Getting the Lead Out... of a Rossi 92

[Joedaddy]

New here so pardon me if I've posted this in the wrong spot. I have a Rossi 92 that slugs out at .429 and have been loading two different loads in it. The issue is how much leading I'm getting and what would be considered acceptable.

1st load
240 grain Missouri bullet co. LSWC
.430 keith style BHN 18 (I think)
9.0 grains power pistol
1250 fps out of my 20" Rossi

2nd load
200 grain Dardas RNFP
.431 unknown hardness
9.0 grains unique
1300 fps out of my 20" Rossi

I get that it would be a simple thing to determine how much leading for each load, but the gun is new and I had many rounds loaded for my 44 mag pistol and needed to unload a few to try different things with the rifle.

Here's a pic of the lead I scraped out with the Lewis lead remover after about 100 rounds; 50 of each the above loads. Can anyone compare this amount of lead to what you would normally experience?

Thanks in advance!62151

[huntrick64]

My Rossi M92 45 colt 24" looked exactly like that until I went up another .001 on bullet size and did a little laping on the barrel. I can shoot a hundred rounds now with only powder residue. I hate to start something here on fire lapping, but mine was leading from throat to muzzle. I firelapped it because it had a lot of chattter marks all down the bore. Following that, it was only leading the first 1-2 inches so I went up .001 on bullet size and that went away. I am shooting 282 grain keith (Mihec) straight wheel weights sized to .453 over 14.0 hs-6 (caution here). Can get 3/4 inch groups at 60 yards on bags.

[Joedaddy]

I think most of the leading is occurring in the first few inches of the barrel. I'm not sure what fire lapping is, but I'm certain that I can't do it. Time to google it and do some learnin'.

Two things; first wouldn't the .431 bullets by themselves be large enough for a good bore fit? Second the amount of leading I'm seeing is wholly inappropriate?

[kenyerian]

Any one can fire lap as it is just shooting some boolits embedded with an abrasive lapping compound through your barrel to polish it up. if you can find an Wheeler Engineering kit they have everything that you need. Midway lists one but it is on backorder. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/646612/wheeler-engineering-bore-lapping-kit Read the midway link as it has some pretty good instructions on it. Good Luck!!

[kenyerian]

Depending on how bad you bore is you might be able to get by with just the 320 grit followed by the 600. The 600 polishes the barrel and is the final step. If you belong to a gun club some one probably has some compond setting around you borrow.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Fire lapping to get things somoothed up. Then, make sure your bullet is at least 0.001 larger diameter than groove diameter. I shoot them up to 0.003 without problem. Your chamber make put some restrictions on this. You've gotta have bullet fit, or cast just won't work.

[Joedaddy]

Ok thanks gentlemen; sounds easy enough to do.

I appreciate the help!

[longbow]

I am going to say that little or no leading is what I expect. If I get any more than a little sparkles on a jag with tight fitting patch it is too much.

What lube are you using?

You may want to try a slightly larger boolit of 0.002" to 0.003" larger than groove diameter and a couple of different lubes before fire lapping. If the bore is rough then firelapping is probably going to be a benefit anyway.

I have a Marlin 1894 that had tight spots in the barrel and I wound up hand lapping it to remove them. It leaded badly prior to lapping and not at all now with good fitting boolits and good lube.

With a bit of work you will get it sorted out and have a good shooter I am sure.

Longbow

[huntrick64]

Firelapping is easy, but some people ruin their guns doing so by not doing it right. I use the Veral Smith's stuff from LBT. He has good instructions, you buy direct from him, and it is probably not backordered. I forget what it costs, but it wasn't much and I have done about 15-20 guns with that one canister of compound and still have half of it left. If it was my gun, and the bore was already slick, I would start with going up on bullet size as mentioned above. Even though I have firelapped every cast shooter I have with positive results, don't do it unless you need to. If you do decide to do it, PM me and I will offer some detailed advise.

Like the guys above, I don't accept a leaded barrel in anything I shoot.

[pls1911]

Use gas checked bullets.
I've been through hundreds of rounds shooting silhouette and hunting and never had any problems with leading.
Barrels are always pristine.
In fact, a few gas checked rounds will likely scrape your barrel clean.

[huntrick64]

Correcting my above post: Firelapping is SIMPLE, not EASY. Big difference. Climbing a ladder is simple, but not always easy. Lifting a 100 lb. weight over your head is simple, but not easy. You get the idea. Firelapping is actually a time-consuming, messy, PITA that requires a lot of gun cleaning. But worth it.

[Joedaddy]

Any one can fire lap as it is just shooting some boolits embedded with an abrasive lapping compound through your barrel to polish it up. if you can find an Wheeler Engineering kit they have everything that you need. Midway lists one but it is on backorder. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/646612/wheeler-engineering-bore-lapping-kit Read the midway link as it has some pretty good instructions on it. Good Luck!!

How about this product? Looks a bit easier to use. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/257446/tubb-final-finish-bore-lapping-system-44-caliber-pistol

[Jeff H]

My Rossi 92 in .357 had many, many problems when I got it and I have done a lot of work finishing a job that was started in Brazil, but the bore was one of the nicest I have seen in a production rifle. I may have gotten lucky on that but I have had bores that didn't look nearly as good still not lead - unless I encouintered constrictions. It is also .355" groove and I shoot .358" bullets in it. No gas checks, light loads to normal mag-level loads from 125 grain to 158 grain using ACWW or 50/50 WW/Pb - no leading. I use LEE 50/50 Alox/Besswax or 45/45/10 LEE Alox TL/JPW/Mineral spirits and have had no lead. I remember shooting a couple loads that did lead but thet were hard commercial cast with hard commercial lube. It cleaned out quickly with a piece of copper scrubby wrapped on a .357 bronze brush.

Not sure what part of these combinations make it work, but maybe there's a hint or clue in there somewhere that can help.

[Blammer]

Wow! you almost have enough lead for a whole boolit!

I would expect ZERO lead in the barrel. go up in size and change lube it what' id do.

[Gunnut 45/454]

Yea at those speeds you should see zero leading if you had a decent bullet fit and lube! Try a slower powder. Like unique, Lil'gun, Trail Boss. If your still getting leading like that then do a firelapping!

[DeadWoodDan]

Don't mean to high jack a thread but,

Jeff,
What issues did you have with yours? i'm hoping to pick one up this weekend in 357

[Joedaddy]

Just an FYI; went shooting this weekend and split up the loads into those with .431 and .430 diameters. The .431 were both Dardas 200 grain and also Lasercast 240 grain. The Dardas I pushed to 1400 fps and the lasercast I pushed to 1300 fps. I am delighted to report very little leading out of each load.

I did shoot a few (50) of the MBC .430 at 1250 and again received leading.

[Jeff H]

Don't mean to high jack a thread but,

Jeff,
What issues did you have with yours? i'm hoping to pick one up this weekend in 357

Just about everything imaginable, but I do believe mine happened to be an anomoly. I can't think of a part that I didn't have to work on but the loking lugs and raceways but it turned out to be a very nice little carbine in the end. I have started a lost of all the fixes a couple times but it's long enough I can't do it it one sitting and I'd have to tear it apart to remember what all I did. Got VERY familiar with the innards of the '92.

I wouldn't not buy one on my account as I do believe that mine just happened to be that much worse than the norm. Now that the aggravation has worn off, I have been enjoying the little gun very much.

[bigted]

if i get a sliver on a tight patch when cleaning thats all i wanna contend with...to clean a lead miner do this for a easy job of it...

tight patch's to begin with and soak em with pure "gum terpintine"...now slough it thru the barrel and allow to set for 10 or 15 minutes...now use your tight patch's to push out the lead...repeat till all leading is gone. now take a cleaning soulution...[i use butch's bore shine origanal]...and clean the barrel like normal...now oil like normal and done.