Rossi 45LC is a real shooter!

[rbertalotto]

I put a tang sight on my Rossi 1892 "Golden Boy". Took it to the range and put a target at 50 yards. Shooting with a sandbag rest, here is the results:

I actually had a bunch of targets that looked like this, but if I posted them all you folks would say I'm bragging!...

This rifle is fast becoming my favorite lever gun!




Image taken before addition of Lyman tang sight.

More pictures here:
http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/thi ... -brasssta/

[AJMD429]

Hmmm.... Can't understand why you'd like that gun. . .

[Dave]

That gun is on! Nice shooting

[olyinaz]

Niiiice.

[Shasta]

That is a good looking shooter. It's great to see that it does a whole lot more than just look good!

SHASTA

[1894c]

That gun is on! Nice shooting

i was thinking the same thing...nice levergun...great cartridge... :)

[pwl44m]

RB would You send Me that target. I caint seem to find any like it here. LOL My Win Trapper in 45lc might do that if I would give it a chance but all I seem to have time for is shooting 55 gallon drums, hard to miss those.
Perry

[Griff]

I gotta admit... I'm not much on "bling"... but, hey! If it shoots well, that's what matters. When I got my .45Colt Rossi, I just loaded up a magazine, shot out back behind the barn into a tree stump about 50 yards out! Minute of stump! Good enough for CAS!

[RIHMFIRE]

you can brag all you want, if your shooting like that! ....dont mind a bit!
Congrats!

[JohndeFresno]

Great shooting! Nice looking piece. I am warming up to a .45 LC levergun. What are your loads?

[rbertalotto]

6.2g Green Dot under a 255 Lee tumble lube bullet cast from Lyam #2 lead. Tumble lubed with Rooster Red lube.

[JohndeFresno]

6.2g Green Dot under a 255 Lee tumble lube bullet cast from Lyam #2 lead. Tumble lubed with Rooster Red lube.

...so, that pushes it at about 1044 fps out of a 20 inch tube. That sounds like a nice load!

[rbertalotto]

Yup, its a "multi Gun" load also. Shoots great out of every gun I have in 45LC. From my 454 Casull Freedom Arms to all the rifles and a 625 S&W. Clean, mild recoil, and accurate....what more do you want!

[JohndeFresno]

Yup, its a "multi Gun" load also. Shoots great out of every gun I have in 45LC. From my 454 Casull Freedom Arms to all the rifles and a 625 S&W. Clean, mild recoil, and accurate....what more do you want!

I have been looking very hard at the .45 levergun as perhaps my last firearm purchase to round out what I believe is a good collection of guns. I was considering a .44 Magnum shoulder arm as a companion to my .44 Mag handguns - until I ran some load comparisons.

I discovered, for instance, that the .44 caliber limits your choice of loads in a heavy bullet, but the .45 is a lot more forgiving.

You will see that the charts below show data from the Hornady (Sixth Ed.) and Speer (#13) manuals for a 300 gr 44 Magnum load for handgun and rifle. I very quickly checked the Hornady 8th Edition, purchased after I did these comparisons, and I don’t think any of the data has been changed, but there may or may not have been a new powder or two in the current Hornady book.

You can see by the spreadsheet that there is only an overall average of .9 grain (9 tenths of a grain!) leeway allowed in each load.

You have to look at the attached spreadsheets carefully; but the significant column, “Min/Max Pistol/Rifle,” shows the narrow range (how many grains of a powder) that will work safely in BOTH the .44 Magnum handgun and a modern levergun or the same caliber.

That is: There are MINIMUM and MAXIMUM suggested limits of a pistol, and the same goes with a rifle, to avoid the bullet getting stuck in the barrel and to avoid excessive pressure.

I realize that many believe that the manuals are written conservatively; but then again I am not one to hot dog the loads and then cross my fingers. Especially since my loads are intended to be shared among other firearms, in a pinch, for various reasons.

You will see the paired firearms – pistol and rifle – are shown together. The loads start with a handgun load, followed immediately by a rifle load that is highlighted in yellow.



I have not worked up .45 handgun / rifle loads because:
1) There are not yet as many sources that show .45 rifle loads; and
2) I do not YET own a .45 levergun. But I have been seriously considering it. I usually ponder a year or two before I purchase a firearm.

However, from some loads that I have seen, it seems pretty clear to me that the .44 Magnum is not as versatile in providing safe handgun/rifle combinations as the .45 Colt (with the .45's much lower pressures); especially with the heavier bullets intended for hunting larger game.

It is good to see that you can enjoy quite acceptable accuracy - and with quite a punch - with this large caliber for both handgun and levergun.

[harry]

JohndeFresno those minimum loads are for preventing hang fires not preventing stuck bullets, and a 240-265gr bullet at 1000 to 1200fps is all you need in a 44 for deer to elk, which I have taken with clean one shot kills.
But with the right powder you can slow down to 800fps with your 300gr bullets just wait and some one that shoots at the lower speed will chime in.

[JohndeFresno]

JohndeFresno those minimum loads are for preventing hang fires not preventing stuck bullets, and a 240-265gr bullet at 1000 to 1200fps is all you need in a 44 for deer to elk, which I have taken with clean one shot kills.
But with the right powder you can slow down to 800fps with your 300gr bullets just wait and some one that shoots at the lower speed will chime in.

Harry,

I have never (yet) hunted elk or game that big, so I only look at the stats and make my observations. I appreciate your input, and bow to your experience.

As for anecdotal information that somebody has perhaps slowed down a load from "minimums" that are listed above, I think I'll stick with the guidelines set down by the bullet manufacturers and powder companies. But if a 300 grainer is not really needed, that changes the equations quite a bit. Of course, I then question why that size bullet is sold at all... what am I mssing here?

The hangfire things sure makes sense. That is all good info. Thank you.

[harry]

This is from Hodgden web site:
300 GR. HDY XTP Winchester AutoComp .430" 1.600" 8.0 866 26,300 PSI 9.0 927 33,500 PSI
But on the heavy bullets, some guys just want a bigger bullet , and remember the 44 special its killed alot of game that now take a 460 S&W or bigger. My first deer was shot and killed with one 22 long at about 10 yards, they are not bullet proof.

[JohndeFresno]

Good info. Thank you again.

[stew71]

Ho. Ly. Cow. That is one fine looking deer rifle.

Oh yeah. Nice shootin' too.

[rbertalotto]

The 45LC is an amazingly versatile cartridge. In a modern, strong, rifle, it can be loaded to best the 44 magnum and nearly match the performance of a 454 Casull. Lots of articles on the internet written by folks that use lots of math to validate these points.

I use 454 brass cut down to 45LC lenght and have fired some real "interesting" loads in my Marlin CB 1894 (This was before I bought a Rossi 1892 in 454 Casull)

Downloaded, there simply isn't a cartridge easier to load for, more accurate or more fun to shoot!

[hightime]

We'll think your bragging? You are and we would be too. When I can, I'll be right there with you.
Nice gun and good shooting. I've thought about that gun and , yes it has a different , but kinda' special look. If I ever get a chance, I'd like to pick one up.

Owen

[w30wcf]

The 45LC is an amazingly versatile cartridge. In a modern, strong, rifle, it can be loaded to best the 44 magnum and nearly match the performance of a 454 Casull. Lots of articles on the internet written by folks that use lots of math to validate these points.

I use 454 brass cut down to 45LC lenght and have fired some real "interesting" loads in my Marlin CB 1894 (This was before I bought a Rossi 1892 in 454 Casull)

Downloaded, there simply isn't a cartridge easier to load for, more accurate or more fun to shoot!

+1
I've owned a Marlin Cowboy Ltd. since 1997 and have run a number of recipes in it from standard 45 Colt loads to 350 gr at close to 1800 f.p.s. One of my favorites is the circa 1890's Gould 330 gr hollow point over 20/296 for 1,380 f.p.s which replicates the old 45-70-330 cartridge.

In addition, it shoots b.p. really well! Shot from a benchrest at 300 meters (327 yards).....



Then again, I do love my 44-40 leverguns for their history.
They shoot black powder really well too!

left 44-40 right 45 Colt


w30wcf

[rbertalotto]

Nice Marlins!