Rossi 357 lever action with lead cast reloads

TennJed · August 31, 2013, 04:47 PM

Anybody have any issues using reloads in a Rossi 357 lever action. I am looking to pick up one. It is a 24" with an octagon barrel. I reload 357 with lead cast RN, SWC, & wad cutters. I assume the wad cutters and semi wad cutters may give me feeding issues.

Also it says 12 rd capacity. Will it hold more 38sp since they are shorter?

Toney · August 31, 2013, 06:08 PM

My ranch hand feeds 38lswc just fine. It wont feed any 357.

TennJed · August 31, 2013, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toney

My ranch hand feeds 38lswc just fine. It wont feed any 357.

It won't feed factory 357? That is not a good sign

zxcvbob · August 31, 2013, 07:02 PM

My Marlin feeds .357 cast full wadcutters just fine if they are crimped in the crimp groove instead of over the top (about 1.35" OAL) It does not feed SWC's easily but they don't jam.

It jams with .38 Special wadcutters unless I load them out at 1.35 or 1.36" OAL like a .357 -- with the bullet hanging halfway our the case.

Toney · August 31, 2013, 07:58 PM

I have loaded some of the short hornady 357 cases, that's all I've got to feed

zippy13 · August 31, 2013, 08:45 PM

I've had no luck feeding with home cast WCs or SWCs. I cast some RFNs using the Lee mold. My Rossi will feed the RFN .38 hand loads, but not the .357s. I haven't experimented with various OALs yet. My action is unaltered, and happily feeds factory .357s.

jersurf101 · August 31, 2013, 11:13 PM

My rossi .357 is best with LRNFP. It will feed SWC too but the LRNFP feed smoother. Mine feeds .357's just fine but can be finicky with .38 specials. The majority of the rounds I shoot through my 16" trapper carbine are lead that I reload. And yes she holds more .38 specials than .357 magnums.

TennJed · August 31, 2013, 11:36 PM

Thanks guys. I will be meeting the guy in a couple of days to look it over. It is stainless (high polish) but it has had the barrel bead blasted. He had a gun smith do it to keep the glare down. Sounds like a good idea, but the pics he sent me were crappy cell phone pics. Has anyone seen one done that way? I am afraid the high polished body may not look right with the bead blasted barrels.

Crunchy Frog · September 1, 2013, 10:25 AM

Cowboy action shooters use lead bullets and most of us handload. Lever action rifles tend to be sensitive to bullet shape and overall length. Some of the '92s do better with .357s than with .38s.

I would suggest a RNFP (round nose flat point) or TCFP (truncated cone flat point) bullet.

TennJed · September 1, 2013, 02:44 PM

Thanks for all the responses. I have a question about scopes on the Rossi 92. After reading a bit it seems like you can remove the rear sight and put in a scope mount. I like the option of being able to add a scope without having to alter the gun (drill tap). But I read somewhere that the scope mount is only for the round barrels.

The one I am looking at is a octagon barrel. Is it correct that I cannot add the scope mount to the octagon barrel? If so is there any option for a scope without having a gunsmith drill holes in it?

BrokenBottles · September 2, 2013, 02:53 PM

My 92 feeds everything pretty well but TC(Truncated cone, essentially a cross between a semi-wad and RNFP) work the best by FAR.
That applies to both .38 and .357.

I've never seen a rail for the Oct. barrel but something might pop up here. http://store.stevesgunz.com/

Crunchy Frog · September 2, 2013, 03:13 PM

This is my bullet source; compare his prices. Quality is top notch: http://www.clarksbullets.com/ In .38 you can get a 105 grain or 125 grain TCFP.

If your '92 prefers a heavier bullet I've used the 158 grain RNFPs from Blue Boy with good results: http://www.blueboybullets.com/products.html

Both companies serve cowboy action shooters and understand what will work in a lever action rifle. Both are in the Carolinas. What more could you want?

stubbicatt · September 3, 2013, 07:23 AM

I hand casted the Lyman 155 grain Cowboy bullet and sized at .359" for a Marlin and it worked very well indeed. No leading and sufficient accuracy for my uses.

I used a home made bullet lube which worked very well.

August 31, 2013, 04:47 PM	#1
TennJed Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2010 Posts: 1,536	Rossi 357 lever action with lead cast reloads Anybody have any issues using reloads in a Rossi 357 lever action. I am looking to pick up one. It is a 24" with an octagon barrel. I reload 357 with lead cast RN, SWC, & wad cutters. I assume the wad cutters and semi wad cutters may give me feeding issues. Also it says 12 rd capacity. Will it hold more 38sp since they are shorter?

August 31, 2013, 07:02 PM	#4
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	My Marlin feeds .357 cast full wadcutters just fine if they are crimped in the crimp groove instead of over the top (about 1.35" OAL) It does not feed SWC's easily but they don't jam. It jams with .38 Special wadcutters unless I load them out at 1.35 or 1.36" OAL like a .357 -- with the bullet hanging halfway our the case. __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

August 31, 2013, 11:36 PM	#8
TennJed Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2010 Posts: 1,536	Rossi 357 lever action with lead cast reloads Thanks guys. I will be meeting the guy in a couple of days to look it over. It is stainless (high polish) but it has had the barrel bead blasted. He had a gun smith do it to keep the glare down. Sounds like a good idea, but the pics he sent me were crappy cell phone pics. Has anyone seen one done that way? I am afraid the high polished body may not look right with the bead blasted barrels.

September 1, 2013, 02:44 PM	#10
TennJed Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2010 Posts: 1,536	Rossi 357 lever action with lead cast reloads Thanks for all the responses. I have a question about scopes on the Rossi 92. After reading a bit it seems like you can remove the rear sight and put in a scope mount. I like the option of being able to add a scope without having to alter the gun (drill tap). But I read somewhere that the scope mount is only for the round barrels. The one I am looking at is a octagon barrel. Is it correct that I cannot add the scope mount to the octagon barrel? If so is there any option for a scope without having a gunsmith drill holes in it?

September 2, 2013, 02:53 PM	#11
BrokenBottles Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2010 Location: The worst Lancaster in the U.S. Posts: 119	My 92 feeds everything pretty well but TC(Truncated cone, essentially a cross between a semi-wad and RNFP) work the best by FAR. That applies to both .38 and .357. I've never seen a rail for the Oct. barrel but something might pop up here. http://store.stevesgunz.com/ __________________ "Lube the hell out of your Llama. Run it wet and it should be a decent pistol."

August 31, 2013, 06:08 PM	#2
Toney Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Location: Stillwater Oklahoma Posts: 790	My ranch hand feeds 38lswc just fine. It wont feed any 357.

August 31, 2013, 07:58 PM	#5
Toney Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Location: Stillwater Oklahoma Posts: 790	I have loaded some of the short hornady 357 cases, that's all I've got to feed

August 31, 2013, 08:45 PM	#6
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	I've had no luck feeding with home cast WCs or SWCs. I cast some RFNs using the Lee mold. My Rossi will feed the RFN .38 hand loads, but not the .357s. I haven't experimented with various OALs yet. My action is unaltered, and happily feeds factory .357s.

August 31, 2013, 11:13 PM	#7
jersurf101 Senior Member Join Date: January 27, 2013 Location: Eastern NC Posts: 553	My rossi .357 is best with LRNFP. It will feed SWC too but the LRNFP feed smoother. Mine feeds .357's just fine but can be finicky with .38 specials. The majority of the rounds I shoot through my 16" trapper carbine are lead that I reload. And yes she holds more .38 specials than .357 magnums.

September 1, 2013, 10:25 AM	#9
Crunchy Frog Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2008 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 591	Cowboy action shooters use lead bullets and most of us handload. Lever action rifles tend to be sensitive to bullet shape and overall length. Some of the '92s do better with .357s than with .38s. I would suggest a RNFP (round nose flat point) or TCFP (truncated cone flat point) bullet.

September 2, 2013, 03:13 PM	#12
Crunchy Frog Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2008 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 591	This is my bullet source; compare his prices. Quality is top notch: http://www.clarksbullets.com/ In .38 you can get a 105 grain or 125 grain TCFP. If your '92 prefers a heavier bullet I've used the 158 grain RNFPs from Blue Boy with good results: http://www.blueboybullets.com/products.html Both companies serve cowboy action shooters and understand what will work in a lever action rifle. Both are in the Carolinas. What more could you want?

September 3, 2013, 07:23 AM	#13
stubbicatt Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Posts: 1,707	I hand casted the Lyman 155 grain Cowboy bullet and sized at .359" for a Marlin and it worked very well indeed. No leading and sufficient accuracy for my uses. I used a home made bullet lube which worked very well.