Thank you Rossi and Ranchdog...

[Any Cal.]

I NEEDED a levergun, which is an occurence that happens to many at one time or another. I did have an RD 265-432 mold, which meant that the gun needed to be 44 cal of some sort if I wanted to keep my costs down, and I kept seeing good reviews on the Rossi, so I was sort of doomed when I saw one at the LGS.

Fast forward a couple weeks and a couple hundred rds, and it was high time to see what the gun did on paper. Since it was a pretty formal accuracy test, I used grungy handloads with powder dropped from a measure, as cast 265s with the wrinkled ones taken out, lubed with whatever my toilet wax ring concoction has evolved into at this point, WLPs, and shot the stock sights with the gun resting on a backpack. Oh, and the bullets are seated and crimped in one operation and aren't wearing a gas check on the heel.

I don't have pics of the target, but 5 rds went into 3 1/16" at 100 yds, the 6th opened it up to 4". I am anxious to see what happens when I put a gas check on them, maybe get a front sight that doesn't have an off-center bead on it, etc. I would bet that just sights would get the gun under 3" pretty easily, and some fooling around could get it close to 2 1/2". I know it doesn't really matter on a gun like this, but it does make me like the thing...:-)

[Lonegun1894]

If yours is anything like my .357 and my .45, your gun will only improve once you find a load ot likes and will become one of your favorites. Sounds good to me so far though. May need to get a .44 someday cause it just seems to be missing from my Rossi collection. and then they need to introduce a .32 mag, and then....

[Any Cal.]

Heh, maybe my expectations weren't high enough... my Winchester shot twelve inch groups at a hundred yards, this thing shoots like a benchrest rifle as far as I'm concerned... I am already liking the rifle, if it gets to shooting better yet I'm not sure what I would do. I expect more out of bolt guns, but didn't expect much out of a cheap lever gun w/ plinking ammo...

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Willing to share your load data?

[Any Cal.]

No problem, I think it was 6.5g of 7625 under the 265s w/ WLP primers. If I didn't take as much time between shots, the groups would open up a lot, so be aware.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Thanks, I was working with 2400, but I'm going to try slowing them down by loading with Red Dot and see what happens. Thanks for the tip on the barrel heat!

[TXGunNut]

Heh, maybe my expectations weren't high enough... my Winchester shot twelve inch groups at a hundred yards, this thing shoots like a benchrest rifle as far as I'm concerned... I am already liking the rifle, if it gets to shooting better yet I'm not sure what I would do. I expect more out of bolt guns, but didn't expect much out of a cheap lever gun w/ plinking ammo...


I dunno, my friend. I'm wondering if the Rossi is the sleeper levergun of this moment in time. If I don't run across one soon I'll order one. The wood is a bit plain but I tell myself its period-correct and try to get over it.

[TAMU74]

Ranch Dog is the very best!

[Suo Gan]

It is shooting good! A little over 3" at a hundred yards using a carbine and open sights! From a "cheap" production gun no less! That is wonderful, congrats.

[Any Cal.]

I dunno, my friend. I'm wondering if the Rossi is the sleeper levergun of this moment in time. If I don't run across one soon I'll order one. The wood is a bit plain but I tell myself its period-correct and try to get over it.

I did 6 coats of Tru-Oil & Armor All and it helped the looks quite a bit. Only took 20 minutes or so on two days, I didn't have to disassemble the gun or anything, just wipe the stuff off the metal. They say it really starts to come alive after 15-20 coats, but it already looks a lot better.


It is shooting good! A little over 3" at a hundred yards using a carbine and open sights! From a "cheap" production gun no less! That is wonderful, congrats.

I like it, but am interested to see how it does once I put a bit of work into it. Just a better front sight would help it out a lot, the factory one doesn't give a very consistent picture.

I cast some Lee 310s to try out as well, but have to see if they dropped large enough to be useful.

[helice]

I understand your delight in the Rossi. With California politicians working again to take away our semi-autos I have far more delight in my pistol caliber lever guns. A Rossi in 44 Mag is wonderful for urban renewal with either 2400 or RedDot, 265 RanchDogs or 310 Lees.
Just my opinion.

[Jeff H]

I.......a better front sight would help it out a lot,.......

My bead was off-center so I removed it, filed a square notch and soldered in a piece of brass to fill up the off-center hole and the old notch. It is a plain tapered post now and works well with the Williams FP that was originally intended for a Remington 760(?) I got new for just over $20 shipped. I had to flatten the back of the base of the sight to fit it to the reciever. Works very nicely.