Range Report .357 Mag Rossi Lever Gun

[WyrTwister]

Range Report .357 Mag Rossi Lever Gun
I am turning in to a wuss ( or more of one ) in my old age . And even more of a cheapbastard , as Geoff coined the term .

I have migrated down form a .45-70 lever gun to a .44 Mag to a .45 LC . ( Each step down has less recoil and burns less powder and lead . )

Tuesday I picked up a Rossi .357 Mag lever gun , from lay-a-way .

Loaded the following in .38 Special brass ;

~ 150 grain Lee RNL seated to ~ .357 OAL - Feed great

~ 150 grain Lee SWC seated to ~ .357 OAL - Had to hand feed them , one at a time

~ 150 grain Lee SWC seated to ~ .38 Special OAL - Feed OK , but not quire as good as the RNL

All were loaded with ~ 13 grains of AA # 9

Since I do not own a .38 Special gun , I am not too worried about possessing .38 brass loaded to above .38 Special pressures .

If I owned a .38 Special , it would probably be a different story .

I tested but did not shoot some factory .38's .

Accuracy ? Probably about as good as my vision permits . We shot at 200 meter rams .

I need to file down the front sight , I was close to or at the top notch on the rear sight . Had to do the same with the .45 LC Rossi . In fact , it needs a little more filing , too . No big deal .

No idea of the velocity , did not set up the chrony .

The .357 would knock down a ram , but not every time . I suspect , if it hit it high ?

A good time was had by all .

You all ought to try this !

God bless
Wyr

[AJMD429]

Sounds like you have a winner.

Post pics sometime if you can, especially of the range - it's cool to see how different ranges are set up.

[Hobie]

If I read you correctly you need it to shoot lower which means you need a HIGHER front sight. IOW, don't file the front sight down.

[WyrTwister]

If I read you correctly you need it to shoot lower which means you need a HIGHER front sight. IOW, don't file the front sight down.

Well , no , I am at the highest notch of the rear sight slider . I would like to be zeroed at 200 meters , with the rear sight not quite so high ( I do not like bending it that much ) .

So , for the same Point Of Aim , if I file the front sight , it will make the barrel higher , which will make the rifle shoot higher .

Then I can go down one , maybe 2 notches on the slider .

Keep filing and shooting until I get it where I want it .

Did the same thing on the .45 LC Rossie .

God bless
wyr

[COSteve]

With your 38spl brass you might want to set the OAL to midway between a 38spl and 357mag to ensure reliable feeding but allow for you different bullet types. I use and recommend an OAL of 1.500" in both my 357mag Rossis and they feed great. In addition, I've found that with the shorter OAL, the velocity and SD are more consistent.

[jlchucker]

With your 38spl brass you might want to set the OAL to midway between a 38spl and 357mag to ensure reliable feeding but allow for you different bullet types. I use and recommend an OAL of 1.500" in both my 357mag Rossis and they feed great. In addition, I've found that with the shorter OAL, the velocity and SD are more consistent.

Steve, you may have something there. I've got a new 357 Rossi trapper that's giving me fits with jamming 38 specials, especially if you load more than 4 rounds in the magazine. It's an erratic problem. 357 loads feed just fine. My next thing is to try loading my 38's to a longer OAL. I discussed this with a local gunsmith, as well as with Nate Kiowa Jones via email and both suggested the same thing. Mine's a great plinker with the Lee 125 gr cast bullet. A 200 yard shot with one of these, like Wyretwister is doing, is something I hadn't thought about trying with the 357, especially with 38 special loads. I wonder how he'd make out with those rams if he loaded a heavier bullet in 357 cases?

[WyrTwister]

With your 38spl brass you might want to set the OAL to midway between a 38spl and 357mag to ensure reliable feeding but allow for you different bullet types. I use and recommend an OAL of 1.500" in both my 357mag Rossis and they feed great. In addition, I've found that with the shorter OAL, the velocity and SD are more consistent.

You may be right , I do not know . I have had this Rossi less than a week and one trip to the range .

I have been loading for a Winny Model 1892 that some one , some time converted to .357 . It did not like SWC's , much either .

I have more experience loading for the S&W wheel gun .

God bless
Wyr

[WyrTwister]

With your 38spl brass you might want to set the OAL to midway between a 38spl and 357mag to ensure reliable feeding but allow for you different bullet types. I use and recommend an OAL of 1.500" in both my 357mag Rossis and they feed great. In addition, I've found that with the shorter OAL, the velocity and SD are more consistent.

Steve, you may have something there. I've got a new 357 Rossi trapper that's giving me fits with jamming 38 specials, especially if you load more than 4 rounds in the magazine. It's an erratic problem. 357 loads feed just fine. My next thing is to try loading my 38's to a longer OAL. I discussed this with a local gunsmith, as well as with Nate Kiowa Jones via email and both suggested the same thing. Mine's a great plinker with the Lee 125 gr cast bullet. A 200 yard shot with one of these, like Wyretwister is doing, is something I hadn't thought about trying with the 357, especially with 38 special loads. I wonder how he'd make out with those rams if he loaded a heavier bullet in 357 cases?

Those two molds are all I have for .38 / .357 . I think what happens is if I hit the ram high , I have a chance of knocking it over . If I hit it low , not so much .

God bless ,
Wyr

[WyrTwister]

What I am doing with the SWC & the RNL bullets is seating / crimping at the groove closest to the nose for .38 Special length in .38 Special brass .

For ~ .357 Mag OAL , in .38 Special brass , I am seating / crimping at the next groove , further back .

God bless
Wyr