I used the same on a few deer. Holy cow the exit holes!
Using sabots in a big bore
- Thread starter Snakeoil
- Start date
Missionary
Well-Known Member
I can easily imagine that slug turning inside out and the "edges" rolling back over the center mass as it thwapped and ripped it's way through whatever flesh tried to slow it down.
Snakeoil
Well-Known Member
Yes, you are right. I was too lazy to bring the rifle downstairs to measure the twist and did a quick search on the web. Another example of much of what you read on the web is BS. I specifically searched and found info on modern Browning 1885 TH in .38-55.
So, I just went down and measured the twist. 15 inches as you surmised.
For grins, I checked out Accurate molds for small .376 bullets that looked like they might work. I saw several in the 175 to 200 gr range. But my guess is they will struggle beyond 300 yds, especially in the wind.
My later coil spring HW in .32-40 has a freshened bore so I can only breech seat it. It is a tack driver out to 300 yds with the SAECO 632, 165 gr. bullet. Friend of mine shot is Miroku HW in .32-40 at this months silhouette match. He only missed one, but not sure which one. Probably a turkey at 400. But yesterday had damn near perfect conditions. We have both tried to use our .32's out to 500 and were never really happy with the results beyond 300. Might shoot better with the bigger 732, 200 gr bullet.
Ian
Notorious member
+1. Use Zamak wheelweights, they melt at about 700F, run the furnace at 800-850, and make a vibrating mould rest utilizing an old Wahl hair clipper to prevent coring. You may want to make a split sprue plate and attach each piece to the top of the blocks with machine screws, then make a simple slit collet for your lathe out of aluminum round bar and a hose clamp to hold the bullets for parting off the sprues. Hone an angle on your your parting tool tip so the nib goes with the sprue. Breech seating zinc bullets will be.....interesting.
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I've yearned for a 38-55, or even a 375W, loaded to 38-55 pressures. The allure is powerful. Nostalgia, I suppose being a part of it. I could see me using the 38-55 exclusively, say as a "one rifle," but in my digs, it would be off-optimum to a significant degree. Nice to have - the cool-factor being what it is. I believe a very effective deer round for the type of hunting I'd do around here as well, and fits within the "straight-wall" boundaries to boot.
Alas,...
Not wanting to keep track of and keep up with thirty long-arms, I did a lot of very careful... BRUTAL analases of pros/cons, wants/needs, etc. and decided that lobbing less lead each shot would be easier on the "lead" stash and easier on sorely abused joints and bones. Oh, how I'd LOVE to have a 38-55, but then I'd still need a smaller-bore gun for flatter shooting at smaller varmints at longer ranges also.
The 30/30 might not be as cool as the 38-55, but the 30/30 is still one amazingly versatile old gal. I have a dandy 118 grain "squirrel load," which will do head-shots at least to fifty yards on the little buggers. But then I also have the capacity to load any of a number of 165 grain (and up) bullets, ahead of a full, factory-load charge-levels of powder and it STILL won't abuse me.
Sooo, the 30/30 IS a "small" bore version of the 38-55, yet still capable of hunting medium game and plinking at 200, etc. Practical, economical, easy on the powder and "lead" stashes, easy on the nut behind the trigger, not lacking in nostalgia...
It is another "perfect combination of compromises" in this case. Not the best at anything except being the best at covering a LOT of bases, checking a LOT of boxes, even if it's not a big-bore thumper, not a "stretched-string" small bore, but has at least one foot in each of the two realms enough to add some challenge to implementing it in either extreme, yet comfortable, competent and confident in the middle.
And if you CAST, well...
Yeah, I'd LOVE to have a 38-55. Am I depriving myself? No. I'm having the same kind of fun, don't feel like I'm missing that much really. Just all part of finding just how much fun not having exactly everythingh I think I want can be. If you already HAVE a 38-55, probably a different story. If the 38-55 beats you up (abused old bones and such), load down or add another gun to the safe. If you have 12, 20, 30, what's one more?
Alas,...
Not wanting to keep track of and keep up with thirty long-arms, I did a lot of very careful... BRUTAL analases of pros/cons, wants/needs, etc. and decided that lobbing less lead each shot would be easier on the "lead" stash and easier on sorely abused joints and bones. Oh, how I'd LOVE to have a 38-55, but then I'd still need a smaller-bore gun for flatter shooting at smaller varmints at longer ranges also.
The 30/30 might not be as cool as the 38-55, but the 30/30 is still one amazingly versatile old gal. I have a dandy 118 grain "squirrel load," which will do head-shots at least to fifty yards on the little buggers. But then I also have the capacity to load any of a number of 165 grain (and up) bullets, ahead of a full, factory-load charge-levels of powder and it STILL won't abuse me.
Sooo, the 30/30 IS a "small" bore version of the 38-55, yet still capable of hunting medium game and plinking at 200, etc. Practical, economical, easy on the powder and "lead" stashes, easy on the nut behind the trigger, not lacking in nostalgia...
It is another "perfect combination of compromises" in this case. Not the best at anything except being the best at covering a LOT of bases, checking a LOT of boxes, even if it's not a big-bore thumper, not a "stretched-string" small bore, but has at least one foot in each of the two realms enough to add some challenge to implementing it in either extreme, yet comfortable, competent and confident in the middle.
And if you CAST, well...
Yeah, I'd LOVE to have a 38-55. Am I depriving myself? No. I'm having the same kind of fun, don't feel like I'm missing that much really. Just all part of finding just how much fun not having exactly everythingh I think I want can be. If you already HAVE a 38-55, probably a different story. If the 38-55 beats you up (abused old bones and such), load down or add another gun to the safe. If you have 12, 20, 30, what's one more?
I won't argue with that, but for me, it's about 100% overkill. One of the finest do (almost) all numbers out there, right behind the 7x57 (it's biological father).
Yep, I could do anything with the '06 I could do with the 30/30 (and much MORE), but it would be like driving a dump-truck to the grocery store for me. It would work, plus it would do SO much more if I needed it to. IF I needed it to.
And as grand an old gal as the '06 is,... it's boring.
No one uses a 38-55 because it's better than the '06. They use a 38-55 because the 38-55 is even more cool than the '06, which is a damned tall order.
fiver
Well-Known Member
i like to read all the oldest gun type magazines i can find.
colonel whelen had a great response to a letter he had.
a gentleman wrote in asking about necking the darling of the time [the 0-6] down to 7mm and having a rifle built for it.
he went through the usual you'll need spiel and a gun smith to do the project...
so alas the 280 remington had to wait another 45 years to come along.
but his point was they already had the 7 mauser that threw a 139gr. bullet to 3,000 fps. and was clearly [almost] the equal to the new [ish] round even using the then new and improved boat tail match bullets..... so the 284 0-6 wasn't necessary.
which clearly didn't slow winchester down none... which is kind of odd since they were the ones making the outstanding Luballoy 7mm bullets at the time
colonel whelen had a great response to a letter he had.
a gentleman wrote in asking about necking the darling of the time [the 0-6] down to 7mm and having a rifle built for it.
he went through the usual you'll need spiel and a gun smith to do the project...
so alas the 280 remington had to wait another 45 years to come along.
but his point was they already had the 7 mauser that threw a 139gr. bullet to 3,000 fps. and was clearly [almost] the equal to the new [ish] round even using the then new and improved boat tail match bullets..... so the 284 0-6 wasn't necessary.
which clearly didn't slow winchester down none... which is kind of odd since they were the ones making the outstanding Luballoy 7mm bullets at the time
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Living where you live, that is true. But where I live, the 30/30 even at max cast bullet load, is not a humanitarian load for a 600 pound elk.I won't argue with that, but for me, it's about 100% overkill. One of the finest do (almost) all numbers out there, right behind the 7x57 (it's biological father).