Best LEE mold for ROSSI '92 .357mag

[Jeff H]

I would think it is going to be very difficult to stabilize a 200 gr boolit with the 1 - 30 twist in our Rossi rifles at longer ranges. I know mine is struggling with the Lyman 428429 at 170 grains. I can't imagine it being any better with a longer heavier boolit, but maybe.

Take Care

Bob

Were the oder Rossis/Pumas, from whomever, a different twist? 1:30 seems extremely slow. One would think that they at least considered whatever the most popular loading for the cartridge is.

I have shot a lot of fast twist rifles that do just fine with lighter bullets but have not had the greatest luck when the converse is true.

There are always those happy anomolies to consider, but if 158s is the heaviest I can shoot, I could live with that if they shot very well. I wouldn'nt think it unreasonable for someone with a .357 (any .357) to be able to shoot 180s well. I know that the 180 grain Remington JSPs shoot great out of my SP101, but then I can't make those at my casting bench.

[robertbank]

Jeff the Rossi rifles have a 1 - 30 twist. I do believe we are going to find the 150 - 160 gr boolits work the best in these rifles. No problem as a 150 - 160 gr boolit is more than enough for Deer or anything else we are likely to want to shoot. I doubt I'll get the best accuracy using my 428329 170 gr boolit at 100 yards vs the 155 grainers I shoot. Time will tell.

Take Care

Bob

[Jeff H]

Jeff the Rossi rifles have a 1 - 30 twist......Bob

I understand that part. What I am not clear on is whether there were Rossis with a faster twist at one time. Is the 1:30 twist something "new" for this current lot of Rossis under the Braztech name?

I agree that 150s and 160s would be good for deer (in the right hands and under the right conditions) and would be happy to make that my cut-off point. To date, it does not look like that is the case, as it does shoot the 158s and lower quite well.

I would be out shooting it instead of typing questions I can answer myself eventually, but the company is good, the weather sucks and I am down to a small handful of cartridges until I get a mold.

I need to get a .44 too. I have everything for that.

[robertbank]

Jeff both my Rossi rifles don't have FPB so that dates them older than the current batch from Brazil and they have 1 - 30 twist rates. Like you I will be happy if I can shoot my 150 - 160 grainers accurately out of my .357mag out to 100 yards. With iron sights my eyes will be more of a problem then twist rates using iron sights.

Hopefully the mailman will deliver my .44mag moulds and sizing die this coming week and I can start playing with my .44mag as well.

Weather here is no treat either. It is supposed to rain most of the week before turning nice. By then my lawn will need some work....I am not sure which I dislike the most shovelling snow or cutting grass. Ah the snow wins hands down. At least when I cut the grass there is a cool one sitting on the table when I am done.

Take Care

Bob

[357shooter]

I would think it is going to be very difficult to stabilize a 200 gr boolit with the 1 - 30 twist in our Rossi rifles at longer ranges. I know mine is struggling with the Lyman 428429 at 170 grains. I can't imagine it being any better with a longer heavier boolit, but maybe.

Take Care

Bob

I agree, the 200 is probably to heavy. I expected the 150 to shoot great from the start, but it needed some length to get it working good. I'm using 357 brass. What range are you shooting the 429 and what size groups are you getting?

Added later: I read the follow-on. Looks like th 170 is struggling at 100 yards. The 357-446 is working well in my revolver, and also grouped well with H110 in the Rossi, that might be the max length that works well and could be a good bullet in the Rossi.

I've got some work to do with H110 and the 150, haven't had time to try much and what I did try didn't work... LOL

[robertbank]

I agree, the 200 is probably to heavy. I expected the 150 to shoot great from the start, but it needed some length to get it working good. I'm using 357 brass. What range are you shooting the 429 and what size groups are you getting?

Added later: I read the follow-on. Looks like th 170 is struggling at 100 yards. The 357-446 is working well in my revolver, and also grouped well with H110 in the Rossi, that might be the max length that works well and could be a good bullet in the Rossi.

I've got some work to do with H110 and the 150, haven't had time to try much and what I did try didn't work... LOL

Only out to 50 yards so far. Last groups were quite good. Within 2" at 50 yards which for my eyes isn't all that bad. I am going to run some with 296 to see where that takes me using 328477 boolits and the 358296 as well.

As mentioned earlier I am going with Unique and 231 as well and plan to keep velocities around 1100 fps for the 150 - 160 grainers. Time will tell. I think groups will improve with a FO front sight but that is going to have to wait for awhile.

Take care

Bob

[357shooter]

With my eyes, the Simmons 4X scope with the Rossi mount work really well. Course it only works with a round barrel I believe.

[fecmech]

Bob--I've had no luck at all running 358429 in the 1100-1200 range from either of my Rossi's at 100 yds but as I've mentioned in the past it's very accurate running max 820/296 loads which exit about 1650fps. The 358429 does well out of my Winnie94 (16" twist) both at 1100 and 1650.
Rossi has made different twists in the past I believe. I bought an LSI made by Rossi a few years ago that was a 16" twist and owned a single shot Rossi that was also 16" twist. I've never seen any of the Navy Arms or Puma versions so I can't comment there. The Armi Sport (Italian) clone is also 16" twist.

[derek45]

I just checked my new 16" Rossi 92

Yep, It appears to have a 1:30 twist

Cleaning rod makes a half turn from crown to chamber.

[Jeff H]

.....I am not sure which I dislike the most shovelling snow or cutting grass. Ah the snow wins hands down. At least when I cut the grass there is a cool ........Bob

WIth a gallon of gas approaching the cost of a gallon of Roundup..........

[robertbank]

Bob--I've had no luck at all running 358429 in the 1100-1200 range from either of my Rossi's at 100 yds but as I've mentioned in the past it's very accurate running max 820/296 loads which exit about 1650fps. The 358429 does well out of my Winnie94 (16" twist) both at 1100 and 1650.
Rossi has made different twists in the past I believe. I bought an LSI made by Rossi a few years ago that was a 16" twist and owned a single shot Rossi that was also 16" twist. I've never seen any of the Navy Arms or Puma versions so I can't comment there. The Armi Sport (Italian) clone is also 16" twist.

Hi. I meant to imply I am going to try running my 150 - 160- grainers at that speed. The 358429 will have to be driven to 1600 fps for consistent accuracy I think. Presently I am at 1475 which is ok but a tad fast probably would be better.

Take Care

Bob

[357shooter]

A thought about the 30 inch twist. Is it possible it has this twist so that the most accurate boolits and loads in a 16 inch twist revolver also work well with the longer barrel?

I'm finding the bullets/loads that work best in a 6 inch revolver seem to shoot well in the Rossi, even with the higher velocity/longer barrel.

Admittedly this is based on very limited experience w/the Rossi.


Added later: Nah, must be a coincedence. I though messing with the Greenhill formula (w/velocity adjustment) that velocity difference would would kinda line up between a 16 inch twist and 30 inch. Didn't work out. Anyway, it shoots great. How do you like the updated avatar, the 150 SWC...

[robertbank]

Those are nice boolits. I suspect the best for our Rossi guns.

Take Care

Bob

[357shooter]

Thanks, if you are referring to my avatar...

I think your suspecion is right, they probably are the best for our Rossi's. I shot some more of them with light and with heavier loads. The more I shoot the more I likem.

At shorter range the 429 works well too.

[Jeff H]

.....At shorter range the 429 works well too.

Are you guys actually getting the 358-429 to feed?
It doesn't matter how deeply I seat them or what kind of crimp I use (roll, taper, LEE factory crimp), they seem to be too long.

The nose jams into the top of the chamber (inside - not the edge) and the case jams up against the bottom edge of the chamber.

In .38s, they are OK, because the cuts in the guides let the rim through before the nose gets too far into the chamber. I was going to trim some cases but discovered yet one more piece of .357 paraphernalia missing - case holder for my Wilson case trimmer.

[robertbank]

Jeff mine chamber fine. You do have to apply a decent roll crimp on the cartridge though. I found if I didn't the case would catch the chamber on the mouth of the case. Cartridge OAL is 1.610

Take Care

Bob

[357shooter]

I'm using the Lyman 358429 with a OAL of 1.620. But I use a light roll crimp beacuse so far it produces the best groups (with H110). Feeds great. The NOE has a slightly shorter nose and doesn't feed as well. The longer nose puts the front driving band closer to the case mouth and it works well.

Don't know why mine works with the light crimp, but it works in my revolver too.

[Jeff H]

Jeff mine chamber fine. You do have to apply a decent roll crimp on the cartridge though. I found if I didn't the case would catch the chamber on the mouth of the case. Cartridge OAL is 1.610

Take Care

Bob

Thanks, Bob.
Doesn't seem to matter on mine. I even went out and tried a couple more dummies at that length and with even heavier roll crimps. The nose hits the "ceiling" inside the chamber right when the front edge of the driving band gets to the edge of the chamber at the bottom and I get hung up. I even just crimped one over the front of the front band and gave it a ridiculously severe roll crimp to see if I could funnel them in and it's still won't make it. Shorther 200 grainers with a wider meplat work, but the long nose on the 429 puts the front edge of the driving band at the wrong place for the angle they are coming in at.

[Jeff H]

I'm using the Lyman 358429 with a OAL of 1.620. But I use a light roll crimp beacuse so far it produces the best groups (with H110). Feeds great. The NOE has a slightly shorter nose and doesn't feed as well. The longer nose puts the front driving band closer to the case mouth and it works well.

Don't know why mine works with the light crimp, but it works in my revolver too.

I guess there are enough differences between these that some things will work and some things won't. I even have to crimp the LEE 125 RFN way ahead of the crimp groove on mine. I need to get a pic of that one because it is not t he same one they show in the catalog currently.

I have taper crimped LEE 120 TCs and burying the edge of the case mnouth seems to be the trick on that one.

Played with the LEE factory crimp today and that may help on some but did no good on the 429. Front edge of the front band is where I am hanging up.

[fecmech]

Jeff--I wonder if there isn't some problem with your carrier or lifter or maybe they forgot to radius the bottom of your chamber mouth.. There is a slight chamfer on both of my guns.