Im seriously looking for a new 38-55. Preferably a Single shot. My question is about the recommended pressure rating for the 38-55. Buffalo Bore has loads that are close to a .375 Winchester pressure 220 gr bullets at 2,000 fps. Every thing im hearing is that you cant load the 38-55 case as you would a 30-30 because of the pressure I also heard that 38-55 cases are not as strong as 30-30? What am i missing
New to reloading the 38-55
- Thread starter Justmakesense
- Start date
Rook 6
Silver $$ Contributor
What kind of single shot are you thinking of? Not a lot of info but as a general rule of thumb, be careful running smokeless loads in a 38-55. Personally, I wouldn’t try it in an antique single shot. I’d still be wary in a modern production model using old designs. Some single shots, such as the Ballard, should never use modern loads. A modern Ruger or other modern designs just follow manufacturer recommendations with published data and start low!
I have a half-pint Sharps in .38-55. It's the 1873 sharps scaled down to 7 lbs, which puts the .38-55 as a nice hotrod old cartridge in it. I load a lead 235 grain hollow point bullet I make, using molds from NOE. I load with 28.0 gr of IMR3031. The load is fantastic on white tail deer. I save one deer harvest each fall just for this rifle at my ranch.
I do something a bit old fashion and different though, the original 1880s round was paper-wrapped. Took me some time to get the hang of it, but you use 9 pound paper (like the old airmail paper) and cut it with a trapazoid copper/brass plate you trim till it's just right ... allowing a wet patch to wrap two times and the ends of the patch meet. Then you twist and flatten the tail, then let them dry.
You have to remember if molding lead bullets, the molds are designed to produce them a bit over-sized and then you "size them down". You don't need a special sizing press for this, there is a simple die/collet set you can get for your regular reloading press ... your bottom ram pushes the lead molded bullets up and through, out the top of the sizing collet.
Is your .38-30 rifle modern or antique? (thinking of the quality of the steel and wear)
I do something a bit old fashion and different though, the original 1880s round was paper-wrapped. Took me some time to get the hang of it, but you use 9 pound paper (like the old airmail paper) and cut it with a trapazoid copper/brass plate you trim till it's just right ... allowing a wet patch to wrap two times and the ends of the patch meet. Then you twist and flatten the tail, then let them dry.
You have to remember if molding lead bullets, the molds are designed to produce them a bit over-sized and then you "size them down". You don't need a special sizing press for this, there is a simple die/collet set you can get for your regular reloading press ... your bottom ram pushes the lead molded bullets up and through, out the top of the sizing collet.
Is your .38-30 rifle modern or antique? (thinking of the quality of the steel and wear)
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