38-55 bp

[billbmcleod]

So the deer season is a week away and I thought that I would use my old (early 1900's) 94 in 38-55. It was my grandfathers gun.
Then I had this brain f**t that I should do it with black and cast lead. I have shot these bullets using smokeless and they are not bad.
I have spent a couple of days reading this forum and from what I have read I should load 55gr by volume or such that there is a slight compression of the powder with the bullet seating. I only plan on loading six to see where it shoots @ 50 yds and six to hunt with.
I don't really want to try to find a load that works at any greater distance as where I hunt you are lucky to be able to see 50 yds. I also realize that I will probably have to tear the gun right down in order to clean all the residue out. Tearing it down is no big thing but the more you do it the greater the chance of some part going missing.
So I would only probably try hunting with this setup once and would have a backup gun with me in case it was needed.
Should I try it or play it safe and just dream about it. Any thoughts would be appreciated with no liability.

 

[Snider shooter]

BP works well in 38-55. You are going to find out that 55 grs will not fit in your cases. Original cases where bollon head construction and held more powder. Modern cases will hold 35 to 40 grs and I usually seat the bullet out as far the action will allow. Your rifle if it is anything like my 94's looses accuracy the more shots fired. In a hunting situation not a problem. On the range I run a jag through every second shot. My load is goex 2f 40 grs, 30 thousand card wad, 250 gr lead sized 0.380 and SPG lube. My pre WW1 94's work well with this load. I have about an eighth of an inch compression of the powder. I haven't taken a deer yet with this load but works well on coyotes,targets of opportunity.

 

[Ol' Flinter]

Snider S. is right on the money from my experience although I shoot a Win highwall 1885 single shot with 315 grain cast lead slugs that would be too long to feed through the lever gun. 250 gr flat nose slugs were standard fare for the 38-55 lever guns. I can comfortably load 42 gr FFg BP in my new Winchester cases so something in the range of 40 - 45 gr should work for you. I compress my powder about 3/16" after seating the card. I too lube with SPG (why reinvent the wheel?) and use a 3/8" diameter card wad (punched out of a milk carton) between the bullet and powder. In your situation I would load as much powder (compressed) as you can fit in your cases with the thin card wad and still seat the slug within max recommended overall cartridge length. I am certain you will not achieve 55 grains. Now go get that buck....

One more comment: powder compression is not a concern with smokeless but is a major contributor to accuracy, or lack thereof, in BP cartridge guns. I would pack in as much as you can, to start.

 

[tokguy]

Drop tube to get more BP per case

 

[9.3 Hunter]

use a brass drop tube for BP loading.

I use 200gr JFPs with 13.5grs of Trail Boss. Accurate and still blows smoke. Easier to clean than for BP. Same load for 255gr cast lead FPs as well.