Problem with Rossi 92 in 357

[jlchucker]

A while ago I bought a Rossi 92 trapper. I read a lot of threads about these, and got it with big hopes. Turns out that it shoots boolits very well indeed, but it had an odd problem that I hadn't ever encountered in any levergun before. You could load 38 specials (or 357's--RN or SWC, it didn't matter) and they would feed very well. The problem was feeding them through the loading gate into the magazine tube--VERY stiff, and you'd be lucky to get more than 4 or 5 rounds in the gun. I bought a steel magazine follower, installed it, and went back to the range. No improvement. Later, I took the rifle to my gunsmith buddy--no novice on leverguns after years in the business. When done, I went back to the range and it you could feed ammo into the gun like every levergun I've ever owned--easily. I loaded 8 rounds--the first time I ever was able to insert more than 3 or 4--38 spl, Lee RNFP 125 gr boolits. The first round I levered jammed--big time! I was able to get the next 3 either out of the gun or to get them lined up to chamber. After range experimentation, I discovered that what was going on was that the first 4 rounds fed nicely, but if more than 4 were loaded, then this same jamming would go on until there were only 4 left in the magazine. I've not tried full-length 357's in that gun since the fix--before, those would load (tightly) and you could cycle out all 3 or 4 no problem. What's this all about--too stiff a mainspring?? Why do 4 rounds through the gun cycle smooth as butter, but if you load more than that you get big-time jamming until back to 4? Anybody ever had this problem?

[cajun shooter]

First thing to do is check the length of your magazine spring. It should not be any longer out the end of the tube than 3 rounds in length. If it is longer then cut it to the measurement given and make sure you bend the piece that was cut into the center of spring. Also make sure that it fits inside the follower and not sit on top of it. I used a rifle like yours in SASS for a back up and it was slick. A lot of shooters will insert a wooden dowel into a empty case and use it as a pusher to load the rounds. Makes it easy on the fingers. I also favor the 158rnfp.

[ReloaderFred]

The Model 92 (and clones) are very case length sensitive. Most like rounds at least 1.510" OAL. Anything shorter and they choke when cycled. This may be an area to start with.

The magazine spring may also be too long, as noted, which would make it hard to load, but shouldn't affect cycling. The bullet shape is also important when loading for .357 caliber lever rifles. They tend to like RNFP and TCFP bullets best.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Calamity Jake]

Yap do away with the 38sp cases, use 357 only and a RN, RNFP or TC boolit and every thing should be fine.

Some Rossi's will feed SWC just fine, some won't.

[jlchucker]

Mine seems to feed both rnfp and swc pretty well, in both 38 and 357--but not if you load more than 4 rounds in the chamber. When I first got the gun it was tough to load more than 3 or 4 in there. They'd go in hard, then the last one (never could get more than 4 in comfortably then) would hang up just past the loading gate, and just before entering the magazine tube. My gunsmith removed a couple of burrs that were causing that, but he didn't take the gun to the range to shoot. He just tried to see if 3 or 4 rounds would go into the magazine, then cycled them out. I made the discovery when, as a happy camper I went to the range, loaded 8, and they all started hanging up until I got 4 out of the gun. Then the last four would work slick indeed. Like I thought they all would. These 38 cases are the same ones that I used when I first got this rifle, and couldn't push more than 4 into the magazine in the first place. The length is OK. RNFP and SWC go through good. I need to get to the range to see what happens with 357 brass. I hope that it doesn't turn out that I have a 4-shot 38 and/or a 2 or 3 shot 357. I'm reluctant just yet to take out and cut that magazine spring--my gunsmith has a shorter model 92 spring and we'll try that out. I'm wondering if this may be a Trapper 357 issue that stems from Rossi (now Taurus) using the same magazine spring in 16 inch guns that they do in the 20 inch version.

Thanks everyone for your input. I've used lever guns for over 50 years and have never encountered anything like this. I've even got a 44 mag EMF Rossi that works every bit as smooth (or smoother) than any original 92 that I've ever picked up. I'll get this one working somehow. I bought it for my truck gun, as a caliber to use like one would for something like a modern 32-20, with boolits only. And that Lee 125 one shoots really nice at 50 yd out of this little gun .