Author Topic: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?  (Read 7096 times)

Offline Ace Lungger

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Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« on: September 03, 2008, 08:53:06 AM »
Good Morning Pards,
 i have a simple question, that i thought this would be the place to ask if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
 I have a chance to pick yp a Farrow Single shot action Kit, and after spending a nice time talking to the gentleman that has it for sale, he being a master Sigle Shot rifle Builder, told me the action he had for sale would only handle up to a 38-55 cal. I don't know if i am condidering it or not, but I like the challenge of building guns!
 But have made up my mind if it wouldn't be considered a buffalo gun, I don't want to waste my money building something that is not excepted?
 I would be great full for any and all personal thoughts on the 38-55!
Thanks
ACE
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Offline J.D. Yellowhammer

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Re: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2008, 03:32:32 PM »
Good Morning Pards,
 i have a simple question...

Howdy Ace,

I don't know if that's really a simple question.  If you want authenticity, you'd probably need to get a Sharps or rolling block based on a .45 or bigger bullet.  For instance, a typical hunter could have a sharps in .45-90, capable of that looong shot and knockdown power. 

But...

I tend to think of this category/forum as being about single shot rifles, especially black powder cartridge rifles.  I have a .38-55 that's a real joy to shoot, and it's a tack-driver (Winchester high wall).  I also have a rolling block .45-70, which is what I'd actually use if I was ever lucky enough to go buffler huntin'.  (and although they could be used for hunting bison, I don't generally think of the big lever guns as belonging in this forum or class.) 

But...

That's just me.  I like single shot BPCR rifles: sharps, rolling blocks, highwalls.  And I'd take any one of those in .38-55 because, like I said above, they're fun as hell to shoot.

So, do you want authenticity, fun shooting, or hunting?

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Offline James Hunt

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Re: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2008, 07:16:05 PM »
The .38-55 was introduced by Ballard in 1884 and so would have missed the killing fields by a few years. Even had it been there no commercial hide hunter would have selected it. A 255 grain bullet at 1350 fps or so  is not much for a critter the size of a buffalo. The light cartridge would not have held up well over distance. It was a great dear and even black bear gun and certainly historical to the American west, but not for buffalo.

I have an old Winchester 94 in that caliber, great fun to shoot with BP, but the old joke is to shoot your deer in its bed or it will outrun the cartridge. Make my buffalo guns in .50 and my deer gun a .30-30.

(Yes I know Yellowstone Kelly killed buffalo with a .44 rf but that was the great Yellowstone Kelly shooting before he could get his hands on a .44-77 Sharps)
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Offline Ace Lungger

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Re: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2008, 06:01:16 AM »
 :)I am great full for the information on the 38-55 cartidge, it was just a thought because I had a chance to pick up a new farrow Single shot action at a good price! And 38-55 is as big a cal. as the reciever will handle, and i am trying to keep the recoil down because of my stupid bad back!! I have a Sharps 1874 in 45-70, and I have allways played with guns, and I work on my guns, and have all the machine shop equipment I need to do any job I want to do, except for rifling a barrel, it takes me a long time, because I cannot stand up for over 10 mins at a time because of the back. I have a real nice Remington Rolling block with my name on it, and so I think that is most likely what I will build! I honesty like the High Wall better, and have been trying to get a hold of Rodney Stories to see about one of his casting kits in a High Wall!
 The 2 problems I allways seem to have, is finding what i want, and having the money to pay for it ::) ??? I would love to Build a Remington Rolling Block in a 45-110, 45-120, but I would not be able to shoot it, and i won't own a gun that I can't shoot.
 Thank you all for the advice
Later
ACE
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Offline James Hunt

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Re: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2008, 08:53:26 AM »
How about a .44-77? Authentic for your rolling block action, and very authentic to the early buffalo range. Recoil is on order of your .45-70 or slightly less in my opinion. have never shot a .44-77 but have shot a .43 spanish in a rolling block, very similar.
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Offline sharps50/70

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Re: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« Reply #5 on: September 04, 2008, 09:20:30 AM »
Ace,

I shot with a fellow who had an original Farrow.  Very nice gun.  When you ask about a "buffalo gun" do you just want a rifle that would fit into that historic criteria or are you going to use the rifle for buffalo gun rifle matches.  If the latter, the Farrow would qualify as it has an exposed hammer (I think).  The CPA Stevens 44 1/2 rifle, though made long after the buffalo hunts were over, is allow in NRA bp matches as in most other gong matches.

As to the 38/55, for practical purposes, this is a great caliber for up to 500 yards in target matches.  Fairly ligh recoil, very accurate and shoots black powder well.  I'd certainly recommend the gun action and caliber.

Rich

Offline Ace Lungger

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Re: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2008, 10:58:56 AM »
 :)Thanks Rich,
I just love the Old Single shot Rifles of the 1800's. I most likely, if and when I build a new rifle, I will stay with the 45-70! The action I want is a High Wall, wheter I get one is another thing! I also like the Hepburn, realy there isn't a falling or rolling block action I don't like, and for years I like the Martini, but I have changed, i found a real nice Large  Martini Action, but it isn't what I want. I am lucky i have the Sharps!! I happen to be at the right gun store at the right time, with enough trading stock that I got it! I am just now set up to load and shoot the WHOLY BLACK! I have a friend that has been a Black Powder long range shooter for years and he is helping me out!
 Our problem is that he works and doesn't get home untill around 5pm, with this bad back, and having to be on Morephine patches, i wake up at 3am to 4am, and by 5pm I am shot, back has got me into bed, so weekends are our only time, and he is a divorce man, that has a girl friend and I also have a wife that works and she doesn't want to sit at home on the weekends, and I don't blame her. I have my Old Harley for sale, and dropped the price down another $1000.00, and I was in hopes if it sold I would skim off enought to build me a rifle!
Right now that isn't looking good!
 But you pards also answered a question that i didn't have to ask, you all have mention that the 38-55 was a good 500yard cartidge! With my back detereraration (I am a bad speller) the surgeons have told me it will just be a matter of time before I will depend on a wheel chair to do any distance moving! I have plans depending on my back of taking my pickup and 24 foot travel trailer and my AtV to north of Larime Wy. and taking a electronic varmit caller with a 400 yard extension on the speaker, build me a small blind and set the spotting scope up, and TRY to shoot some coyote's at the 600yard range with a Buffalo gun. I was allways planning on taking my Sharps, but would like a back up rifle traveling that far! i have done a lot of hunting, and a lot more long range varmit hunting with modern firearms, Ruger #1 243cal 6x18x40mm Redfield and a lot of practice! The back might not make it till next Oct. so i might be planning something that might never happen! But i am a person that dreams keep me going!

So sorry for getting long winded on you pards, I aplogize
ACE
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Offline Guns Garrett

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Re: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2008, 11:21:42 AM »
Ace,
If it is possible to go "up" just a little, and you still want a "buffalo" cartridge, look at the .40-50 or .40-70 Sharps, either Straight or Bottleneck .  They were some of the original Sharps cartridges, from the mid-1870's.  I don't know how easy (meaning "inexpensive") it would be to get reloading components for those, but I'm sure that Buffalo Arms has brass and dies for them.  Also look at the Winchester .40-65 (1887).  It can be formed from .45-70 brass, is available as loaded ammo, and is a favorite of BP silhouette shooters, because of its lower recoil, but still enough "umph" to knock down steel.  I hope to have my .43 Spanish rolling block re-barrelled to .45-90 this winter, probably take it over to Lee Shaver over in Missouri.

We've missed you at Neodesha these past couple months.  We only have a few more matches sheduled this year (9/14, 9/28, and 10/12).  We'd all like to see you come out again, whenever you feel up to it.

Guns
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Offline Ace Lungger

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Re: Question about if a 38-55 would be considered a Buffalo Gun?
« Reply #8 on: September 06, 2008, 05:00:58 PM »
 :)Howdy Guns,
 i might try to come over to a match, but I most likely won't shoot. I hate that but with the low number of shooters you have, my back doesn't get any rest between rounds1 I have been going to try and go to Cassville and see if I could shoot there, they normaly have at least 20 or more shooters, and that would let me sit and let the pressure off the back some? I havn't fired a round since the last match, except I shot mt Henry when I got it back and bought a new mould, and i did shoot a few rounds threw the 22 target pistol!
Talk to you later!
let me know if you run acrossed any kind of action, that you don't want!
Later ACE
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