Buckshot
11-03-2010, 02:36 AM
.............I'd loaded these 4-7-10 and finally got around to shooting them :-) Our local range has been closed for almost 2 years now and the one I have to use is 80 miles round trip, and not as nice. Oh well. The Rossi M92 in 38/357 I have is the standard 20" round barrel blued version. I didn't have to take it apart to smooth it up as it was nice as received. In fact I haven't bothered to slug it yet either.
The boolit was the Lyman 358430, 200gr RNPB and was cast of 11 bhn alloy and loaded in R-P 357 mag cases with W-W LP primers. The boolits had been tumble lubed first as I'd planed on using them in my Victory Model S&W. Since I was going to use them in the longer barrel of the rifle, the lube grooves were filled with Javalina.
The boolits were given a cursory visual inspection as I pulled them from the box before lubing. They were sized .359" which means they were barely touched by the die. The powder was dispensed from a Lee Perfect powder measure. The rifle was shot benched, targets at 50 yards and the issue sights were used. Ten rounds were fired into each target, except for the first (7.0grs) as 3 were used to get on paper.
http://www.fototime.com/1CAD32BF9DBCB1F/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/CC1315B48EA271C/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/FE274C105EDE69E/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/CF26BDE525BD7D3/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/E1B611DC28EEEAD/standard.jpg
Somehow or the other I think I must have gotten the 8.5 & 9.0gr load in the box backwards as I can't see 8.5grs averageing 1526 fps and 9.0grs doing 1383 :-) I would have been pretty happy to have gotten a couple 2" groups. The 7.5gr load came closest and they all were blessed with at least 2 leakers which ruined what otherwise might have been fairly acceptable results (for the reloading effort expended).
As I was using the issue sights I used a 6 o'clock hold on the bull. The 'Off the bench' part was the forend on a rest and the butt supported on my shoulder. The only 'entertaining' group was the one I have labeled as the 9.0gr load, and is really the 8.5gr most likely. It has 4 sets of doubles and 2 singletons. But since I wasn't looking through the scope at each shot I don't know in what order they occured.
After the first couple groups I thought there might be some leading going on, but I had no way to check, and an inspection at the muzzle showed the bore 'Lube Dark' with a lube star on the muzzle. At home the next day I paid close attention as I ran a soaked patch downbore form the muzzle. It was as smooth as you please until a couple inches from the chamber where it became draggy. Checking out the patch showed a few slivers and flecks of lead. The 2nd patch was noticeably easier with only a couple flecks. The 3rd patch was as smooth as could be and no lead visible.
The barrel of this rifle is remarkably easy to clean. After those 3 solvent (Hoppes #9) soaked patches I used a bronze brush for maybe 10 round trips, 2 patches and then another 10 or so round trips and the first patch afterwards was discolored only by the solvent.
I have the Lee GB version of the 358430 design, and it has a GC instead of being a PB. I haven't cast with it yet, but should asn give it a whirl in the Rossi.
...................Buckshot
The boolit was the Lyman 358430, 200gr RNPB and was cast of 11 bhn alloy and loaded in R-P 357 mag cases with W-W LP primers. The boolits had been tumble lubed first as I'd planed on using them in my Victory Model S&W. Since I was going to use them in the longer barrel of the rifle, the lube grooves were filled with Javalina.
The boolits were given a cursory visual inspection as I pulled them from the box before lubing. They were sized .359" which means they were barely touched by the die. The powder was dispensed from a Lee Perfect powder measure. The rifle was shot benched, targets at 50 yards and the issue sights were used. Ten rounds were fired into each target, except for the first (7.0grs) as 3 were used to get on paper.
http://www.fototime.com/1CAD32BF9DBCB1F/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/CC1315B48EA271C/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/FE274C105EDE69E/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/CF26BDE525BD7D3/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/E1B611DC28EEEAD/standard.jpg
Somehow or the other I think I must have gotten the 8.5 & 9.0gr load in the box backwards as I can't see 8.5grs averageing 1526 fps and 9.0grs doing 1383 :-) I would have been pretty happy to have gotten a couple 2" groups. The 7.5gr load came closest and they all were blessed with at least 2 leakers which ruined what otherwise might have been fairly acceptable results (for the reloading effort expended).
As I was using the issue sights I used a 6 o'clock hold on the bull. The 'Off the bench' part was the forend on a rest and the butt supported on my shoulder. The only 'entertaining' group was the one I have labeled as the 9.0gr load, and is really the 8.5gr most likely. It has 4 sets of doubles and 2 singletons. But since I wasn't looking through the scope at each shot I don't know in what order they occured.
After the first couple groups I thought there might be some leading going on, but I had no way to check, and an inspection at the muzzle showed the bore 'Lube Dark' with a lube star on the muzzle. At home the next day I paid close attention as I ran a soaked patch downbore form the muzzle. It was as smooth as you please until a couple inches from the chamber where it became draggy. Checking out the patch showed a few slivers and flecks of lead. The 2nd patch was noticeably easier with only a couple flecks. The 3rd patch was as smooth as could be and no lead visible.
The barrel of this rifle is remarkably easy to clean. After those 3 solvent (Hoppes #9) soaked patches I used a bronze brush for maybe 10 round trips, 2 patches and then another 10 or so round trips and the first patch afterwards was discolored only by the solvent.
I have the Lee GB version of the 358430 design, and it has a GC instead of being a PB. I haven't cast with it yet, but should asn give it a whirl in the Rossi.
...................Buckshot