357 Cast Loads for PC

[jbolt]

I just picked up a .357 Rossi 92 24' occt barrel for PC. I prefer to shoot cast bullets. For those of you shooting a 357 with cast bullets what would be a minimum load for PC? Anyone shooting the Lee 125gr?

J~

[piguy]

My back-up rifle is a .357 Rossi. I use a cast 158 Lyman FN in front of 3.1 grains of Clays in .38 spc. cases. Cheap, accurate and knocks the rams right over.

[the ex pom]

I use 10g 4227 in my 357 pushing a 158g round nose. Works exceptionly well for PC

[TheBugFather]

Hi Jbolt, I also just bought the same rifle.
Last month I tried at the local state match some sub-sonic loads in PC.
For that match, I was using my older Win 94 AE, 24 inch 357mag.
I bought a new rifle, because my brother in law just loves this rifle,
So I plan using the Rossi as a dedicated PC rifle.
The load I came up with is 4.0 grains of Trail Boss, behind a 125 gr copper plated
X-treme FP bullet. Got a 20 first shoot in the AM, no real sight setting.
Got a 30 in the afternoon after fine tuning the setting from the AM.
My Redding Br-30 throws this small charge very poorly, between 3.9 to 4.3 grans of the few I checked.
I have a new 10-X on the way. I checked about 4 rounds over a crony, that I had leftover.
Velocity an average of 850 fps. I plan on upping the charge to 4.5 to 5.0 grains for the Nationals.
I think about 5.5 grains fills the little case.
I'll check them to make sure I don't go over 1080fps (1124fps is the sound barrier).
I looked like it worked well at the match and the four I shot at the paper was only at 50 meters.
The 4 shot group with open sight was about 1.5 inches
I also got that new Tin Star powder and plan on trying a few loads with it.
It is bulky but a little slower than the Trail Boss, so going over 1080fps might be a problem.
Anyway, good luck. --Dennis

[TheBugFather]

Well, just got back from the range and testing. Found that my new 357 Mag Rossi, does not like 357 Mag rounds--go figure . I can single load, but not from the magazine. I looks like it likes 38 special rounds, I bought a box at the range office just to check what was causing the feeding problem. Jbolt, you should check yours out too, before a big match. I'll go back tomorrow and test new 38 special loads. I don't like using it that way as I feel the "jump" the bullet has to take can be a problem. Also, if I ever want to use it as a 357 mag, I think a ring will build up that I might not be able to remove in the future. I got my Br-10X but it also does not throw the Trail Boss well. I was shooting for about 5.2 grains. From a cold barrel it starts out low at 955fps, then it jumps to 1030fps,1059fps,1087fps,1093fps. I did not get a chance to check how accurate it is, with the feeding problems. I'll go back tomorrow and give it another try and maybe get some accuracy readings too. I think I'll try some of the Tin Star powder also. I'll these, because I never want to experience a double charge, I told myself a long time back, that if it only fills less than half of the case, then it is not for me. After the Nationals, I plan on sending the rifle back to Rossi/Taurus to fix.
Thanks, Dennis

[Tlee]

For me, 5.4gr of TrailBoss behind a 125gr jacketed bullet shoots really well into a 1-1/2" group at 100m at just a hair over 1000FPS (avg) out of a 24" Marlin with zero recoil.

My .02,

- Tim

[TheBugFather]

Thanks Tim, what do you use for a powder measure?
Does it seem tolerant to powder charge fluctuations?
Thanks, Dennis

[Jason]

Dennis,

A fair number of feeding problems just like you're having talked me out of buying that same rifle. Wish what 22mag ammo was costing, I decided that it would at least as cheap to just load my own 357 ammo and I'd have more control over it. I really liked the looks/price of the Rossi, but it seemed to be hit-or-miss on feeding correctly. Please post how well it gets handled by the company. I'm still considering it.

[jbolt]

Dennis,

The Rossi's can be hit and miss from the factory, sorry to hear yours is having trouble. I won't have mine for a couple of weeks. I plan on doing a trigger job and spring kit so if it needs a little additional tuning I can do that at the same time.

You're right about the need to be careful with light charges and double loading. I did that years ago with a 25-06 and got lucky with only a cracked bolt face. In CLA for C,P,T I shoot 14gr of 4227 behind a 180gr cast bullet in my Win94 30-30 which is less than 1/2 case full and I'm very careful about not double charging. Good lock at the Nat's.

J~

[Tlee]

Thanks Tim, what do you use for a powder measure?
Does it seem tolerant to powder charge fluctuations?
Thanks, Dennis

Dennis -

I use an RCBS Uniflow with an internal baffle and have little fluctuation. It helps to wipe down the inside of it with a used dryer softener sheet before i fill it. Less static to cause the powder to cling to the plastic hopper.

- Tim

[Tlee]

...(snip) After the Nationals, I plan on sending the rifle back to Rossi/Taurus to fix.
Thanks, Dennis

You might call Fred... http://www.goatneckclemgunsmithing.com/
He's been known to work on Rossi rifles and MAY be at Raton for the Nationals. I know he was there last year.

- Tim

[TheBugFather]

Thanks all for the advice.
I do a fair amount of gun engineering myself,
But time is in a bit of short supply.
I still also have a spring kit to put in and work on the trigger creep.
It is not bad at under 4 lbs, but I should be able to get it under 2 lbs, hope with no creep.
Maybe when I have the gun broken down, I figure out the problem.
Maybe I can look up that guy at the nationals too, thanks for the info.
I know the the cowboy action shooter use the short version of this gun a bunch.
They even have a guy named Steve, called the "Rossi Specalist" I chatted with him and got a few upgrade parts from him. He is so busy getting these things Race Ready, that he is backed up 6+ months.
After dusting off my chrony and using it, maybe I'm looking at this all too hard.
Maybe I should just load some nice marshmallow loads and go have some fun.
I like the 25-20 and 32-20, but the cases are a pain to work with, thin and bottlenecked.
I would love a 32 H&R or a 327 Mag with a heavy Oct. bbl, but no such animal or in the case of the 32 H&R, Marlin made one for a brief time in only 20 inch. Other problem is if you look at the PC rules, I don't think they are allowed.
Thanks again for the advice, Dennis.

[TheBugFather]

JBolt, I plan on bringing to the Nationals a second load for my 30-30.
My normal is 130gr Speer with Varget, Benchmark or H-322 behind it.
The second load will also be a marshmallow load for all 4 animals.
170gr Bear Creek moly coated cast with about 7.6 gr of trailboss behind it.
Also checked it yesterday and it is going 1070fps avg, my br-30 still throws a poor 7.4 to 7.8grs,
But the Std Dev is still an acceptable 20fps. It fills 3/4ths+ of the case and might work with you 180's.
I went with coated, because of the exposed lead thing, something just in my head and not in the real world.
The Aussies have a cool coated cast bullet place called Hawkburies, pardon the spelling.
I would love a nylon coated or copper plated heavy 30-30 bullet in the 180 to 200grs area, but none that I know of.
You might try the trailboss or tin star, to keep you safe and still shooting with us.
Good luck, Dennis

[dgslyr]

After the Nationals, I plan on sending the rifle back to Rossi/Taurus to fix.
Thanks, Dennis

Good luck getting anyone in Florida to fix your rifle.I had a NIB 24 inch barrel 357 mag that I couldn't hit the paper with at 50.Sent it back 3 times.The first ime It came back with a taller front sight hanging out of the dovetail over .125 of an inch.After nine months I got them to give me another rifle which I sold on Gunbroker the next day,unfired with the tie wrap still around the lever.

[TheBugFather]

Thanks for the info. I will see, it might be something that I can fix myself.
I think it is the cartridge guides or more like the feed ramp.
--Dennis