Rossi Rifleman

I use quite a bit of factory ammo. It is the way I typically get fresh brass for my reloads. I usually find factory loaded ammo cost me about the same amount as me assembling ALL the components from scratch and not counting any labor costs. SO if I buy factory ammo and pick the brass up it is like buying the components and getting to shoot it without having to load it the first time. After that I generally count the brass as about 20 to 25% of the cost of new to account for lost cases that don't get picked up and for wear and tear. Might be too much for most of the handgun stuff but it isn't too far off for the semi-auto rifle stuff. Range pickups in 9mm aren't uncommon as long as they aren't distorted by being fired through a Glock. Range pickups of .308, .30-06,6.5 Grendel or 50 Beowulf aren't at all common where I shoot and with so many new reloaders the past decade or so.

I tend to stick to major brands, Winchester, Federal, PMC, Remington, Fiocchi, Armscor, Hornady, Speer, Brass cased Blazer/CCI, Prvi Partizan, Seller and Bellot. I've also used some surplus stuff mostly NATO member produced stuff but I haven't found a lot of ammo for lever actions that way.

Secondary or Boutique brands I have used and would use again include Black Hills, GA Arms, Alexander Arms, Underwood, LAX Ammo, Ammo Valley, IAI. Several of the manufacturers on this list offer both loads in virgin brass as well as reload ammunition. It is extremely rare for me to purchase ANY reloaded ammo even from these sources which I consider reputable.

As I mentioned I do reload for my own use. I am not a great fan of lead bullets in high pressure rounds. I'd like to have one of the gas check tools to try some of them with checks to see how that changes things. I do use LSWC in .45 ACP and for light loads in .44 Mag that I mostly shoot out of revolvers.
I tend to prefer truncated cone bullet profiles, expanding flat points or hollow points in most of the handgun calibers. Round nosed FMJ or plated for 9mm and .30 Carbine practice/plinking ammo. I have picked up some RNFP specifically to try in the 92s but I expect it won't do any worse or any better than the TC profiles.

I'm amazed that such slight mods/fitting changed this rifle into such a "fun to shoot gun." I'm quoting the wife there.
I took the cartridge guides out after marking the rear ledge of the guide's cutouts where the base of the 357 rim was stopping the forward feed to the chamber. Slight file and stone work to open the cutout rearward and polish them resulted in a loading cycle that is fast and smooth. The rifle will now chamber any length of 38 Spl and 357 that I've loaded up (127 gr RNFP to 158 gr RNFP). Stoning/smoothing of the forward edges of the "wings" of the ejector face was also done.
The resting angle of the cartridge stop was slightly increased and that stopped the double feeds from the magazine tube. Gentle filing and polishing of the mouth of the magazine tube and where it interfaces into the receiver for loading now allows us to load 38 Spl cartridges without any hang ups.
The 1 in 30" twist of the bore of this rifle definitely shoots the 127 gr RNFP better than the 158 gr. at a range distance of about 80 paces. Also had to install a Marbles 1/16th bead (Marbles 53W Gold) front sight for that awful buckhorn rear sight. Also had to use a rolled up towel on a tree stump for a steady rest to shoot this good.

SWEET!,
Glad you got it ironed most of the way out. Doesn't sound like anything was too bad other than the stupidity of crimping the mag tube. I'm bad to use abrasive paper/cloth when I should use a file and to use a stone when I should use the paper so it tends to take me longer than it should but otherwise I'm bad to go a little too far.

Gunny268 wrote:I'm amazed that such slight mods/fitting changed this rifle into such a "fun to shoot gun." I'm quoting the wife there.
I took the cartridge guides out after marking the rear ledge of the guide's cutouts where the base of the 357 rim was stopping the forward feed to the chamber. Slight file and stone work to open the cutout rearward and polish them resulted in a loading cycle that is fast and smooth. The rifle will now chamber any length of 38 Spl and 357 that I've loaded up (127 gr RNFP to 158 gr RNFP). Stoning/smoothing of the forward edges of the "wings" of the ejector face was also done.
The resting angle of the cartridge stop was slightly increased and that stopped the double feeds from the magazine tube. Gentle filing and polishing of the mouth of the magazine tube and where it interfaces into the receiver for loading now allows us to load 38 Spl cartridges without any hang ups.

Great work Gunny!