Opinions on Ordering New 38-55, Please

[Flash Pan Dan]

I am ordering a CPA Stevens 44 ½ in 38-55 for short and mid-range shooting, maybe some silhouette. I will be shooting 300 to 340 grain bullets. Mostly paper patched but I might dabble with grease groove also. Currently I am thinking of ordering 30 inch barrel with a 1 in 14 twist and a paper patched chamber lead. I am told by Gail that their barrels run a little less than .376 groove diameter. I would appreciate your opinions and any helpful comments about this caliber and also anything you can tell me about loading this caliber.

Thank you,

Dan

[MikeT]

The 340 gr. bullet may be marginal in a 14 twist barrel, unless you are only shooting 200 meter schuetzen matches. PP bullets may help that 340 gr. bullet, but I do not know for sure.

Most of the folks I know that are shooting 38 caliber rifles are using the 12 twist barrel with the 340 gr. bullets.

Keep on hav'n fun!
MikeT

[Flash Pan Dan]

Thank you. I was under the impression that you want to use the minimum amount of twist to stabilize the bullet you are using whenever possible. According to a couple of charts I have found the 1 in 14 twist can stabilize bullets up to 1.51 inches long and up to 392 grains. I think these charts are off the Greenhill calculation. On this basis I decided to go with that twist rate. If there is other data available that shows otherwise than I am ignorant of it and would like to know more.

[Nuclearcricket]

the big problem with going with long heavy bullets in the 38-55 is you run out of powder. I have one with a 15 twist and no throat and am able to get 47 gr of Ctg behind a 330 gr postel bullet. I don't think I would want to go much over 350gr unless you could seat it well out and get close to 50 gr of powder behind it. For target work anything in the 300 plus range should work fairly well. Over the weekend I played around with the Hoch 300 gr tapered bullet that CPA sells. I put 45 gr of CTG behind it and once dialed in was able to hold minute of pig at 300m. I don't think that is bad for a starting point. I know that GOEX likes a lot of compression and I was only running about .120 or so. Thus I am thinking more powder and more compression will tighten things up. Time will tell
Sam

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Get it chambered in 38-50 with a 1-12 twist. You will be much more pleased with your 38.
KW

[Gunlaker]

My .38-55's are for shooting at schuetzen distances. I can't offer any advice with respect to mid-range and silhouette with that cartridge, but I can say that when you breech seat, or shoot bore diameter paper patched bullets you can up the powder charge substantially. I use 58gr of Goex FFg Express in my .38-55's, one with the breech seated Hoch bullet, and the other with a PP Brooks elliptical that is 1.29" long and around 320gr. They are both 1-15 twist Badger barrels.

I think that the .38-50 RH is an excellent cartridge. I have another schuetzen rifle chambered in it ( Ron Smoth gain twist ending in 1-14 twist ), and it's very accurate with a PP bullet and 60gr of Goex Fg believe it or not.

Following Kenny's advice, I have a 1:12 twist .38-50 RH in the works for a silhouette/mid-range rifle.

Chris.

[Flash Pan Dan]

Gentleman, I am very appreciative of your advice and experiences. After reading them I will keep my order for 38-55, but I will be adding a couple of barrels to the order, after all one of the advantages of the CPA action is the interchangeability of barrels and calibers. I chose the 38-55 for mostly local matches out to 300 yards and to dabble with silhouette. I have two other rifles dedicated to silhouette in 40-65. I will probably not be using the 330 to 340 bullets much, but is would be nice to know I could if I wanted to do so. But if they don’t work, it will not be a disappointment.
There is also a local match that is held on a private range that is mostly enclosed and they prefer competitors use smokeless powders, so for that one match the smaller case capacity of the 38-55 might be an advantage.