Tell me about your 38-55s

Share your tales (tall or otherwise) of hunting adventures.

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PEteacher
Posts: 81
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 1:59 pm
Location: Ottawa, KS

Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by PEteacher »

Planning my second Shiloh. Still hard to believe I bought my first! Glad I listened to forum members here when planning it. First one is 45-70 #1 with 30" heavy octagon barrel, mid range Soule sights, shooting paper patch. Love it!

Now thinking of a lighter to carry, lighter to hold, lighter recoiling rifle. Deer will be biggest game. 300 yard maximum casual target shooting. Don't see many here talking about their 38-55s, other than ringing Rams in silhouette shoots.

Tell me all about your Shiloh 74 38-55s.

Jeff
Gussy
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Location: WA, dry side
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Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by Gussy »

I'm not understanding where the lighter to carry comes in unless you mean the ammo. Barrel outside is the same with a smaller hole means more steel and heavier??

I have a 38-55 but have not hunted with it yet. Maybe this year as I haven't been deer hunting for 2 years and plan to this year.
BFD
Posts: 2789
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:36 pm

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by BFD »

I'd never get a 74 in .38-55. just doesn't seem right somehow. I did use my 38-55 vintage Marlin 93 to kill an antelope this morning however.
John Bly
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Joined: Thu May 13, 2010 12:32 pm
Location: Stephens City, VA

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by John Bly »

A friend of mine has a 38/55 in a '74 Sharps and he likes it. I don't know the barrel length or weight. If I were to buy one for a hunting rifle it would be a #3 or Saddle Rifle with the shotgun butt and plastic buttplate to keep weight down. It would have either a 26" or 28" standard weight barrel. I would prefer full octagon but to reduce weight you could go half round. It would have standard wood and no upgrades. Another thing to consider would be getting the 40/50 caliber in either the bottleneck or straight version. They hold about the same powder charge as a 38/55 but shoot a heavier bullet and both were authentic calibers for Sharps. Recoil is still mild. The straight version may be easier to get brass for. That's just my opinion, others may not agree.
"Perfection consists not so much in doing extraordinary things as in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well"
pacecars
Posts: 584
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2005 6:19 am
Location: Tallahassee, Fl

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by pacecars »

I have a 26 inch 1/2 octagon barreled Saddle Rifle in .40-50 BN and the recoil is not even noticeable. It is very pleasant for all day shooting
Real gun powder is black.
Gussy
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Location: WA, dry side
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Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by Gussy »

Considering that only a couple shots are actual hunting and the rest are target and plinking, a 38-55 is fairly cheap to shoot. Less lead and powder, cases are reasonable too.
df
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Location: minnesota
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Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by df »

I hope its ok to say this here, but I had a C Sharps 1885 in 38-55 for a few years and sold it.
Was accurate and not bad to carry.
Shot one buck antelope with it.
Just sold it cause I had too many and it rarely got used, as compared to my Shilohs in 45-70 and 50-70.
I think a Shiloh chambered in the 38-55 would be great for hunting deer size animals
George Babits
Posts: 442
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 10:53 am

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by George Babits »

Last deer I shot was with a 38-55 Winshester M-1894. I really like the cartridge and have thought a lot about getting a Shiloh in 38-55. My synopsis is that, in a Shiloh, I would have them build a Sharps "Civilian Carbine" in 38-55 with a 24 inch round barrel and military buttstock. The difference in weight between a 38 and a 40, or even 45 caliber, would only be 4 or 5 ounces. The military buttstock stock is considerably lighter than the shotgun butt sporter. I would add sling swivels as well. I think that this rifle wouldn't weigh any more than mu 1894 in 38-55 and have a whole lot more class.

George
Salmon, Idaho
SchuetzenDave
Posts: 857
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 9:07 am
Location: St. Albert, Alberta

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by SchuetzenDave »

I made a .38-50 Remington Hepburn on Remington No. 1 Rolling block.

50 grains FFFg and 310 grain bullet is shooting at 1250 fps.

It has always knocked the Rams down slowly but has not yet rung one.

I only have a 18:1 twist barrel so cannot shoot longer heavier bullets.
John Boy
Posts: 506
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2014 11:39 am

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by John Boy »

Don't own a Shiloh 38-55 but have 3 rifles in this caliber that shoot as good as my eyes & the weather allows:
* Uberti Deluxe, DST, chambered for breech & fix cartridge shooting
* 1887 Wurfflein falling block with a vernier
* H&R Target Master barrel on the SB2 action with a Green Mountain barrel and a vernier - there have been BP rounds splashed on a 48x82" gong target at 1000yds
Regards
John
PEteacher
Posts: 81
Joined: Tue Aug 06, 2013 1:59 pm
Location: Ottawa, KS

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by PEteacher »

Thank you all for your input.
I am going to save the 38-55 for lever actions. I will be visiting an uncle who collects Winchester lever actions to pick his brain (and just hang out with him), and I will study up on Marlin 93s ( Thanks Brent for showing pictures of yours.)

I just ordered my second Shiloh74. It will be in 40-65, which will provide the lighter recoil I am after.

Thanks again,
<><
Jeff
bobw
Posts: 3835
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 12:52 pm

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by bobw »

In November a friend shot a 4 year old cow buffalo in SD with his 38-55. 260 gr flatnosed lead greasers over a charge of smokless for 1250 fps. Range was 80 yds and the gun a Little 74 (Lyman /Chiappa ?). He had to hit her 2 times but because Rick Hamilton of Sandhills Outfitters all ready taught him where to hold it was a done deal. bobw
bobw
sandhillcowboy1
Posts: 166
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 11:36 pm

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by sandhillcowboy1 »

Bob

I got a Christmas card from him telling about that (with apologies for the smokeless :) He certainly has turned into a buffalo hunter! He made a great shot here with your business rifle and afterwards had him clanging the buffalo at 805 yds in a 25 mph wind with my 45-90. He listens and executes. Good guy!

Rick
SHCB1
Jim VanMiddlesworth
Posts: 196
Joined: Fri Dec 05, 2003 4:37 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by Jim VanMiddlesworth »

I realize I'm a little late to the dance but I have a Shiloh in 38-55. It's a Saddle Rifle with 28" round/oct barrel, steel shotgun butt and Schnabel forend. With a Lyman 264 grain bullet, minus the gas check, over a .060" fiber wad and 40 grains of Swiss 1 1/2 it will shoot 3 rounds into one ragged hole at 100 yards, benched. Saturday I shot a 200 yard steel match with it and at the 200 distance, sitting with cross sticks, was shooting a 4" group.

I am really pleased with the performance and glad I opted for the 38-55. The only thing I wish I'd done differently is have the pewter for-end and bone/charcoal case hardening.
"Dyin' aint much of a livin', boy"
BFD
Posts: 2789
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2008 7:36 pm

Re: Tell me about your 38-55s

Post by BFD »

Jim, it sounds like a really nice rifle. And, you could always do the case color and pewter tip now. It's not like it can't be changed.

Dan Phariss published an article on how to do the pewter tip yourself, but you could simply have Shiloh fit a new one. Won't be cheap of course, but it is doable. I know of no reason that cyanide case coloring can't be stripped and the action then charcoal case colored. Recasing actions is done all the time. Just costs money... (of course).

In the meantime, sounds like you have a fine hunting rifle for sure.
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