357 PPCB for Rossi 92

[lemming]

I can't get no satisfaction using cast bullets in my Rossi 92 in 357 mag mode at 100 yards, tho' it'll put ten Lee 125 flatnoses into one ragged hole at 25 yards, loaded as a light 38 Special (3 grains Vectan BA10 for approx 1,000fps)

I've tried cast bullet weights from 110 to 180 (the 110s made 2,100 fps) water-cooled linotype, but at 100 yards the target always looks like a buckshot pattern.

I'm too cheap to buy jacketed bullets for the 357, so PPCBs seem the way to go next.

Has anyone used PPCBs in a 357 rifle? I'm looking for a 2" group at 100 - velocity and foot-poundage irrelevant, just punching paper. Is that realistic or am I just kidding myself..?

[Nobade]

Easy. Those Rossi rifles have a pretty slow twist, but as long as the boolit isn't too long you should have no problem at all. They will probably be longer than is allowable to feed through the magazine, though. Have to jam them into the rifling to get them to shoot. The plus side to that is there is a lot more room for gunpowder and they can be loaded to produce extremely good ballistics.

-Nobade

[lemming]

Thanks, Nobade. OAL isn't a problem, since I tend to load 'em one at a time (my Rossi is very accurate but doesn't cycle worth chips; saving my pennies to get a tuning job done on it).

Have just patched a bunch of 170gn SWC. My instinct is to go for a slow-burning, case-filling powder like 2400, N110 or Blue Dot. Any advice?

[Nobade]

I use Lil' Gun. Of the ones you listed I'd pick N110 to start.

-Nobade

[303Guy]

I once loaded for and fired a Rossi Puma with Lee 148gr boolits over a powder called MP3 (Somchem) and with iron sights this thing was scary accurate. I'd be expecting the same from your rifle but I can't help wondering how well the patch would come off the boolit at the muzzle. I didn't have Lil'Gun available at the time but it's a powder I rather like in the hornet so I would lean toward that just because I like it (very unscientific). It does however, seem to have a slow initial pressure rise rate which can only be good for launch if the same applies in the 357 which of course, it might not. Which ever way, I am interested in your final outcome.

[lemming]

Purely to see how the patch would behave, before I started wrapping 180 grain SWCs for 357 use I tried a couple of PP'd 158 SWC over my usual 25 yard 38 spl load of 3 grains Vectan BA10. Got about 3" at 25 yards (ah well) but the patches came out as finely minced confetti and there was no leading. So I think the patch should behave OK.

If I can get some Lil Gun, I'll give it a go. Meanwhile I have N110 on my shelf, so I'll start with that.

[357shooter]

You should be able to get 2 inch groups with the Lee 125 RF over 5.2 grains of HP38. You might have to load them long, say 1.590. The Rossi's that I owned liked a 140-145 grain magnum load with either H110 or 2400 too. A short nosed 358429 is accurate even though it's a little long for the slow twist. I think the NOE worked well, crimped into the groove.

The Lyman 358-477 over 5.2 of HP38 is a good load too. I had to use a custom nose punch for lube/sizing and keeping everything squared up. Otherwise it shot a shotgun pattern instead of groups.

Added: There are several old threads on accurate loads for the Rossi, so some searching might turn them up.

[yeahbub]

Amen to Lilgun. I like the Lee 358-158-RF and patch them with drafting vellum, lubed with Lee Liquid Alox. The max I've been able to comfortably use is 19gr Lilgun or 16gr of 2400. Be cautious. YMMV. The primers are fairly flat but still have an identifiable radius.

Have you slugged the bore yet? That will tell you a lot about what you can expect. All of the Rossi '92's I've worked with could benefit from a lap job, but some (octagonal barrels, mostly) do nicely out of the box.