Rossi 92, 44 mag. 240 gr. GP lead load

[Lefty Dude]

Several months ago I purchased new to me a very nice 92 Rossi Puma in 44 Mag.. I bought this piece for a Truck gun, and for CAS long range pistol caliber side match use. The clubs I shoot with, the pistol caliber targets are usually steel plates 12"-14" square and placed 75yds-85yds from the firing. The course of fire is 10 rounds alternating on two targets and is a timed speed event. this is shot off hand, standing. It can also be one single dump target. And in some cases 200 yards is shot using X sticks, in the sitting position. I have been using my Rossi 92 in 44-40 with success, and both ranges.
I finally got around tuit and worked up a general purpose lead 240 gr. 44mag case load for the little 92 Carbine. I found the 240 gr. SWC Laser-cast is a very accurate round and out preforms the 200 gr. for distance shooting.
I was at the range today testing and cronographing some 16 ga. brass shotgun loads I am developing for SASS use for my 97 Winchester today and brought the 92 along to shoot across the screens also.

I thought I might share this load with y'all, so here it is;

The load consists of :
44 mag case's
Winchester LP primers
Unique Powder, six grains.
Laser Cast 240 gr. SWC, sized to .431" ( Barrel by the way, slugs across the grooves .431")
Reloaded on RCBS standard dies with a medium to heavy roll crimp. This is a very clean burning and efficient load.

Cronograph results: ( five shots fired )
#1 1001 fps
#2 1010 fps
#3 1001 fps
#4 993 fps
#5 1002 fps

Average velocity, 1001 fps
Extreme spread, 17 fps
Standard diviation 6

This load is in early development and shows great promise. I have a spring kit ordered from Brownells for the 92. Need to get the action lightened & the trigger pull to an acceptable level.
Then its to the Range and see how it groups on paper.

[horsesoldier03]

Sounds like a good load! I am curious, I have a Marlin 1894 .44 mag that I am debating trying to reload for. Ammo just cost to much for it to keep buying it off the shelf. My question is, how well do the lead bullets work with the micro groove barrel? I keep hearing that they lead up but would love to get 1st hand info from anyone that can provide it.

[JDL]

Sounds like a good load! I am curious, I have a Marlin 1894 .44 mag that I am debating trying to reload for. Ammo just cost to much for it to keep buying it off the shelf. My question is, how well do the lead bullets work with the micro groove barrel? I keep hearing that they lead up but would love to get 1st hand info from anyone that can provide it.

Don't believe all the propaganda concerning Micro-groove barrels. I have 2 .30-30 336s and a .44 Mag. 1894 which have Micro-groove barrels and shoot cast in all. The .44 shoots my cast loads much better than jacketed averaging 2 1/2" @ 100 yards with the Lee 430-310 and Lyman 432244, both gas check designs. The best I could get with jacketed was a little over 4".
Micro-groove barrels will handle cast as well as any....if you fit them to the barrel. The groove diameter of my rifle is .430" and I size my bullets no less than .430", for the Lee because that is what it drops, and .433" for the Lyman that drops at .434". Cast of wheelweights and lubed with a quality lube, I can shoot all afternoon without any leading, which is just what I did last Sunday afternoon.
JDL

[Curiousgb]

Sounds like you have a good Puma. I am waiting on a replacement for my Puma. After seven months LSI finally has admitted they can't get parts, so they are going to replace it. I have a box of the laser cast bullets, but they would go through the target sideways. Are you getting any leading with the slower velocities? I have heard that the laser caste don't like slower velocities. Hopefully I will get to start loading them again soon.

[Lefty Dude]

No leading at all if you keep the velocity below 1200 fps, also make sure they are sized for the bore groove diameter or .001" larger. I will not shoot bevel based bullets in my hand guns, only flat based because of the leading issues. The bevel base allows gas cutting to the base edges of the bullet and deposits lead in the forcing cone and rifling leade. This happens very quickly, by the way. Rifles have a closed breach and as such do not have the cylinder gap jump to the barrel. All of the energy is at the base of the bullet, you get a cleaner burn of the powder, which burns off the lead that would be deposited in the rifle leade. Rifles will lead if the bullet fit is not proper or pushed to hard.
For my revolvers I like a soft cast bullet and a flat base.

Also remember a rifle lead load will go faster than a pistol round by usually 250-300 fps.

The basic load I am using is in the Cowboy Action section of the Alliant loading manual, and is for revolvers as a starting load and a stated velocity of 750 fps from a 5 1/2" barrel six shooter.

[horsesoldier03]

Not trying to hijack the thread here, but appreciate the input. I currently plan to have my daughter use the rifle to get her first deer this year. I plan to load it at .44 SPC velocity to reduce recoil for her. I plan to use about 7 grn of W231 with a 200 or 240 grn bullet.