148gr DEWC in Rossi .357 Barrel

[Blueridgeboy]

I just bought a Rossi 38/357 lever action with 20" barrel. I've ordered some 38/357 158gr. Cowboy RNFP to he hand loaded.

I've got a few hundred 148gr DEWC and wonder if anyone has used a full wadcutter in the Rossi (or Marlin or Winchester) barrel? My thinking is they should work but then again I've been wrong before!

Been there - done that comments appreciated.

:smile:

[Freightman]

Welcome to the boards! I do not have a 357 Rossi but I do have a 45 Colt Rossi, I turned a boolit around and loaded it like a full WC and it fed fine, now some of the others that have the same rifle say theres will not. I am guesing it will depend on the rifle. Have fun with your Rossi a man I know has a 357 and he is a better shot than I will ever be but at 200 yds I saw him shoot a 2" groupe of 10 into the 10 ring. I would like to shoot that good but I doubt it will ever happen, he keeps a log on every rifle every load and has a trajectory graph for each load. He caries a hand held science computer to the range . To me that takes all the fun out of things, of course I was a truck driver and he was an engeneer might make a difference.

[Blueridgeboy]

Thanks for the input Freightman.

If the max OAL for a 357 is 1.59" and I set a DEWC flush to face in a .38 casing (1.155") that's a difference of .435" from maximum chamber length and if I set in a 357 casing (1.29") it's a difference of .30" from the max. OAL. That's the same dimension difference my Ruger GP-100 experiences and everything works fine with either casing. I'm just not sure there is an exact duplication between revolver and rifle with pressure as well as feeding.

By the way, when you flipped the "boolit" around and fired how close did it come to your intended POI? I've got a few hundred 125gr LRN that I could flip end-for-end and put a hard taper crimp on; but if it goes every which way out of the muzzle then it's going to be like shooting one of those old Pilgrim muskets.

[runfiverun]

my 357 gives me grief with a swc in 38 cases but my 44 don't with 44 specials same boolit profile.
you might be able to use a 357 case and do fine or not.
just depends on the timing and where the relief on your rail is cut to.
i had to modify my carrier just a bit [.005] to feed the longer nosed 429421 in my 44 mag.
but do nothing to my 357 to feed the 358429 the very similar nose design,and my 45 refuses to feed the 454429 unless i seat it like a swc and go to the shoulder.

[Erich]

I think Freightman is right in that it depends on the gun. I've got a Navy Arms Rossi 92 short rifle in .357, and it just doesn't want to feed full wadcutters. It loves semiwadcutters of all flavors, though, whether in a .38 or .357 case. What a lot of fun that gun is . . . hope you enjoy yours, Blueridgeboy.

[Al_sway]

I use the 148 grain WC in my Rossi Model 92, using .38 Special cases and loading the WC out of the case. They feed well and are accurate, and are great rabbit loads.