hiwall730
03-19-2012, 07:20 PM
first time posting. i am on my second barrel on a rossi 92 in 454 casull. the first barrel had a .005 inch bell mouth at the muzzle. took me several mouths to figure out why it shot 6 inches to the right of the line of the bore at 25 yds and wouldn't group as good as my 45 revolver. Sent the gun back to rossi. just got it back after 2 1/2 months. barrel looked good much smother than the first. but the bore checked .005 inch larger than the first. it grouped no better than the first although closer to the line of the bore. i slugged 1 inch in from the muzzle and 1 in forward of the chamber. good news with in .0005 inch at both spots, bad news is groove dia. is .453 to .4535 this should be .452. also the bore dia is .458 this leaves the grove depth at .0025 inches. This is my question can a lead bullet or even a jacketed bullet be driven at velocities from 1200 to 2000 fps. without skidding on the rifling. I have got the best group with 200 grain cast bullets at about 1200 fps out of the 20 inch barrel. this the load i shoot in my 45 revolver. when i say best it was only 1 3/4 inches at 25 yds. 255 grain cast bin of 18 shot at 1400 grouped 4 1/2 inches and jacketed hornady 240 grain at 1800 was 3 1/2 inches. i could size cast bullets to 454 but i don't know if they will shoot well with the shallow rifling at high velocities. i am not sure it the jacketed bullets are having trouble with the rifling or the bore dia. i don't know whether to spend more time trying to get this rifle to shoot or if i should try to send it back to rosse or maybe use it for a boat anchor. I bought it because i wanted a rifle that could shoot the same cartridge as my revolver but could also be loaded to higher pressures for deer hunting and not get in to my revolver by mistake. i knew it would be a project gun, i can handle action and trigger work new sights better bending etc. but a bad barrel is a problem. would like opinions on whether this barrel can be made to shoot well. thanks