Rossi, LSI, Puma, Ruger and 45Colt

[hpdrifter]

I'm on my third Model 92 or the Rossi, LSI vintage. First was a used rifle. It bred my desire to test a newer one. When I got it I discovered, just like the first one it had an oversized chamber. My brass was bulged just above the web. I thought maybe the first was just an anomoly. Anyway, I called Customer Service and they said send it back because I could see a very pronounced bulge just above the web. Got the replacement back and it does the same thing; maybe not quite so obvious. The brass from it will hardly even start into the chambers of my R Bh.

I kinda knew there were no "standard" dimensions on a 45 clt, but I sure wished some one would institute some kinda standards.

I don't think this adversely affects its performance, but I just hate to overwork the brass that much. I'm kinda to the point that I wouldn't recommend the Puma in 45 to anyone. I guess if ya don't reload it doesn't matter much, but I do, so it kinda bothers me.

Do any of you that own Pumas get bulges on your brass? Do you just resize and go on? My brass looks like a reverse bottleneck, to some degree. do you think I should keep my Ruger BH and Puma brass separated? Get oversized steel dies for the Puma? What to do?

I'm kinda dejected.

[Heavy lead]

If you can segragate your brass you might want to just try to neck size.
Another thought, does the PUMA in the 454 Casull have the same issue, or are the chambers tighter? My 94 Winchester doesn't have very good chambers and bulges a little.

[bdoyle]

I remember reading someplace that the 45 colt rifle needed an oversize chamber to feed properly. Might be wrong but I've owned two rossi and two marlin and they were (are) the same. (Just have one marlin presently)
Brian

[MT Gianni]

Rossi/Puma in 44 Mag has no brass issues. Brass can and does bulge in some Blackhawks as well. The answer seems to be in sizing only the first 1/2 of the cartridge. I don't know if that will feed in your lever gun or not.

[S.R.Custom]

Not to say that hpdrifter doesn't have a genuine problem, but perhaps he could post a pic so we can see the bulged brass in question?

MTG raises the critical point here-- feeding in a lever gun... Lever guns (and auto loaders) are typically chambered a bit fat to enhance the reliability of feeding. And, believe it or not, this is a good thing. I've had lever guns that were chambered tight, and I'm here to tell ya, you wouldn't like it. ;)

As for overworking the brass (generally speaking), I wouldn't worry too much about it. I've got a couple of thousand 44M cases that see a lot of work, many of them having been loaded 12 times. Aside from the occasional split neck, I've not noticed much of a problem. And none of my (straight wall) cases have ever failed where they bulge just ahead of the web.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I have an origonal SRC Winny 1892 44-40 (1893 vintage) and there is a dimesional differnce between New Brass and fired brass. My fired winny brass will not enter the chambers of my 44-40 Colt New Service until they are full lengthed resized.
That is why I segragate brass to a weapon. If I want to carry both 44-40´s and have ammo interchangability then I carry enough Colt pistol sized ammo for both.... something I just do not NEED to do in my present cicumstances.
So I just neck size... use a full bore boolit (another dimensional differnce) and happily shoot my way across the pampa.
God Bless you All...

[Catshooter]

Neither my Win 94 Trapper or Taylors (Armi) 92 buldge brass.


Cat

[felix]

My Winnie's chamber is too big, period. Fine and dandy for cowboy loads, though. The Casull brass is factory sized LESS than 45 Colt and that is counter productive. Been there and back. Use Colt sized brass only. ... felix

[hpdrifter]

Thanx for the replies.

This rifle doesn't bulge the case as bad as the original new one. That one scared me. I didn't get any measurements on that one, but I have on this replacement. At the web the case measures .477(many times fired) and the bulge measures 0.489. I'll see if I can get a picture, but with my equipment, I doubt it'll be visible.

So, it seems the general feeling is that this is normal with levers and autos. I got rid of a Marlin 30-30 because it did this also. My Winnies don't do it near as bad, just barely; about .003.

Appreciate all the input. I don't load to max(????) for the 92, mid range Ruger levels are fine with me; 18.6gn 2400 with a 250 is all the medicine I need for whitetails, so, I'll just resize, keep an eye on the brass, segregate, and go from there.

Thanks again.

[leadeye]

I have had good luck with my NHR 45 lc., get some blow by with low powered loads. Anything over 8 grains unique behind a 250-270 slug shoots fine.

[45r]

That seems a little large,my Marlin 45colt CB measures .483 above the web.I neck size and use 9.2 grains power pistol under 305PB boollits for inch and a half groups at 50 yards.I get 1200 fps out of it's 24 inch barrel.

[454PB]

I have a Puma 92 in .454 casull and no problems with bulged brass.

[Just Duke]

Pumas will now be manufactured by Chiappa firearms per our conversation with the rep a the SASS convention. Quality was much better from what I saw.


http://www.armisport.com/eng/menuAS.asp

[Freightman]

I have a 45 colt Puma that was new in 2006-7 and have not seen any buldged brass, I have shot 4-500 rounds so far.