old 38-55 ammo with pictures

[FLINT]

Hi all. I'll try not to make this super protracted. short history

When my grandfather purchased the farm next to his fathers farm I think back in the 40's. He found a Winchester 1894 rifle in 38-55 in the barn. The serial number on the gun indicates an 1898 manufacture date. He hunted with this rifle for a few years and apparently one of the deer he killed with it was a small buck in 1952 (my father's birth year). My father still has the antler mount. In the 1950's I think because the bore of the 38-55 barrel wasn't awesome, my grandfather had the rifle re-barreled to 30 WCF. My father still has the rifle and it is in great condition. This year, when my father was visiting his sister, she goes and retrieves an old box of ammo that she said belonged to their dad. My father, immediately understanding the significance of the ammo told her that he would like it and she happily obliged. My dad came up for thanksgiving and brought me the rifle and the ammo and said that next time I was down to his place, to get the old antler mount.

Ok, so the outside of the ammo box was from some old 32 special ammo. (probably from my uncle's 32 special that I also have).

The ammo inside the box however, is all old 38-55. My father says its from when his dad's rifle was still chambered for that caliber. He also claims that one of the fired rounds probably killed the deer he has the antler mount for. He says his dad never shot unless he was going to kill something. Times were tough back then.

I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about old ammo and can give an approximate date or other information about any of it.

There are 10 rounds total. 4 fired, and 6 un-fired. I've arranged them by like kind in the box and from left to right they are as follows (see picture).

5 of them (4 unfired and 1 fired) are headstamped: U.M.C. and then S and H on opposite sides of the primer and then 38-55 These rounds have what appear to be smaller than normal sized silver primers. They are loaded with lead hollow point bullets. when shaken you can hear the powder. Cases sound maybe half full of powder? ish?

2 of them (one fired and one unfired) are headstamped: U M C with no periods and then 38-55 They have no S or H. These rounds have regular sized copper colored primers. and the loaded one has a solid lead bullet. The primer on the loaded round is all corroded looking and is a little scary looking. That round feels also feels a little heavier and must be full of powder because you don't hear anything when you shake it.

2 of them (one fired and one unfired) are headstamped: W.R.A. CO. and 38-55 They have normal sized silver primers. The loaded round has a lead hollow point bullet that appears the same or very similar the the UMC SH rounds - and also sounds like it has a similar amount of powder inside as they do.

the final fired round is headstamped: WESTERN 38-55 This one looks the "newest" of any of them.

I'll attach images of everything I just described. Thanks for any help!

[Rusty]

IMHO the story makes the pictures look better.

Now to have that old girl switched back to her rightful caliber.

[FLINT]

Thought I would add a picture of the rifle. It would be neat to see an old picture of it from before the barrel change. Was thinking of getting the cody museum letter for the rifle. Do the letters specify original barrel length and contour?

[M. M. Wright]

All those rounds are loaded with the same hollow point, cast bullet so I think they are hand loads. Neat to have those to go with the rifle. Sure would be nice to have the original barrel. Seems to me the crescent butt plate denotes a rifle and yours appears to have a carbine barrel now. Get that letter and see what barrel and magazine configuration it had originally. Oh yeah, I really like it. Thanks for sharing.

[plowboy 45]

Nice story and rifle
Just don't shoot them toes with it

[Malamute]

FWIW, I believe the S H meant solid head cases.

Nice gun, ammo and story! Its more fun looking at old stuff than newer stuff.

[FLINT]

All those rounds are loaded with the same hollow point, cast bullet so I think they are hand loads. Neat to have those to go with the rifle. Sure would be nice to have the original barrel. Seems to me the crescent butt plate denotes a rifle and yours appears to have a carbine barrel now. Get that letter and see what barrel and magazine configuration it had originally. Oh yeah, I really like it. Thanks for sharing.

I wondered if they were hand loaded, but the primers differ between head stamps, but are consistent within head stamps. And the u.m.c. S H shells have smaller primers which seems odd to me.