.38-50 Hepburn

[Kurt]

Well Bryan I'd still hankering for a Borchardt and I'm getting tried trying to keep my gun cart upright with that 25 ponder. It has a looooooong .44-100 jack handle on it plus the original .44-90 bn barrel and I will bring a feed sack full of shells and we both can have a good time.

Kurt

[Kurt]

I went back to Alma last weekend and shot another match using the Hepburn .38-50 and I'm settled that this caliber and rifle will do it's job just fine.
The turn out was 26 on Saturday but some did not shoot on Sunday. The Rain held off but it was dark from the heavy overcast and the final scores showed this but it was a good time.
I fired 145 rounds total this time over the three days and it convinced me that I have a fine shooter.

Now to get the .38-50 CPA up and running.


Kurt

[ian45662]

That’s awesome MR!! I am going to take a break from mine until after the NRA nationals…. I am going to shoot my 45 from now until then but after that I will probably get back to it. It seems to shoot paper patch better than this grease groove money bullet which I suspect is too long. I will be ordering a shorter Creedmoor bullet to try pretty soon.

[Kurt]

Ian,
I been loading for the Q and the Baker shoots and just starting to load for Friendship but this is all up in the air being anchored down by the Medics at Mayo and a couple others.
I need to get to a long range for the final work with these .38's I feel that the shell has enough room for enough powder to drive that 358 gr bullet well enough for the 1K.
I put a bucket at the fence line at 930 yard fence line and shot 10 rounds during a 8 O-Clock good breeze and nailed it on the 4th round with a 61 grain load of 2021 1.5 swiss with the 358 gr DDEPP bullet.
The Corn and Bean fields are in perfect shape now that the crops are starting to get planted to see the dust down range.

[beltfed]

Ian and Kurt,
I did ranging shots at Lodi a couple weeks ago with the 38-50 at 1K.
It responded perfectly to my Junior Target Spot sight adjustments to range me right into the center of the backstop impact area in 4 shots
If I can do the August 6x1000 at Lodi, I will definitely shoot the 38-50 at least one 1K string, probably will shoot it for 3x1000 on one of the two days.
Arnie

[Kurt]

Arnie,

I will take the .38 and the .45 to Lodi and give the .38 a run also.
Shooting the last two Silhouette matches at Alma MI I saw very good results on the 500 mtr ram when getting sight settings and load testing. I covered several spots on that iron with the palm of my hand and it looked very good shooting at the 900 yard bucket.
I been doing some PT for the lower back and got a good back brace and it's doing some good but last Sunday I did go down to my knee twice after pulling off the line after the third relay with the knee buckling on me. It should be good by August.
Maybe I can even lay on the Matt for a steady hold to get the best out of the rifle and load.

Kurt

[beltfed]

I expect I will shoot the 38-50 at the Merrill gong match on 27 May
Probably shoot some 371360E from my mold and some 371359E from Kurt's mold
Arnie

[Kurt]

Question Arnie,

Does your rifle have any free bore? and how deep do you have to seat my .371-359-E in the case for your rifle?

Kurt

[beltfed]

Kurt,
My 38-50 has almost no freebore. Less than 0.050 or so.
My own bullets , the 371360E seat about 0.090" into the case.
Your 371359E needs to be seated 0.200" into the case for it to be a snug fit into the leade w/o having to force it.
I have to say, it is very convenient, what with easier handling of the rounds with them seted that deep into the cases.
My shallow seated rounds, I sometimes have a bullet fall out. Now I am giving the rounds a very slight taper crimp, though,
in a 38-56 FL die with the decapping pin removed.
Arnie

[Kurt]

TNX. Arnie,

That 359 sure is the answer in mu Hep with the .110" free bore it has and it convinced me that it can be used out to the 1K after hitting the 5 gallon bucket in the 900 yard fence line after just a couple shots fired finding the range.
Thank you for helping me drawing the mould design with me.
Now I need to get on a long range past 600 yards to see how it shoots beyond that. I know that I can cover several shots fired with the palm of my hand on the 500 mtr. Ram and it knocks them over in fine shape. It put me in first place scope match winner and just three below over all between irons and scope during a silhouette match.
I'm well pleased with the bullet and rifle the way it performs.
It will be a fine combination for the iron critters and midrange paper.
Kurt