Rossi 92 carbine cast loads

[braddock]

I've laid away a very nice stainless rossi 357/38 sp carbine til my licence variation comes through, been buying dies etc for reloading but haven't bought a mold yet.
Really appreciate if someone could point me at the best mold for this cal and also is it better to use 38sp cases or 357 cases.
Thanks in advance for your guidance.

[braddock]

Forgot to say I'm in the UK and basically we have Lee, Lee, Lee or Lee and sometimes Lyman and even less often rcbs to choose from.

[Froogal]

For cowboy action shooting, I shoot .38 specials because the .357 is not correct for the time frame. I cast with 1-20 lead from Roto-Metals which produces a BHN of about 10. I have 3 different molds for a .358 diameter bullet---all of them from LEE. My favorite is the 2 cavity, 158 grain round nose flat point. The Rossi 92 seems to like those.

[FergusonTO35]

My Rossi and Marlin 1894 doe awesome with the Lee 358-125-RF. I size to .360 so really no sizing at all, the die just applies the lube. Currently using a near max published charge of IMR 4756 but when that is gone I think I'll try Accurate #5 since I have had good success with it in the past. I use .357 brass myself.

[MT Gianni]

Lee 125 with 5 gr BE, Lyman 358156 with a max charge of 2400.

[mnewcomb59]

I will also recommend around 5 grains of fast powder with a 125 grain bullet in a 38 special case. This plinker will replicate the trajectory of a 22 lr high velocity load in velocity and BC and with my NOE 125 HP it shoots 10 shots into 1.5 inches at 50 yards. The Lee 125-rf also shoots great with 5 grains of Titegroup/Bullseye/American Select in 38 special cases but it doesn't feed too well in my newest Rossi. I need to shim one of the guide rails so the round doesn't pop up and have a nose high feed failure, or shoot my 125 HP from NOE that loads to a longer OAL. I have been lazy and have been using option two.

If you were allowed to shoot those tasty-looking, daschund-sized roe deer with it over there, I would recommend a 158 grain gas check bullet with Lil' Gun for 2050 fps, but I think you have some laws about minimum velocity and energy that would preclude you from using it. Too bad because I shoot big 120-200 pound Ohio whitetails with my 357 rifles and it does great.

[r80rt]

Lee 158 RF, all of my Rossi's love it.

[Kosh75287]

I'D suggest the Lee 358-158-RF bullet. The double cavity mould item # is 90303. This projectile is more likely to feed through the Rossi's lever action than the LSWCs. Its flat nose will provide excellent terminal effect (should that ever become important), and will not ignite the primer of the round sitting in front of it, as might the LRN bullet.

[Rp-]

I have the same rifle. I actually got a screaming deal o. Some acme 125gr rn coated bullets and loaded those up for the rifle. They are shooting great. Thinking of getting the lee 125gr RF mold to start casting for it.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[indian joe]

For cowboy action shooting, I shoot .38 specials because the .357 is not correct for the time frame. I cast with 1-20 lead from Roto-Metals which produces a BHN of about 10. I have 3 different molds for a .358 diameter bullet---all of them from LEE. My favorite is the 2 cavity, 158 grain round nose flat point. The Rossi 92 seems to like those.

yep my Rossi liked those too - Lee 158 RNFP (sold to a mate)
puzzled by the time frame correct comment tho ---38 special in a model 92 is about as politically un correct as it gets I reckon......................

[indian joe]

Lee 125 with 5 gr BE, Lyman 358156 with a max charge of 2400.

same nose profile as the 158 grain LEE both should feed same

[Targa]

I really like Lee’s 158 and 125 RNFP, as well as their 150 grain RN. Any of them should reliably feed with good accuracy in that new Rossi. I just casted a few hundred 125’s yesterday.

[Kosh75287]

If the OP can afford molds for both bullet weights, then he gets the best of both worlds. Were I limited to just one, I'd want the 158 gr. RF.
It can be pushed at the same mild velocities as the 125s, but it can also be pushed to higher power levels with less of a tendency to lead barrels than the 125 gr. bullets. Polymer coating will fix this somewhat, but it is another step and set of skills to be learned.
If the OP is fairly sure he'll never use his .357 to harvest larger game, then the 125s will do almost anything the 158s will, and with the expenditure of less alloy. Perhaps the OP has other firearms he would be more likely to use in such a role.
Just thinking aloud...

[Froogal]

yep my Rossi liked those too - Lee 158 RNFP (sold to a mate)
puzzled by the time frame correct comment tho ---38 special in a model 92 is about as politically un correct as it gets I reckon......................

N.C.O.W.S. rules. Recreating the time frame of approximately 1860 to about 1900. The .357 was not created until many years later. The .38 special is not correct either, but is closer. A .38 short Colt or long Colt would be correct (don't quote me), but finding a rifle that will accept those earlier cartridges is difficult, so we just shoot the .38 specials.

[tja6435]

I have a Rossi .357 with 24” octagonal barrel, it definitely feeds .38 spl cases smoother than .357. I generally use a LBT 140 or 166 Flat nose boolit with gas check.

[relics6165]

Not sure that anybody has come right out and said it, but with your limited choices of moulds, in most cases a round flat nose will generally feed better, easier, smoother, in a Rossi levergun than a semiwadcutter.

[Walks]

Lee #358-158-RF is the best choice among the limited molds you have available to you. My rifle feeds well in both .38Spl or .357Mag cases.
But every Rossi is a Law unto itself.

If you do happen on a Lyman #358156 it should also feed well. But it is a Gas Check mold. And if you go with hot Loads, this bullet will feed.

[Griff]

I've laid away a very nice stainless rossi 357/38 sp carbine til my licence variation comes through, been buying dies etc for reloading but haven't bought a mold yet.
Really appreciate if someone could point me at the best mold for this cal and also is it better to use 38sp cases or 357 cases.
Thanks in advance for your guidance.

You really haven't given enough information in order to get a really responsive answer to your question. 1st: what is your intended purpose for the carbine? Hunting, plinking, target, competition are all uses that can have very different parameters necessary to excel.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello Braddock,

I've been shooting the Lyman 358-156 SWC GC in both my .357 Rossi & my son's 1894 Marlin Cowboy.
No feeding issues encountered at all on either and they shoot very well in both rifles.

AntiqueSledMan.

[indian joe]

N.C.O.W.S. rules. Recreating the time frame of approximately 1860 to about 1900. The .357 was not created until many years later. The .38 special is not correct either, but is closer. A .38 short Colt or long Colt would be correct (don't quote me), but finding a rifle that will accept those earlier cartridges is difficult, so we just shoot the .38 specials.

I get it thats a rule - just sayin whoever made the rule ballsed it up - 38 special was never chambered in those period original 92's - it just wasnt !!! so period correct it aint ! ...to add to that ... guns chambered in period correct cartridges are available - used to be you could even get a Rossi in 44/40 - so there really is no reason for bending the rule.
I would have a great deal of difficulty with the feller who told me that a 357 mag loaded with blackpowder and a lead boolit, shot in a Rossi 92 was not period correct or not in the spirit of the game (proly why I tend to avoid places with strict sets of "rules"