Rossi Rifleman

I have never reloaded any .357mags for revolver or rifle so I have been doing some research which has left me confused as to what grain bullet to use. There is a lot of conflicting ideas out there

My Rossi has a 16" barrel and shoots otc rounds well. Last stuff I bought was 158 gr Magtech. I forget the exact year when mine was produced but it was in the 2000's so I would assume, for lack of measuring, that it is 1:30 twist.

I was thinking of a 180-187 gr cast bullet but I see many commenting that size of bullet would not fly well with that twist and lighter bullets should be used.

On the other hand, I believe I have seen RD and COSteve using heavier bullets with Lil Gun with good success and being that I use it for .458 Socom, I thought I would give it a try.

Most of my shooting is probably more plinking or shooting gongs, but I might want to try it on Axis some day.

Any suggestions based on experience with regard to cast bullets would be appreciated.

You mentioned me so, yeah. I have no issue with heavy, round, flat nosed bullets. My interest with firearms is hunting, so I push bullets hard. That means a tough BHN and gas checked base.

The only cast bullets I've bought have been Beartooth and Hunter Supply (.310"). I would not bother with the latter.

The heaviest thing I cast in 357 is a 158 gas checked from a Lyman mold. I do shoot a 180 grain cast from Penn Bullets. Pushed with a near max charge of H110 it is stable to at least 100 yards (my max available range).

Make smoke,

Are you all using .358" bullets?

I don't have any of the 158s on hand but I did size them 358. At the time I was shooting a ten inch Contender and a convertible Black Hawk. Long before the Rossi came along. I had about 25 of them left and tried them in the Rossi.

I'm pretty sure the Penn 180s are 358. Those were originally purchased to use in the 357 Herret Contender for IHMSA steel. They shot better than I did most days.

Make smoke,

158's work for me, sized .358 H&G #51, but any SWC will do with 14 gr of 2400 no gas check needed. 6 gr of unique for plinking. FWIW.
John

.358"... with 38 Spl brass

My heavy mold is .360" diameter two crimp groove gas check NOE mold that drops at 182 and swells to 185+ once lubed and checked. I size them to .358". It's a bad dude out of the Rossi. Although I have some LilGun HOT loads I haven't tried them. The W296/H110 loads have been fine with this bullet. I don't load lighter than original in most cases and I even loaded up some 180s in 38 brass as above and they actually fit in my snub Rossi 5-shot DA revolver.

BTW my R92 will swallow 1.635" if memory serves.

I shoot a Lee 358-125-RF, a Lee 358-158-SWC,a Lee C358-158-SWC and a NOE 360-180 WFN. They all shoot good out to 100 yrds. in the Rossi and 50 yrds. in the blackhawk.