How I got started with the Marlin .38-55

I bought my first .38-55 rifle in 1992,   a Marlin 1893 I found at a gunshow at Angels’ stadium in Anaheim CA.  I was intrigued with duplicating the early Winchester Hi-Vel smokeless loading at 1600 fps,  which I had read the old-timers considered a superior deer killer.  Unfortunately,  the Winchester factory load (advertised 1320 fps, in reality more like 1150 fps) was really wimpy.  It was superbly accurate, though.  The Winchester factory bullet miked out at .377″.   Soon I was buying every box of Winchester factory ammo I could find and pulling the bullets for reloading.

Fast forward to 2004,  and I still could not find a suitable jacketed hunting bullet available as a reloading component for the .38-55– at least not at a reasonable price.  So,  necessity being the mother of all invention,  I called up Dave Corbin,  gave him a credit card number and tooled up to begin making my own.  I modified the design slightly to make the bullet shorter and more blunt with a 3/4 elipse nose shape, and a .199″ meplat.  Using a .44 mag pistol jacket drawn down,  I got a lot of exposed lead when making the bullets 250 grains.  I ordered my finish die at .378″ since Marlin had re-introduced the .38-55 in the 336 Cowboy, and most shooters reported slugging their barrels at .379″.  Early tests returned from guys who tried my bullet reported sub-1″ groups, and nearly quarter sized exit wounds on deer. I couldn’t have been happier with the results!

Next, the incredible happened- Elizabeth told me she thought I should buy one of the 16,000 rifles Marlin had made in .375 Winchester caliber- an updated higher pressure .38-55. Later I found out that the Marlin .375′s had generous chamber dimensions, and modern short .38-55 brass chambered easily with .377″ grooves.  Again I was thrilled when 20-1 lead/tin gas check bullets made in my .378″ finish die and smeared with BP type soft lube delivered 1″ groups at 100 yards with 20 grains of SR-4759 powder.