38/44 loads

[Johnnyjr]

Rossi 92 ?
Is it safe to shoot 38/44 loads in the rossi 92.
Thinking of using them for deer hunting. Thanks,johnny

[runfiverun]

it come in 357 didn't it.
that's your pressure max.

[Johnnyjr]

Yes it comes in 357. Just wondering if I can shoot them 38 44 in this rifle. The pressure is a little lower than 357 mag..

[cavelamb]

Good discussion of it.

https://singleactions.proboards.com/thread/33379/38-44-hd-non-magnum

[Gunny268]

When Taffin wrote about this load years ago, I played around with it for a while because I have way more 38 Spl brass than 357. I was able to get good accuracy in both my 357 Ruger Blackhawks and my Rossi M92 in 357. But I had to buy a 357-chamber carbon scrapper in order to load any 357 cartridges after shooting a number of the 38-44 loads. Maybe I'm just lazy, but it became too complicated keeping the ammo segregated. 38-44 ammo out and away from 38 Spl only revolvers on range days. And always having to clean carbon from the chambers to load up and shoot 357 (sometimes on the shooting bench). So, I went back to loading only 357 brass for 357 revolvers and rifles. YMMV

[Johnnyjr]

I have never had that happen in my revolver of the rifle

[Gunny268]

Yea, I think my powders were too slow. Probably should have used SP Magnum primers but didn't (yea, I'm cheap). Anyway, I'm very happy with the .357 loads I've developed. Run a bore snake after the range and I'm good to go till the next shoot.

[Kosh75287]

I'VE loaded and shot a #2 washtub (or two) full of hot .38 Specials through my .357 revolvers, and never had the carbon ring build-up that people decry. I used an "emphatic" load in .38 Spl. cases to push 158 gr. RNFPs at comfortably over 1050 f/s from my 4" Ruger Police Service Six revolver, to make "Major" in the various competition realms. I practiced and competed with the same loads, and I practiced and competed a great deal, back in the day.
I used 158gr. RNFPs, Unique, Herco, or AA#5 propellants, a wide variety of .38 Special brass, small pistol primers and a chronograph to develop these loads. A far more experienced competitor suggested that I use a load with an average velocity that is at least 2 standard deviations higher than the minimum velocity necessary, and that three s.d.s would be better. Well, I didn't make it to three standard deviations, but I DID make it to 2.5, and stumbled on a load that was surprisingly accurate in the process, launching the 158s at 1120 + 28 f/s.
I must have shot 2500 rounds of that load through my revolver without firing jacketed loads of either caliber through it. While I was conscientious about cleaning my revolver, I was far from religious. Fellow competitors were good to pass along tips, and the one I heard the most was to pay attention to the "carbon build-up" that would inevitably result if I ran a lot of short & hot .38 Spl. loads through my revolver. Initially this worried me, so after shooting and before cleaning, I would try inserting a factory .357 magnum round in each cylinder. I never had a time that the loaded round didn't drop fully into the cylinder with only the force of gravity.
I have been told that chamber dimensions on that vintage of Ruger DA's were on the generous side, but I would expect this to make things worse, not better. My amazingly accurate and always pleasant to shoot S&W M28 acts just like my Ruger, given the same treatment. I guess I must be doing something wrong (or right?).
I am inclined to wonder if this "problem" was something that arose from PPC shooters running countless rounds of flush-seated .38 Spl.148 gr. HBWCs through highly accurized PPC-competitive revolvers that were built on .357 caliber "starting material", and became generalized to all .38s fired in all .357 Magnum cylinders. A priori, I could see the shorter rounds depositing "build-up" at a spot more distant from the cylinder face, in effect "shortening" the chamber. On the other hand, the HBWCs tendency to "flare" and "seal the bore" as it travels to the muzzle makes me think that the build-up would be removed with the bullet. <scratching head>

[Deleted User 5571]

I spent half a day cleaning a crud ring from the chambers of a used Ruger GP100, it would not accept a 357 in any chamber until I got the carbon out. I have no idea what the previous owner shot in it. The worst carbon ring I ever had to clean was in a Rossi 92. The crud ring is real, I've seen it with my own eyes.

[Johnnyjr]

Appreciate the info. I to have never had the so called crud ring. You might be right about the hollow base wad cutter causing that iss