Feeding the 92...

[mikld]

I have a Rossi Puma .44 Magnum. I did a bit of reloading for it 4 years ago, but since retiring, moving, cancer treatments, I've not shot/reloaded for it. Yesterday I decided to load some Ranch Dog .44 265 RNFP and made up a couple dummies. The full length .44 Magnums won't feed, seems the lifter don't quite get the rear of the cartridge high enough, but .44 Special brass w/RDs feed fine. I have shot Beartooth Bullets 250 gr. WFNPB in Magnum brass in my Puma w/o problems, but my intended load with RD 265 won't feed. OAL is running about 1.560"-.1.568" with the RDs. So, 2 questions; how to get better feeding with the RD 265s, and any load data for a RD 265 in Special brass? thanks...

P.S.; really great to find a forum devoted to Rossi '92s, thanks Ranch Dog!

[Barry in IN]

I don't have a Rossi 92 .44, but have a 92-based Ranch Hand .44 Magnum. Same difference. The RD 265 works fine in mine with Magnum cases. I will check the OAL when I get home.

[Jeff H]

..........and any load data for a RD 265 in Special brass?.........

All standard disclaimers apply - use this information at your own risk. It worked in a couple of my 'Specials - may not in yours.

All Starline brass, all CCI Large Pistol Primers, seated/roll-crimped into the forward-most groove, air cooled WW....

5.5 grains W231 or 6 grains of Unique. I hav shot these from a 3" Charter Bulldog and Lipsey's/Ruger 5.5" Blackhawk. Accurate in both.

I have some loaded stiffer with 2400 somewhere but don't know what I did with them and the load data is with them.

I have been thinking about opening the slots in the cartridge guides by elongating them toward the rear by several thousandths and then expoxying or soldering a shim the same thickness of the extra length of the slots onto the "ramp" which is cut into the left side carrier. I have several .357 loads that do the same thing. The rim has to come up sooner to get the wider-nosed bullets at a shallower angle before they start into the chamber. May have to fill in the slots at the front as well. Sounding complicated so I have just been seating deeper on such loads and reducing the charge. All of the bullets I use have a portion of the bullet sized ahead of the crimo grooves and I iron the case mouth into that with a LEE factory crimp die.

[Barry in IN]

I just checke my .44 Mag/RD 265s and got 1.565-1.570 for OAL. Just to make sure, I ran a few through the Ranch Hand and they worked.

I also checked my records and found I tried the RD 265 in my .44 Spl Blackhawk only once. I usually stay with 200-250 grain bullets. With the limited data, I was careful and that load turned out to be really mild: 7.8 grains of Accurate Arms #7, an it made a devilish 666 fps. Very low recoil and made a 1-7/8" group.

[twobitokie]

I also have a 44 mag. Mine feeds, out of rem, speer, superx, norma, and starline cases, 200 gr, 240 gr. and 310 gr cast with no problems.

the only thing I have done is take the gun apart and smooth everything that comes out, or moves against another, or that I can feel burrs on.

[Barry in IN]

Oh yeah, magnum cases with the Lyman 429421 (245 SWC) make a round that's too long for mine. So it's limit lies somewhere between the OAL with that bullet and with the RD 265.