The Rossi Model R92, a lightweight carbine for Cowboy Action, hunting, or plinking! Includes Rossi manufactured Interarms, Navy Arms, and Puma trade names.
The cartridge stop problem, even with .357's, is why I joined the forum after seeing mention of it on CB. I bought my 92 knowing it was an older model and was disappointed to find that I could not use one of RanchDogs rear sight conversions. It ended up in the closet put aside for letting the kids shoot as a single shot when the feeding problem was discovered. Took it back and allegedly it was looked at by the
"Smith". No help.
Something to consider, especially if you handload. The SAAMI spec for the .357Mag of 1.590" max. Most commercial ammo producers make their .357Mag ammo with an OAL of 1.580"-1.590". And most reloading guides, again like Hodgdon's, recommend a max OAL of 1.590". This means that the .357Mag ammo typically produced or handloaded is very close to SAAMI spec OAL for the cartridge.
Compare that to the SAAMI spec OAL for the .38Spl of 1.550" max. Most commercial ammo manufacturers, e.g. Winchester and Remington, produce their 38Spl ammo with an OAL closer to 1.460". Further, most reloading guides, e.g. Hodgdon's, recommend a max OAL of around 1.455"-1.460" as well. However, this means that the 38Spl ammo typically produced or handloaded is almost 1/10" shorter than the SAAMI spec for the cartridge. (My understanding is that they recommend this so that the ammo will fit comfortably into the cylinders of all SA pistols.)
As levergun manufacturers must design and build their rifles to meet the SAAMI specs and leverguns are by their design OAL sensitive due to their feed mechanism, the nearly 1/10" shorter OAL of most 38Spl could be an issue as it's too short for the action. As most 38Spl is produced for pistols, the short OAL is not a problem. In fact, Hodgdon's reloading manual doesn't even list 38Spl load data for rifles and most of us just use the pistol data.
Varying the OAL of pistol ammo affects the peak pressure in that if one were to shorten the OAL of 38Spl ammo by 0.040", that would cause excessive peak pressure and is not safe, however, increasing the OAL of 38Spl ammo by 0.040" reduces peak pressure slightly which is perfectly safe.
Because of the OAL sensitivity leverguns have by their design, I decided to load all my 38Spl ammo longer than that recommended in the reloading manuals. I figured that if I split the difference and loaded them at 1.500" OAL I'd improve feeding in my leverguns but still have a short enough cartridge OAL for them to work in my Uberti Cattleman SA pistol. After testing them, I've found that at an OAL of 1.500", still shorter than the SAAMI spec for the .38Spl, they fed just fine in every .357Mag levergun I've tried them in and work just fine in my SA pistol as well.
I don't have a lot of use for .38 SP in most of my .357 guns.
The exception is for introducing new shooters to the sport and to contrast the power of .38 SP with .357.
It can also be useful much like snap caps for revealing poor technique during firing.
(Likewise I find it useful to have a box or two of low recoil .44 Mag on hand for introduction of new shooters and training.)
My Rossi has so far fed .38 SP without problems but I haven't shot much of it other than basic bulk practice ammo and for the reasons mentioned above.
I don't really like firing a lot of .38 in .357s because it can lead to a build up of residue that can make chambering .357 problematic. Loading .357 brass light is usually a better solution if you reload and don't mind having the lighter loads around. I know at least one guy who used a 686 in .357 as a bullseye competition gun and shot .38SP wadcutters almost exclusively from it.
I do however own 3 .38 SP only firearms a S&W 36, S&W 49 and Rock Island none of which will chamber or fire .357.
So I have a couple five or six reasons to maintain a stock of .38 SP and at least one reason why feeding it through the 92 makes sense.
