38-55 accuracy?

[Dick Dastardly]

Howdy Pards,

I'm loading for my new, to me, 38-55 High Wall rifle.  So far, it has proven to be a pure pleasure to shoot.  As I reach out to 100 yards and beyond, what kind of accuracy can I expect compared to my 45-70 Rolling Block Remington?  I pretty well know what to expect from the 45-70 but I have no firm data from the little High Wall 38-55.

Any takers?

DD-MDA

[Coffinmaker]

DDD,

Had a Uberti 38-55 Hi-Wall.  Absolutely loved it.  Sorta.  It was fickle.  I only found one Bullet, Powder, Primer and Case combination it liked.  Once I found that ........ WOW.  I do admit at the time I was using that heathen fad stuff and not the One Powder.  It would shoot inside a folded dollar bill at 200 yards off the Sandbag.  Off my hind legs, not so good.  Once you find a load it likes, it will just about drive tacks.

Coffinmaker

PS:  Forgot.  Then in this neck of the woods, everybody quit shooting long range.  No reason to keep it.

[wildman1]

Should be able to shoot MOA at 200 yds from a rest with iron sites.
wM1

[Lucky R. K.]

Hey Wildman, I have an original 44-1/2 Stevens chambered for the long 38-55 cartridge.  Back when I could see it would shoot MOA at 200 yards. It has a rear aperture sight taken from my Browning 1885 Hi-wall and a globe front sight from Parts Unknown. Stevens cut a 7/16" dove tail for the front sights which made it hard to find a globe sight to fit.

The 38-55 is fun to shoot. Have fun.

Lucky

[Irascible]

VERY accurate with the right bullet diameter. Diameters wonder all over the place from.375 to .382. The best powders I found were 5744, Rx7, 4198 and H322. Lyman molds cast too small for some bores. RCBS is very accurate in most bores .378 and smaller. NOE makes a good copy, PB or gas check, of the Lyman 379449. Ready made cast? I just don't know...don't use them. Starline makes proper length brass. Your rifle is old enough to use the longer variant.

[Blackpowder Burn]

DD,

I have a Marlin 336 Cowboy that will shoot under 1-1/2 MOA with your bullet and 47 grains of Olde E or Swiss FFFg powder.  I expect your highwall will do somewhat better with the proper bullet diameter.  Bore diameters do vary a lot, as Irascible said.