44 mag accuracy issue in a Rossi

[SDTurner]

Hi fellas. I'm new here but need some advice on a rifle accuracy problem.

The rifle is a Rossi 92 that I purchased to recondition. It had a Ramline stock and had been abused. I did a lot of repair and cosmetic rebuild and stocked it with some curly walnut. Perhaps I can post pics eventually.

Looks nice now. Problem is it won't shoot for ****. I only want it to shoot reasonably out to 100 yards and would use it as a brush gun for deer. As is it groups factory jacketed bullets about 12 inches at 50 yards. I can do much better with a S&W 29 offhand. My brother (another amateur smith) upset a couple of slugs near the breach and the muzzle and then measured them. The gun has extremely shallow rifling and the bore measures 0.4316 in the grooves near the breech and 0.4320 near the muzzle. Measures about 0.428 across the lands. It looks like normal 0.429 lead will be loose in the bore and may actually have blowby.

Questions: Will I see better bullet stabilization and accuracy with a slug measuring 0.432 (groove diameter)?

If so, is there anyone out there with a few boolits near this size that I could reload and try to see if that is the solution? I'd like to test the solution before committing to a special mold.

Help?

[mooman76]

Welcome to the board. First off I'd say if it groups jacketed at 12" x 50y it isn't looking good for accuracy. It may not be hopeless though. I would look at other issues first that may be affectiong accuracy like mabe a real good cleaning and maybe take a look at the muzzle for damage.
As far as a lead bullet you will probably need at least a .433 or better lead bullet or you may get by with a 432 that is gas checked but you will have to try and see.

[nicholst55]

I see a significant problem with your breech groove diameter being smaller than the muzzle. Even if you find a .433 cast boolit, it's going to swage down to .431-ish at the breech end, and then be loose when it reaches the muzzle.

This might be one of the few times that I could actually recommend fire-lapping the bore, to obtain a uniform dimension. You're going to have to determine if a cartridge loaded with a .432" boolit will chamber consistently, first.

[runfiverun]

with a bbl like that i'd just have it re-cut for a 45 colt.
or re-bbl it.
a soft [bhn 10] 432 sized boolit might get you what you want with a powder slow enough to push as far as it can.

but first
i'd try and determine how far down the bbl the oversize is. if it's just a couple of inches [2] it may not be a problem. could also be cut off at this point and be remilled for a new front sight.

most dan wesson bbls are cut with a bugle at the muzzle and they shoot cast just fine.
measure the inside of a fired case to see if they will take a boolit at 432.
THEN weigh your options.

[HeavyMetal]

I can supply you with a handful of 429434's.

This is a gas checked WFP boolit. The mold I have cast's .432 so don't know what Lyman was thinking as I've been told this was originally designed for the 44-40.

I will be more than happy to send them to you unlubed and unsized and then you may handle them as you wish and check them or not as you see fit.

PM me with questions and a snail mail addy.

[MtGun44]

Look for a damaged muzzle crown. .432 or .433 diam cast may shoot well.
Also look for probelms with the forend match to the reciever or too tight a band
between barrel and mag tube.

Bill

[MT Gianni]

I would slug the entire bbl looking for uneven spots in the bbl. At worst case look for a used bbl from Numrich Arms/Gun Parts. My Rossi with the ugly Tigre medallion shoots a .430 boolit very well.