Rifle for long range side matches

[Red Oak]

Has anyone tried the Cimarron 1894 in 38-55 for long range side matches?  Am curious about accuracy, feeding, etc. 

Thank you

Red Oak

 

 

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

38-55 is a good cartridge for SASS long range.  SASS long range really isn't long range. Most ranges can offer 100 to 200 yards. Most SASS LR matches are the most hits in the least amount of time.  No bulls eye ever. Cimarron products are top notch.

[Hoss]

Just be sure you mate the bullet to your barrel. 38-55 specs are all over the place. 
9.6 Unique with properly sized bullet about 245-260 grains works well. 

[Red Oak]

11 hours ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

38-55 is a good cartridge for SASS long range.  SASS long range really isn't long range. Most ranges can offer 100 to 200 yards. Most SASS LR matches are the most hits in the least amount of time.  No bulls eye ever. Cimarron products are top notch.

I settled on 38-55 due to shoulder replacement a few years back. My 45-70 is just a bit much for my shoulder right now. 
thanks for the response

[Red Oak]

5 hours ago, Hoss said:

Just be sure you mate the bullet to your barrel. 38-55 specs are all over the place. 
9.6 Unique with properly sized bullet about 245-260 grains works well. 

I’ll add that to my reloading notes. I’ll slug the barrel first. So what’s this I’ve read about slightly shorter cases, or longer depending on perspective?

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Shoulder replacement, I sold my Sharps 45-70, my M1 Garrand, and my 03 Springfield. Can't shoot them so I sold them. I'm trying a 40-65 Highwall right now.

[Hoss]

13 hours ago, Red Oak said:

I’ll add that to my reloading notes. I’ll slug the barrel first. So what’s this I’ve read about slightly shorter cases, or longer depending on perspective?

I prefer the short cases in my lever gun, and long in my HiWall. It probably does not matter that much. 
 

im guessing your rifle has a 1/18 twist or so, likely won’t stabilize a bullet  heavier than about 280 grns. 

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

While I can't comment specifically on their 94, I can say that I have a good feeling about the Cimarron.  Basically because it's made by Chiappa, and the Chiappa 87 and 92 are excellent guns that seem to be good to go right out of the box, comparing favorably to an original Winchester.   And that's just their functionality.  They don't have a stupid safety, or angle eject.  They are like the gun as designed by JM Browning.  (If only Winchester/Browning would make 'em that way!)   Now, I have a pre-64 94 in .32 Winchester Special, and a pre-83 in .30-30.   Both are good guns, the pre-64 being better, but the pre-83 not as bad as some people like to make it out to be.  (I wouldn't touch a post 83 with a ten foot pole)  If the Chiappa/Cimarrons are at least as good as a pre-83 Winchester, you can't go wrong.   I won't comment on the caliber, cuz I don't have anything in that chambering.    But I will say this, that depending on how "long range" the long range side match is, .30-30 might not be enough.   I've been to a couple of matches where the .30-30 just couldn't reach the targets.  That's part of the reason why I switched to .45-70.   That being said, people familiar with the .38-55 say it has good long range performance, so there's no reason not to give it a try.    Finally, even .45-70 can be loaded with the right powder to a level where it will have very manageable recoil, and not lose it's long range performance.

That's  all

[Snake-eye, SASS#45097]

I’ve been shooting 38-55 in my Marlin 336 with great success. Been very accurate in long range shooting at SASS as well as at the range at 100 yards. Easy on the shoulders and a real pleasure to shoot. Great fun and it makes for a great hunting round as well. Go for it.

[Griff]

21 hours ago, Red Oak said:

I’ll add that to my reloading notes. I’ll slug the barrel first. So what’s this I’ve read about slightly shorter cases, or longer depending on perspective?

Slug the chamber, leade and a bit of the rifling.  That'll tell you the case length the chamber is cut for, max diameter of the bullet you can chamber and optimal bullet diameter to fill the rifling.  Short brass will leave you with more bullet jump than is good for optimal accuracy if your chamber is cut for the 2.125" brass, and if you have a short chamber, you'll have to trim the long brass for ease of chambering.  

 

Sights will be another whole subject that can make or break your shooting.  I firmly believe in the longest sight radius you can get... that means I have tang peep sights of all my long range rifles except the one optic category rifle I have.  I mate those up with a globe front sight with interchangeable inserts;  depending on light conditions there are some advantages to different sight profiles.

 

Along with the longest sight radius, is barrel length.  I figure for a lever action shooting a .38-55 class cartridge, minimum should be 26" with a full length magazine, in order to hold 10 rounds, which I've found to be most shooting strings for long range SASS competitions.  If most hits wins, and fastest time is the tie breaker, why would one want to be reloading ammo to finish out a string of fire?