Rossi 92 44 Magnum Bore

[southfork]

At a LGS, I'm looking at a new stainless steel Model 92 clone made by Taurus in Brazil and imported by Braztech out of Miami Fl. The 24 inch octagonal stainless barrel is marked "Rossi 44 mag" on top near the receiver. I'm really tempted to buy this one, as the lever and action cycle really smoothly with no hiccups. Since I have maybe 1500 commercially cast and/or plated cast bullets already that mic out at .430, I am wondering if this Taurus Model 92 has a bore diameter compatible with the .430 bullets I already have. I can't slug the barrel of the lever action because i haven't yet bought it. Does anyone have a Rossi/Taurus M 92 in "Rossi 44 Mag?" Do you know what the bore slugs out at? Anyone?

[M. M. Wright]

Pretty sure it will be dia. .429 which will be just perfect for your bullets.

[Malamute]

Is the guess of the groove diameter based on what other Rossis have slugged at?

I ask, as rifles can tend towards the large side of specs, and rifles actually have larger allowed spec than handguns. I believe either .431" or .432" are not unheard of, and considered in spec for rifles.

[southfork]

If it is indeed .429, that would be perfect. Anybody got a Rossi already slugged out?

[earlmck]

My Rossis 44mag and 44/40 both slug out .429

[Lefty Dude]

Mine, .429" also.

[wolfdog]

Never have slugged mine but it shoots .430 cast bullets very well.

[southfork]

That's what I needed to hear. Thanks! I'm going to get the rifle.

Years ago I loaded a 44 magnum (1894 Marlin lever) using 2400 powder. I still have some of that left, but finding it today might be more difficult.

For those of you who load you lever actions in 44 magnum today, which powders do you have good luck with when using cast bullets?

[samsi]

It's been years since I slugged mine but I recall it was around .430-.431" - older production though, think they tightened them up sometime after mine was made.

Even with the big bore mine will shoot commercial 240gr. hardcast SWC's (most are .429") well if you hit 'em in the rear with H110.

[mikld]

SAAMI specs for .44 Magnum rifle is .431" groove diameter. My Rossi Puma in .44 Magnum slugs out to .432" (plus mebbe .0005"). A couple other Rossi owners I have talked to (on forums) have very similar groove diameter measurements; .432"-.433". I have not seen nor heard of a .44 Magnum Puma with a .429" groove diameter barrel...

For shooting cast bullets I went with a Ranch Dog RNFP. 240 gr. and a 265 gr. mold. Both drop bullets at .433". My Lyman 429421 was difficult to get to feed reliably, either using Special brass or seating really deep, and /or shortening Magnum brass. Plus It wouldn't drop bullets any larger than .431". Never got a commercial cast bullet to shoot worth a dang...

My go-to powers for my Puma are 2400, WC820, Unique, and I have a good load of Blue Dot under a 240 gr. LRNFP.

[Lefty Dude]

Unique for the lead, and 296/H110 for the jacketed. And it launches the heavier bullets with great accuracy.

[Malamute]

If it is indeed .429, that would be perfect. Anybody got a Rossi already slugged out?

What anyone elses Rossi slugged doesnt mean any other Rossi will slug the same. Guns off the same production line can vary. I asked because there may be a trend, but the answers were about what I guessed. A variation. The only way to know for sure what any individual guns groove diameter will be is to slug it. If nobody ever saw one over .429 it may be a safe assumption, but that doesnt seem to be the case with 44 cal lever actions, even Brownings. The gun youre interested in may be skinny, it may not be.

SAAMI specs for .44 Magnum rifle is .431" groove diameter. My Rossi Puma in .44 Magnum slugs out to .432" (plus mebbe .0005"). A couple other Rossi owners I have talked to (on forums) have very similar groove diameter measurements; .432"-.433". I have not seen nor heard of a .44 Magnum Puma with a .429" groove diameter barrel...

^ ^ Case in point.

I think rifling twist gets way more blame for less than stellar shooting guns than is true. When looking deeper, it seems many never slugged the bore to match the bullets to it, they just assumed the groove diameter was whatever some other example was, or what they though it should be, which is not a safe assumption.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

There was a period of time in the early to mid 2000's when Rossi was making 44mag rifles with bores as large as .434-5. Their argument was it was acceptable because SAAMI for rifles can be as much as .434. (maybe even larger, I don't remember for sure). At that time I was a warranty station for EMF's Hartford 92's made for them by Rossi. It took about 2 years to convince them to change to .429-30. Our argument was even if they were within spec no one offered bullets that large. So, by the late 2000's they changed back.

So, that gun you found should be around .429-30 and those bullets should be fine.

[66GTO]

There was a period of time in the early to mid 2000's when Rossi was making 44mag rifles with bores as large as .434-5. Their argument was it was acceptable because SAAMI for rifles can be as much as .434. (maybe even larger, I don't remember for sure). At that time I was a warranty station for EMF's Hartford 92's made for them by Rossi. It took about 2 years to convince them to change to .429-30. Our argument was even if they were within spec no one offered bullets that large. So, by the late 2000's they changed back.

So, that gun you found should be around .429-30 and those bullets should be fine.

Yep, I had one of those .434" bores and sold it for that reason.

[Malamute]

There was a period of time in the early to mid 2000's when Rossi was making 44mag rifles with bores as large as .434-5. Their argument was it was acceptable because SAAMI for rifles can be as much as .434. (maybe even larger, I don't remember for sure). At that time I was a warranty station for EMF's Hartford 92's made for them by Rossi. It took about 2 years to convince them to change to .429-30. Our argument was even if they were within spec no one offered bullets that large. So, by the late 2000's they changed back.

So, that gun you found should be around .429-30 and those bullets should be fine.

Sounds like less of a gamble then. Thanks for the informed post Steve.

[Lefty Dude]

I always slug all my Firearm bores, including the short arms also. I know for a fact my Rossi 92/44 is .429".

Had a Marlin 94 in 44 mag with a .432" bore, it no longer resides in the stable with the others. I sold it because of the large bore/groove.
Same thing with the browning 92/44, with it's .433" groove. Gone !

[2X22]

Unique for medium loads and 296 for heavy loads with either jacketed or cast.

[southfork]

I just found a couple of pounds of Unique, so I'm now going to try that in addition to the 2400 powder that I have left from the 1970's.

Anybody care to suggest an accurate "Unique" powder recipe for both 200 gr. and 240 gr. lead bullets IN MY NEW Rossi 44 magnum? Yes, I now own it! Thanks for all the input on the probably bore size!!!