Winchester 38-55

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BFD
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by BFD »

Glenn, That is why I do it. LOP. A Shiloh is way too short for me otherwise.
krgriggs
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by krgriggs »

That’s the gun I started out on in Bpcr. Hit a ram dead center and it didn’t fall. I think I shot mostly scores under 20 with it, was really new at the game at the time though and I still have the gun.
krgriggs
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by krgriggs »

Will need a 360 grain for rams
Woody
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by Woody »

Not so. You don't need a 360 grainer for rams. I too shot a 38-55 in silhouette for several years. I used two moulds. A 300 and a 330 grainer. Extremely accurate caliber. Mild on the shoulder and the wallet for components. My only issue was the wind. I was shooting this rifle in Watkins, Rifle, and Raton, all three heavy wind ranges. I don't recall ever loosing a ram that was hit with a full bullet. I have lost numerous rams with a 400 grain .40/65. I also had a friend that was shooting an original barreled Winchester High Wall in .38/55. He used my 250 grain lever gun mould and shot several silhouette matches. It too would tip rams when hit with a full bullet. I was surprised to see that "light" bullet tip them. It's the same bullet I shoot in my 94 levergun. It tips the rams at 200 yards with the "pansy" loads that I shoot with it. They are sub-sonic at the muzzle.

Woody
Richard A. Wood
If you are surrounded. You are in a target rich environment.
Glen Ring
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by Glen Ring »

Woody
My main objective is just get him on the range shooting. If he will shoot a few matches with even the 250 grain bullet he will hit some targets...and the first ram he knocks down will have him hooked.
The #1 thing for a new shooter is to just have fun...I think that sometimes there are way too many serious folks shooting and not enough cut ups.
Light recoil, not to heavy a gun to hold up and shoot chickens with, and he'll be cuttin up and laughing with his Grand father and Grand Mother...Now that's what it's all about.
There are those that talk, and those that act. Make a choice.
BFD
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by BFD »

Glenn, does the TH rifle have a top tang? I don't believe it does, but could be wrong. One of those other styles of Brownings does not have a top tang.
Geologist
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by Geologist »

I shoot a 35-40 Maynard with a 340 grain bullet. Fifteen years ago, I was loading 48 grains of 1 1/2 F Swiss and never lost a ram. With the new Swiss, I need to load 54 grains of 3 F to ensure I do not ring the ram, especially at Carpenter.
Woody
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by Woody »

Glenn,

The last time this rifle was fired as a .38/55, my wife was spotting, and David Beammet was pulling the triggerr. He shot a 41 of 60.
That was a master score at the time, at Raton during the National Matches. Might have been 2003 or 4. I re-barreled it after that to the current 45-70.

Talk to Charles Outler. He got his grandson shooting using a Browning chambered in .35/40 if I recall. We all pulled for Brandon each and every time he pulled the trigger. The most polite young man I have met. Wish he was stil shooting, but I think he will be back.

What it boils down to, is a .38/55 is a good starting caliber. Don't turn away from the various .40 calibers too. My son shot my .40/65 and did well as dis my wife.

Woody
Richard A. Wood
If you are surrounded. You are in a target rich environment.
mdeland
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by mdeland »

Brent makes a good point about some of those guns not having a top tang to attach the base to which is the best scenario how ever if you get a good price on a gun you like that doesn't have a tang all is not lost. This style will use a through bolt but there still is probably enough meat left in the stock over the bolt tunnel to glass bed two steel base anchors in which to mount a tang sight. Might want to investigate this possibility for adaption.
krgriggs
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by krgriggs »

Traditional hunter has a top tang, at least mine does
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Don McDowell
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by Don McDowell »

AKA Donny Ray Rockslinger :?
beltfed
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Location: Central Wi

Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by beltfed »

The Browning Traditional Hunter also has a top tang. it also came with the Marbles tang sight.
The corporation later came out with the Miroku built TH with the Winchester name on it.
All built by Miroku.
Besides having a C sharps hiwall built, another alternative that has some good features
is the Pedersoli 38-55 High wall that has a 12 twist barrel. The rifle was spec'd out by Dan T.
they bring pretty good money when you find them. Close to the price of the C Sharps Hi Wall
beltfed/arnie
beltfed
Posts: 1962
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Location: Central Wi

Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by beltfed »

Pedersoli Hi wall is on gunbroker. buy now $2035
oh, and with single set trigger
Item number
865130091

NO,it is not mine.
I might have been after it, but I am now playing with a Brg BPCR /Badger 10 twist 38-50.
beltfed/arnie
Kenny Wasserburger
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by Kenny Wasserburger »

Put a 38-50 chamber in that Highwall, and it would be on hell of a rifle with that 12 twist.


KW
We'll raise up our Glasses against Evil Forces, Singing, Whiskey for my men, Beer for my horses.

Wyoming Territory Sharps Shooter
SSShooter
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Re: Winchester 38-55

Post by SSShooter »

Woody wrote: Mon Apr 13, 2020 7:25 pmWhat it boils down to, is a .38/55 is a good starting caliber.
Woody
Good ending cartridge, as well, as I move into my dotage. Have both a 38/55 & 38/40Rem barrel for my CPA. The 38/55 barrel is, as any good Texan should own, a nice lapped Shilen 12" twist barrel so no problem with 360gr+ bullets and 49gr of 2F Swiss. Another nice thing about a 38/55 is it can be taken out to more powerful 38/50Rem at minimal cost if one decides. Rick Moritz seems to shoot his quite well.

As others have stated, that crescent buttplate will be a problem. I started my BPCR career with one shooting a 200m all off-hand match. When I shot my first 'real' match it could not end soon enough with a very sore shoulder. Check on ebay for a proper Browning stock, as they will fit without much work. Another option for wood is CPA. They have a pattern machine for the Browning and can whittle you a shotgun buttplate stock with cheek-piece in short order.

Some longer-term problems with the Winroku............. twist is too slow, limiting bullet choice, and it is too light. Going to a 38/55 with the skinny barrel on the Winroku is sort of self-defeating. Lighter cartridge in a considerably lighter rifle results in a similar felt recoil to a heavier cartridge. And that trigger. From the factory the rifle will likely have a 5#+ trigger, or so, which can be frustrating, especially in off-hand. Lee Shaver used to sell sears that had been modified to get the pull down to about 3#, but they were not hardened and wore, so I always carried a spare. Easy enough to change out, but the Winroku action is difficult to work on and is nothing like a true High Wall, whether C. Sharps or an original. No parts are interchangeable between them if you need service. Even with Wayne's book they are still complex by comparison to John Browning's original and all the parts for them that are available (MVA, C. Sharps, DZ Arms, ASSRA forum, eBay, etc.). With the Winroku you are pretty much stuck with the factory.

The suggestion of a C. Sharps High Wall is a good one, as would be a CPA Stevens 44 1/2 with a 38/55 barrel. I up-graded to a C. Sharps about half-way thru my 2nd season of BPCR and shoot a CPA today. While many do well with the Browning models, I find the C.Sharps & CPA to be better suited rifles that do not require additional mods as do the Winroku or Browning. There are a number of good shooters that use the Winroku or Browning, but don't believe any of them shoot a stock rifle (trigger work or rebarreled or both).
Last edited by SSShooter on Tue Apr 14, 2020 6:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
Glenn
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