Beginning to truly enjoy my 357 Mag Rossi 92

[TCLouis]

It has only seen about 5-10 rounds of coated bullets to the 500 or more boolits of various ilk down the tube.

It is getting more accurate all the time as all the parts and barrel wear in.

I am shooting everything from 3.8 grains of Clays behind the 358160 RNFP GB to Ranch Dog's and lAR45's 175-180 grainers.

358156 in front of some 10B101 does well also, I stopped at 12.6, but one could likely go higher.

Not shooting paper, but just using the size hole created by 8 shots at 50 and 110 to determine if they will hold minute of deer heart or less even those too slow to hunt with. IF it is not relatively accurate one can't get much practice in.

[Lonegun1894]

Be careful. Next you'll be getting one in .44, or .45, or BOTH!!!

[sawzall]

Be careful. Next you'll be getting one in .44, or .45, or BOTH!!!
That's for sure! I started with a .45, then a .45 Ranch Hand. Then after some searching, a .454 arrived at my door followed soon thereafter by a matched pair, one in .357 and a twin in .44. They are sooo much fun!

[Lonegun1894]

So far, I have the .357 and .45, and seriously thinking I should put more effort into finding a .44 mag.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Years back I sold all my 44's (actually caliber.43) when I started into the caliber 45 Colt. I have yet to see anything the 45 Colt cannot do that the .43 magnum can do better. There just is no advantage. Now if you want to take a step in performance than consider the caliber .454. No new molds. You can use your 45 Colt dies. The big plus is the case length. Lots of room for 300 grainers with good slow powders (1680 works nicely). You have to get a caliber 445 Supermag to top the caliber .454. And that is a custom build on a 336 Marlin.
There is no caliber.43 mag going to give you this performance. I have been there. If only the caliber ".44" mag was available I would not be unhappy. But happily it is not.
So if all you want is a so called caliber 44 they are easy to find. If you want some real meaningful performance that will do much more than even the 45 Colt... hunt up a caliber .454.
If they only would mass produce the caliber .475 Linebaugh !
Mike in Peru

[TCLouis]

Reckon I will stick with 357.

I wish it would shoot 358429, but it looked like I was using buckshot at 50 with it today.

Oh well it does like 358156s and some plinkin loads using Clays 38 SPL case and 160 grain RNFPs so I guess I will stick with that.

[sawzall]

Good morning
Years back I sold all my 44's (actually caliber.43) when I started into the caliber 45 Colt. I have yet to see anything the 45 Colt cannot do that the .43 magnum can do better. There just is no advantage. Now if you want to take a step in performance than consider the caliber .454. No new molds. You can use your 45 Colt dies. The big plus is the case length. Lots of room for 300 grainers with good slow powders (1680 works nicely). You have to get a caliber 445 Supermag to top the caliber .454. And that is a custom build on a 336 Marlin.
There is no caliber.43 mag going to give you this performance. I have been there. If only the caliber ".44" mag was available I would not be unhappy. But happily it is not.
So if all you want is a so called caliber 44 they are easy to find. If you want some real meaningful performance that will do much more than even the 45 Colt... hunt up a caliber .454.
If they only would mass produce the caliber .475 Linebaugh !
Mike in Peru

I bought 'em all just to have them...not because I needed them or thought one could do something better than the others. You never need an excuse for a new gun! You are correct about the Linebaugh though. I sure wish I could find one in Canada. Never even heard of one being up here. There's also a real pretty 24" stainless octagon barrel 44-40 model floating around up here I want. I missed out on one by about half an hour.

[searcher4851]

I've got 2 of the .357's and they are just a hoot to shoot. I tend to agree with Mike in Peru on the .44 mag versus .45 Colt. The .45 Colt can do anything that .44 mag can, so I never bothered picking up the .44 mag version of the Rossi, especially since I have a .44 mag in a Winchester.

[lar45]

If you can find one in 480, just ream the chamber a little deeper for a 475.

I really enjoy my 357 M92. Well, it used to be mine, but the youngest son shot his first deer with it, a 3x3 Mulie, so I gave it to him for his birthday. We used my C358-180RF with WC820 and one shot crumpled it => Happy Dad.

I picked up a Stainless 24" octagon 45colt also and it is a real pleasure to shoot. I wish that I'd picked up a stainless 480 when they were availible.

[Jacko.357]

Had my Rossi 24" Octagonal Barrel for 5 Years or so now. Its silky smooth and shoots more accurate than I can hold. Its my favourite Rifle for Targets, Plinking or Hunting. I shoot Ranchdog 358170 projectile but it happily feeds Lee 358158 and shoots them well. Cheap to reload and Kills well despite its modest Ballistics. I'll take mine to the Grave.

regards Jacko

[TCLouis]

lar45
Which brand Model 92? If it is not a Rossi none of the questions below are germane.

I have tried your and RD's 180 with less than stellar success.

I had your boolit in mind when I ordered the
Rossi and so far it does not like it that well.

Are you shooting the AA#9 speed WC820? How much are you stoking behind the 180 grainer

SP or SR.

[Idaho Mule]

TCLouis, I use the RCBS 158 CM in my Marlin, you might think about giving it a try. They are obviously a "cowboy" type boolit, feeds really slick thru my Marlin. I use 2400 for powder and you can honestly hit a 2" gong at 100 yds. all day long with it. Kills whitetail deer too. If you want to try some just pm me and I could get a few to you. JW

[donhuff]

TC
Mine shoots the 358429 rather well. It seems to group the 358156 a little better though.

[A pause for the COZ]

Reckon I will stick with 357.

I wish it would shoot 358429, but it looked like I was using buckshot at 50 with it today.

Oh well it does like 358156s and some plinkin loads using Clays 38 SPL case and 160 grain RNFPs so I guess I will stick with that.

Mine does the same with any thing over 170 gr. Just shoots a pattern at 50 yards. 1 in 30 twist is pretty tough to get those heavies to stabilize.

If you really want to see how a Rossi can shoot. try some LEE 125gr RNFP's ahead of 4 gr of Unique or 5gr of Herco.
If you cant hold 2 inches at 100 all day long. You really need to work on your breathing.
Because the gun can do it. That load will shoot a little low for the sights, but is accurate as all heck.

[winelover]

I'm getting sub two inch groups at 60 yards with NOE's 180 RNFP sized to .359 diameter. I'm using 2400 as I do in all my magnum pistol catridges. I don't shoot off a bench---just use a camera tripod with a owl ear bag, for forearm support. Have a Bushnell red dot mounted mid-barrel. Didn't purchase it as a tack driver. Just something to shoot up the copious amounts of 38 Spl ammo, I reloaded, over the years. With the 180 / 357 loadings, It just might make a fine tree-stand gun for whitetails.

Winelover

[lar45]

Sorry for the slow responce.
Mine is an older Blued Rossi, not exactly sure of the year...
All of my load notes were consumed in the fire, but IIRC the load was a case full of WC820, 15gns I think, for just over 1700fps. Accuracy was around 1.5" at 50yds.
The lot of WC820 I was useing was just a little faster than 296 but slower than AA9.
I used SP mag primers.
I made a powder profile in Quickload for it that seemed to predict velocities fairly accurately.
http://www.lsstuff.com/temp/wc820.jpg

[Hooker53]

I bought my first Rossi M92 in .357 Mag two weeks ago and love it. All I've shot thought it is a few factory Hornada's and some 148 gr. WC had to help the feeding on the WC but it did great. I have some .357 brass and lots 38 sp brass I want to load up but have not bought the molds for and Boolits yet. The only powder I can get around here is some 300MP and have a pound of that. I also have plenty of lead so was just wondering what Boolit has anyone tried with the 300MP. It's a gret gun and I will hang on to it.

[TCLouis]

Thank you Glen.
That is the velocity and boolit combination I was looking for when I ordered the gun.
Our White tails are not that big and most of my shots will be 75 yards or less.
I will work with my SLOW lot of WC 820 and 296 to see if I can find the magic.
I will likely stick to the Plain base loadings for plinkin/playin.

[steve817]

I'm really wanting to like mine but it locked up solid after shooting about 30 rounds.

[donhuff]

Hooker53,

I tried a lb of 300mp and at first thought that it was not so good. Problem was, I was not using enough of it to make it work right. It takes a few more grains of it, than 110/296, but when you get enough of it in a case, it really starts working. These targets show lots of promise for the powder. Sorry I did not have a chrono at this time, but I have one now and will get those loads checked soon. http://www.rossi-rifleman.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2019&p=17348&hilit=300mp#p17348

The 358156 bullet showed very good accurcy, with the 100yd rapid fire target being shot just as soon as I could get the target lined up. Lee's copy of that bullet should do just as good, and the 2 hole mold is a cheap way to find out if you like it or not.

[donhuff]

TC,

I think the secret to making the 358429 work in the Rossi's slow twist, Is to push it really fast. I have used mine plain based and GCed, and see no need for the checks "yet". BUT... I do Powder coat my bullets, and the coating let's me get away with softer lead and no GC @ much higher speeds than without.
I still have more velocity room left with this bullet, as my most used load is 13.5/2400. I intend to see how much LilGun and 300mp I can get behind it. I'm curious to see how fast it will go.

Did your 92 feed the 429 without trouble? I had to file back the carrier stop on mine as the nose of the bullet would not swing up past the mag tube and the bottom of the barrel. Now It has plenty of room.

[TCLouis]

Set to the front of the crimp groove they feed fine. Now this is the GB 358429 and I seem to remember the designer cutting the nose back a little in the GB design.
I have pushed them fairly hard. Guess I will try pushing hard with all of the "slow" powders I have on hand, maybe a jewel hiddn among the lead slingers.

It does like the 358156 with hotter loads very much.

The accurate load with the `160 gr. RNFP GB boolit is very mild with Clays with 38 spl cases. Loaded some with a little more zip, but ran out of shooting light.

I will try some of the "Keith" 2400 loads over the weekend.

[donhuff]

Oh OK, mine is the old Lyman version and yes, the nose is looooong. I did not have to file much off of the stop maybe .010-.020 before they would work.

[trapper9260]

The one I have shoots ever thing I shoot in my ruger blackhawk I am able to shoot in this rifle even WC beside SWC .It all feeds well also When I first got it I had to adjust the rear sight and my friend the gunsmith told me how to do that and now every thing is on .I have a Marlin 44 336 model and it shoots the same loads on center also as my Redhawk. That is what i wanted when I got the 2 rifles is to use the same ammo that way it dose not matter what gun is in use .The thing I notice on Marlin that they got a tighter chamber then a Rossi I use a Lee factory Crimp die on it. I see it also on my 44mag Marlin also and had to change the OAL on one kind of cast because it would not chamber in the 30-30 Marlin it was a different type of boolit but I made it all work.

[robertbank]

J have the /357 and the 44Mag Rossis. Love the guns. I had my 'smith install a recoil pad on my 44Mag. Recoil with the curved steel butt plate was brutal on my shoulder. The recoil pad made shooting the gun far more pleasant.

I have had no luck with the 358429 boolit. My gun shoots patterns sort of at 50 yards. The lighter 358156 and 358477 boolits in .357 cases are shooters though. Both guns are fun to shoot. I would like to find a Marlin in 357 and put a scope on it to aid the eyes.

My only other quest is to pick up a Rossi Ranch Hand in .45Colt and put a standard buttstock on the gun. The combo would be great for bush carry. Legal up here to do so.

Take Care

Bob

[bandmiller2]

I had one with the rifle, octagon barrel in 45LC brand new the barrel was bent and you would have to move the sights all the way over to hit anything. I sent it to the company gunsmith to replace the barrel came back and this barrel wasn't straight ether. I got Fissed and sold it. If I had it to do over I would have straighted the first barrel myself. If you held the gun up you could see the bend in the barrel. I don't know how common it is but it turned me off. Frank C.

[luvtn]

J have the /357 and the 44Mag Rossis. Love the guns. I had my 'smith install a recoil pad on my 44Mag. Recoil with the curved steel butt plate was brutal on my shoulder. The recoil pad made shooting the gun far more pleasant.

I have had no luck with the 358429 boolit. My gun shoots patterns sort of at 50 yards. The lighter 358156 and 358477 boolits in .357 cases are shooters though. Both guns are fun to shoot. I would like to find a Marlin in 357 and put a scope on it to aid the eyes.

My only other quest is to pick up a Rossi Ranch Hand in .45Colt and put a standard buttstock on the gun. The combo would be great for bush carry. Legal up here to do so.

Take Care

Bob

Yeah, I had a Rossi 92 in .44 mag also. It is the only gun I have ever had that bruised my shoulder. I wish I had kept it and put a recoil pad on it, but finances got in the way, and I sold it.
luvtn

[Hooker53]

Hey Don. Good stuff and thanks for the info. I followed your link to "Rossi Rifleman and joined. I will try your load of 17/18 Gr. of 300mp the first round of reloading I do. Did you GC that 158 or just hard lead? The last Boolit Casting i did Saturday i wound up with about 14 BHP on my lead. I have since my last post found a little Bullseye so gonna load some of that up in .38SP.
Thanks again. Big help.


Hooker53,

I tried a lb of 300mp and at first thought that it was not so good. Problem was, I was not using enough of it to make it work right. It takes a few more grains of it, than 110/296, but when you get enough of it in a case, it really starts working. These targets show lots of promise for the powder. Sorry I did not have a chrono at this time, but I have one now and will get those loads checked soon. http://www.rossi-rifleman.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=2019&p=17348&hilit=300mp#p17348

The 358156 bullet showed very good accurcy, with the 100yd rapid fire target being shot just as soon as I could get the target lined up. Lee's copy of that bullet should do just as good, and the 2 hole mold is a cheap way to find out if you like it or not.

[mrk_86]

seems like its hit or miss on some of the rossi quality recently. i am still thinking of trying one though in 357

[donhuff]

Hooker,

I think that those were gas checked. I don't shoot many gc bullets as i hate the extra effort to install them. Not sure if these were using them or not, but I have been making and using plain base gas checks. And they seem to do as well as the store bought kind.

I don't worry much about lead hardness. I use mostly wheel weights and just dump all the stick on,clip on and what ever else is in there, into a pot and melt. I skim off the zinc ones when I get the clips out. Now that I powder coat my bullets, it seem like lead hardness is much less of an issue. Last batch I made had about 50-50 soft range scrap and wheel weights. They shot as well as any I have ever made. (I do add some lead free solder to the mix to make it fill the mold better).

[donhuff]

mrk 86,

I think the quality of the rossi's is dependent mostly on the person buying the gun. If your the kind that likes to take things apart and find out how it works, deburr some edges, and spend a little time making it into what you thought you bought, and you load or buy ammo like what IT wants. Then they are great guns. On the Rossi Rifleman forum, we call them "kit guns"!
If you want a 100% slick, smooth, function no matter what you feed it gun right out of the box.....well, that aint a rossi.