For a number of reasons the Missus and I are considering a pair of 92's in 357 Mag. I would appreciate relevant input regarding the quality of current offerings along with chronographed, full snort hunting (re)loads and particularly those using the 140 or 158 grain XTP pistol bullets. I am also interested in an accurate, 140-150 grain RNFP .38 load that feeds well in these guns. The purpose is pest eradication/plinking and that bullet weight will regulate in a couple of fixed sight 38/357 revolvers owned or soon to be obtained. I use W231 and W296 powders or their direct replacements.
Hobie and Nate, I have read (I believe) most of your stuff and it is very good; but you are welcome to repeat any of it here if you wish. I do essentially all my own gunsmithing and the insides of a Winchester don't scare me. Tips are appreciated.
Thank you all in advance for your input.
Current Rossi 92 quality and useful 357 loads
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Current Rossi 92 quality and useful 357 loads
People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.
Re: Current Rossi 92 quality and useful 357 loads
Well, I screwed THAT up. Sorry.
Hobie if you would be kind enough to move this, I'd appreciate it.
Hobie if you would be kind enough to move this, I'd appreciate it.
People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.
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Hillbillygunsmith
- Levergunner
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- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 2:51 am
Re: Current Rossi 92 quality and useful 357 loads
I recently bought a Rossi 92 357 mag. rifle. It is the case harden frame with oct. 20" barrel. I payed 450 bucks for the rifle and I would not sell it for 1,000 bucks I am so pleased with the gun.
First thing to do is remove butt stock and open action and spray a good cleaner into it to remove factory grease. Mine turned out to have a very smooth action and feeds everything I have tried in 38 spec. and 357 mag. It will feed cast SWC, but once in a while will try to snag on that bullet. Jacket HP, RNFP feeds very smooth. Big complaint is the stiff ejecter spring that throws the empty case into the next county. I replaced that spring.
I just finish up working up a hunting load for the rifle using 158 gr. Winchester HP and Hornady 158 gr. XTP and the 158 gr. cast SWC with gas check. Using 15gr. of W-296 I obtained an average of 1620 fps over the chrony with the 158 gr. Win. & Hornady XTP HP. The cast lead SWC gave me just over 1650 fps. That load of 15 gr. W-296 only produces 28,000 psi and is a med load. If you increase the powder to just over 16 gr. at max, it will only give you another 100 fps at 1700 fps in the rifle. The reason I stayed at the min. load of 15 gr. is that I have a companion revolver. It is a Cimarron arms Uberti clone of the Colt peacemaker with a short 3-1/2 inch barrel. If I used the max load of 16 grains, 38,000 psi, I was afraid i would shoot the pistol loose in a few years as I shoot a lot of rounds in practice at my home range.
I have only been able to test for accuracy at my 25 yard home pistol range due to recent storms and heavy rain. Will be later before I can get out to the public rifle range and test at 100 yards. All three loads have shown excellant accuracy by putting 5 shots into 3/4 inch or less at that range.
The above loads should be great for a 125 yard deer load except with the Win. HP and Hornady XTP I would confine those bullets to only lung-heart shots though the ribs. They may blow up on shoulder shots that hit heavy bone. According to my ballistic table those bullets should still be going just under 1200 fps at 100 yards. That should give good expansion at that range.
You might be interested into going to this web site http://www.stevesgunz.com That is Steve Young, AKA-Nate Kiowa Jones, who is a well known cowboy action gunsmith on the Rossi 92. He puts out a good video on working the Rossi 92 into a smooth running rifle and has upgraded parts for the 92. I used his steel magazine follower to replace the Rossi plastic one and even added his rear peep sight that replaces the top mounted safety lever and his front "firesight" to replace the factory front blade sight. Really increased the accuracy for me with eyes that are 66 years old. Make sure you get two rifles. When your wife gets to shoot it, she will claim it for herself and you will need one for yourself. For pest control use standard loads of 38 special and you will not believe how quite those loads are in a 20" barrel.
First thing to do is remove butt stock and open action and spray a good cleaner into it to remove factory grease. Mine turned out to have a very smooth action and feeds everything I have tried in 38 spec. and 357 mag. It will feed cast SWC, but once in a while will try to snag on that bullet. Jacket HP, RNFP feeds very smooth. Big complaint is the stiff ejecter spring that throws the empty case into the next county. I replaced that spring.
I just finish up working up a hunting load for the rifle using 158 gr. Winchester HP and Hornady 158 gr. XTP and the 158 gr. cast SWC with gas check. Using 15gr. of W-296 I obtained an average of 1620 fps over the chrony with the 158 gr. Win. & Hornady XTP HP. The cast lead SWC gave me just over 1650 fps. That load of 15 gr. W-296 only produces 28,000 psi and is a med load. If you increase the powder to just over 16 gr. at max, it will only give you another 100 fps at 1700 fps in the rifle. The reason I stayed at the min. load of 15 gr. is that I have a companion revolver. It is a Cimarron arms Uberti clone of the Colt peacemaker with a short 3-1/2 inch barrel. If I used the max load of 16 grains, 38,000 psi, I was afraid i would shoot the pistol loose in a few years as I shoot a lot of rounds in practice at my home range.
I have only been able to test for accuracy at my 25 yard home pistol range due to recent storms and heavy rain. Will be later before I can get out to the public rifle range and test at 100 yards. All three loads have shown excellant accuracy by putting 5 shots into 3/4 inch or less at that range.
The above loads should be great for a 125 yard deer load except with the Win. HP and Hornady XTP I would confine those bullets to only lung-heart shots though the ribs. They may blow up on shoulder shots that hit heavy bone. According to my ballistic table those bullets should still be going just under 1200 fps at 100 yards. That should give good expansion at that range.
You might be interested into going to this web site http://www.stevesgunz.com That is Steve Young, AKA-Nate Kiowa Jones, who is a well known cowboy action gunsmith on the Rossi 92. He puts out a good video on working the Rossi 92 into a smooth running rifle and has upgraded parts for the 92. I used his steel magazine follower to replace the Rossi plastic one and even added his rear peep sight that replaces the top mounted safety lever and his front "firesight" to replace the factory front blade sight. Really increased the accuracy for me with eyes that are 66 years old. Make sure you get two rifles. When your wife gets to shoot it, she will claim it for herself and you will need one for yourself. For pest control use standard loads of 38 special and you will not believe how quite those loads are in a 20" barrel.
Re: Current Rossi 92 quality and useful 357 loads
Great post Hillbilly & thank you.
People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.
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boolitshooter
- Levergunner 2.0
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- Location: Early, TX
- Contact:
Re: Current Rossi 92 quality and useful 357 loads
Plus 2 on NKJ's, used his DVD to slick up my 357. Cannot say enough about his instructional video that made a complicated procedure simple.
I had a Rossi 45 Colt I bought some years ago from someone who had NKJ's slick it up. Best LA functioning rifle I had handled. Bought the 357 and thought it was no good until I got his DVD and followed the directions. Now ejects properly, light opening, very smooth, as a bonus a 2.5 smooth trigger pull.
I had a Rossi 45 Colt I bought some years ago from someone who had NKJ's slick it up. Best LA functioning rifle I had handled. Bought the 357 and thought it was no good until I got his DVD and followed the directions. Now ejects properly, light opening, very smooth, as a bonus a 2.5 smooth trigger pull.