A new lever

[fishnbob]

I have convinced myself that I need another lever action rifle. I have decided on the Rossi M92 for economic reasons and how often I will probably use it. I first thought I wanted the 45 Colt and then I got to thinking about how much brass and bullets that I have stockpiled for the 357/38 and how more economical it is to shoot that and now I have confused myself. I have molds for both calibers and will cast for it. Are there any reasons I should choose one over the other such as easier to load & work with? Chambering problems? Feeding problems? Any little differences that you like or don't like? Recoil a problem? I shoot the 45 Colt in a short bbl Ruger and it is a fun shooter in that. BTW, I don't have a stock of 45 Jacketed bullets like in the 357. I know, I probably need both.:bigsmyl2:

[TXGunNut]

Same boat as you, Bob. Should be an interesting thread.

[Moondawg]

I obtained a new Rossi (Braztech) 92 in 357 mag, and I am completely satisfied. I have several molds for, 357 boolits, and lots of 357m brass so that caliber made sense. Recoil is light, and the rifle is accurate. Rossi has a 1x30 twist so it does not stabilize really heavy boollits, like 180gr+, but I shoot mostly 158-160 gr anyway. Three things I did to my Rossi 92. The as issued sights were crappy and it shot really high. I put a taller front sight on and a marble's semi-buckhorn rear sight I had taken off a Marlin. The stock was postively ugly. I stripped the old finish (not hard) smoothed it up with a fine grade sandpaper and put a nice tung oil finish on. Now the stock is purdy. Lastly I put one of Stevesgunz spring kits and metal follower in and followed his directions for slicking the action a bit. Now I have a sweet shooting carbine that looks and feels like a lot more expensive than it was. The Rossi 92s are well made, but not fancy, and a little be rough around the edges when it comes to final finish. I probably has less than $35-40 in slicking mine up and making it look a lot purtier. I didn't get a 45LC because I don't have dies, brass etc for that caliber, and for the shooting I do, I don't need the extra size and recoil.

[kliff]

Yup, interesting delima....start with a 45LC, then in about 6 months or so, buy a 38/357.... then you'll have the best of both. Exactly my plan, unless a 38/357 turns up sooner.

[Boerrancher]

You can't go wrong with a Rossi in either Caliber. I like the 45LC with the 255 gr RNFP and 10 grains of unique. Both of mine will shoot 1 inch or less 5 shot groups at 50 yards. I have killed deer with the one I carry all the time, out to 150 yards, all of them 1 shot drop dead, and coyotes pushing 200 yards. The 357 is a great round but nothing like the 45LC. My saddle ring 92 in 45LC is and has been for years my go to gun. It doesn't matter where I go or what I am hunting around the Farm, it gets the job done. Deer, no problem, hogs, no problem, the 255 gr RNFP cast from 50% pure and 50% WW leaves a hole the size of a half dollar as it blows it's way through meat and bone. The best part is on a deer there is no huge blood shot pieces of meat to try and salvage or throw away. Every deer I have shot with it there was only a couple ounces of wasted meat around each boolit hole.

Best wishes,

Joe

[fecmech]

I'm not a hunter so I'll get that out of the way up front. I'm sure the .45 LC would be an excellent hunting round but I don't think deer are armor plated and can easily be killed with a .357. As a shooter I like the .357 lever gun. I load on a progressive press and usually take at least 100 rds to the range with me and sometimes more. Shooting the .357 and .38 spl in a rifle is like eating peanuts, hard to stop! There seems to be just enough recoil to feel like you're shooting something more than a .22 but not enough to be uncomfortable after 50-100 rds. Also when shooting steel or other reactionary targets you are well rewarded for your hits with a fair amount of target movement. From a loading standpoint .38 brass is plentiful and cheap and from a casting standpoint .38 bullets are 43per lb as compared to .45's at 28 per lb.
The only sure way to solve the dilemma is to get both!

[Greg B.]

I have a four year old 357 Rossi M 92 which I use for cowboy action where it has proven very reliable. I also put on a taller front sight and shoot the Lyman 358 477 A a plain base SWC design. Cartridge OAL seems to be a concern with most tube fed lever guns so I made up some dummies to try with the Lyman boolit before loading live ammo. To my surprise it fed them just fine.

The only current issue I have with this gun is that it is not as accurate as I would like. In the spring I will fire lap the barrel and maybe try a lighter bullet for low velocity loads.

Greg B.

[crappie-hunter]

Has anyone checked the bore diameter of their M92"s in 357Mag. I just put one on Layaway and am wondering if I will need a fatter boolet than .358?

My 44mag had a bore diameter of .433 and I had to have Veral make me a mold . Just wondering if the 357 will be oversize.

[Boerrancher]

I know that both of my Mod 92 45LC's are spot on at .452, so I size everything to .453 and get excellent results. My buddy's Mod 92 357 slugged out at 356. Many of the lighter 9mm boolits shoot well in his out of 357 cases, unlike my Marlin 94c which seems to like them big and heavy. Only having messed around with my friends a bit I don't have a great deal of experience with the 92 in 357. Sorry I can't be of more help Crappie Hunter.

Best wishes,

Joe

[fishnbob]

Yup, interesting delima....start with a 45LC, then in about 6 months or so, buy a 38/357.... then you'll have the best of both. Exactly my plan, unless a 38/357 turns up sooner.

Thanks for a lot of good info! Unfortunately I can't decide, yet. However Kliff has an interesting plan.[smilie=w:

[fecmech]

The only current issue I have with this gun is that it is not as accurate as I would like. In the spring I will fire lap the barrel and maybe try a lighter bullet for low velocity loads.


If you want accuracy in the Rossi the Lee 125 RNFP is excellent in both of mine, at 1100 fps they will both do less than 3"@100 yds. The Lee 9MM 120 TC is a very close second to that.


Has anyone checked the bore diameter of their M92"s in 357Mag. I just put one on Layaway and am wondering if I will need a fatter boolet than .358?

Both of my Braztech Rossi's are .3565 groove Dia. I owned a Rossi single shot .357 a few years back and it was just barely .357. My guess would be no you don't need a fat bullet but you won't know for sure till you get it.

[crappie-hunter]

After I posted I recognized that I had hijacked someone elses thread,didn't mean to do that.
Actually Fishinbob I did have a slight problem with feeding on the 44mag but it was due to the oversize bullet I had to load it made the case just large enough that it would not chamber smoothly. A little 400 grit wet or dry paper on a wooden dowel and turned with a battery drill on just the rear portion of the chamber fixed the problen, now it feeds slick with no problems. Before I realized it had a oversize bore it worked flawlessly with rounds loaded with .429 bullets but accuracy suffered with these . again sorry for the hijack. The Rossies are slick little rifles and you'll love one go for it.

[fishnbob]

After I posted I recognized that I had hijacked someone elses thread,didn't mean to do that.
Actually Fishinbob I did have a slight problem with feeding on the 44mag but it was due to the oversize bullet I had to load it made the case just large enough that it would not chamber smoothly. A little 400 grit wet or dry paper on a wooden dowel and turned with a battery drill on just the rear portion of the chamber fixed the problen, now it feeds slick with no problems. Before I realized it had a oversize bore it worked flawlessly with rounds loaded with .429 bullets but accuracy suffered with these . again sorry for the hijack. The Rossies are slick little rifles and you'll love one go for it.

No problem crappie-hunter, thanks for the post on the 44mag. That's got me to wondering if I can try your remedy on my .35 Rem to get a cb to chamber without having to trim .032" off the brass? That may improve my accuracy on the cb since I would be able to seat it closer to the rifling. I wonder if anyone else would add their thoughts to this?

[Dakoma]

Got a Rossi 92 44 Mag on layaway right now,went with the 20" barrel ,all my 44 pistols are stainless,Dan Wesson 744-VH 44 Mag. and a Rossi 720 3" 44 Spl. and got the stainless Rossi 92,I hear good things about them but will buy the steel folower and probaly the whole kit and DVD to slick one up at www.stevesgunz.com ,he seems to know how to make one run slick ! Not shure it will shoot 44 Spl. but if I keep the overall length same as a 44 Mag. dont see why not .

[Doc.Holliday]

I use a Rossi 92 Trapper and a Rossi Ranch Hand both in 45 colt.
Highly recommend the gun and the cartridge.
Know some friends having feeding problems with their 38/357 models.

Doc