-[  uh,  what was my point?   :P

Cast bullets:  What can I say??  Well, once you shoot em and get a good load down with em, you probably won't shoot any jacketed bullets anymore (unless you're looking for some hunting aspect that you just can't achieve with a cast bullet....are there any??)  Not only are cast bullets cheep to load, I think they're fun to load too.  Plus, a lot of times you'll use different powders for them that you wouldn't ordinarily use for jacketed stuff.  I've been fooling around a lot lately with 2400 and found it to work well with the 45-70, 38-55 (which I cannot find any loading data for with this powder..so I made my own) and the 45 Colt. 

Recoil:  Well, if you put some heavier bullets in the thing, it'll give you a little "boost"....but recoil in general with the 38-55 is pretty mild...like a heavily loaded 30-30.  I think you did the right thing by hanging onto the barrel and trying it out.  If it works for you, GREAT!!  If not, then you can always get rid of it but if you got rid of it and didn't try it, you'd always be bugged by the wonder of "what that darn 38-55 would have been like".  (know what I mean?)
You're right too....it's a "cute' little case...like a mini 45-70. 

....OK, I'm running on here too......what's my point again???  ;)

Offline JerryKo

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #8 on: August 28, 2009, 07:06:37 AM »
I believe that 38-55 will be a pussycat after shooting the 45-120...which you know aint really THAT bad...I like those looong bullets.  Mines not a handy but it is a real dandy...only shot with black powder so  far..( Dad's loads).  One try I'll give her a real workout.
Good job on the reaming!..You are turning into a little bit of a smithy, if I may say myself.

Good shooting,
Jerry       
"It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up."- Vince Lombardi

Offline eskimo36

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #9 on: August 28, 2009, 08:59:28 AM »
Richard, Here is a pic of that bullet you asked me about...
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: 38-55 reamed!
« Reply #10 on: August 28, 2009, 09:10:06 AM »
DROOL!!!  :P

I got to get me some of those!   ;D
Richard
Former Captain of Horse, keeper of the peace and interpreter of statute.  Currently a Gentleman of leisure.
Nemo me impune lacessit

                      
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