Rossi R92 .357 Mag. Carbine Ammo

[AJ]

For those that have a Rossi R92 .357 Mag. Carbine. What .357 Mag. ammo does yours prefer? Mine does not seem to like 158 grain JHP with 14.4 of 2400. Granted I am trying to get use to the buckhorn sights as I much prefer true peep sights. But would like to get tighter groups.

 

[Borderboss]

Sorry, this might not help as I don't have a Rossi R92. I have a Marlin Cowboy II in .357 with a 24" barrel. But I really like the Remington 180gr SJHP in that rifle. Groups are good and it's a bullet that will slam hard into whatever it hits, and will reliably expand.

I don't blame you on the buckhorn sights. I really don't like them, especially as I've gotten older. I put a red dot on my Marlin. Not at all traditional, but effective.

Lastly, check the twist rate on that barrel. It may generally not like 158 grain bullets and perhaps 125s are more to its liking.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

My Rossi 92-357 is a pre-lock Stainless Steel model. My second son and wife use the 357/20 gauge set of guns in Cowboy Action Shooting. I tried out the guns myself before I set them up. (My F-I-L has a first year that Rossi used the lock- also in Stainless Steel.)

My ammo for SASS matches was 158 grain 38 Special lead RNFP at about 750fps. (My F-I-L used Bullseye, I used WW231)

I had loaded 180gr Hornady JHP over H 4227 in the early 80's for a Marlin 357 and It shot fantastic in every revolver and lever action I owned. When my eyes were younger, this load shot in the 1 to 1 1/2 inch with the buckhorn sights at 100 yards. Factory Ammo; I really liked Winchester Silver Tip Hollow Points. But the carbines didn't like the 110 grain, but 125 and heavier were fine. (110 grain were in the 6-8" area and heavier were in the 2-3" area at 100)

I hope this helps,

Ivan

 

[BB57]

I don’t have a Rossi 92 carbine, but I do have a Rossi 92 20” short rifle and Rossi 92 24” rifle, both with tang sights.

Both are solid 2 MOA 5 shot group at 100 yard rifles with both Federal 158 gr JSP factory loads and hand loads using Hornady 125 gr XTP bullets on top of 20 grains of 296.

In my experience the rifle and short rifle pattern Model 92s are more accurate than the 16” or 20” carbine pattern.

 

[max503]

Mine is picky. I've found two loads it likes. A 148 grain LUBED wadcutter, seated long, and a 124 grain Lee TLTC, powder coated. Both loaded with Unique in 38 cases. The 148 is a 38 bullet. The 124 is a 9mm bullet.
I'm presently experimenting with the 124 grain bullet and Blue Dot in a 357 mag case.

I love that gun but hate the sights. Try fixing a de-primed 380 case on the rear sight with a tiny zip tie to covert the buckhorn into a peep. (The sight pic I posted is just for reference.)

 

[squidsix]

I shoot 180 grain freight trains out of my 16” Rossi .357.
It will shoot 158 grain pretty well, but I put peep sights on mine and it likes the 180s

 

[Farmer17]

Mine does fine with 158 grain SP Magnum ammo but with those semi buckhorn sights it's hard to shoot tiny groups. When Walmart sold handgun ammo a year ago I loved to buy the Remington .38 Special Plus P jacket hollow point ammo in 100 round value packs for $32.95. I still have some boxes left but I'm running low.

 

[BB57]

…/

/… I love that gun but hate the sights…./
/…

I put a Marbles tang sight on my Rossi 92 Carbine in .45 Colt and on my Armi Sport 1892 take down rifle, also in .45 Colt.

I did the same thing with my Rossi 92 Rifle and Short Rifle but went a step farther and added Lyman 17AHB globe front sights as they had more accuracy potential that wasn’t being tapped with the stock front sight.

 

[Erich]

Mine seems to shoot all 158- and 180-grain .357 Magnum loadings I've fed it (these are all on the max load side - 2k+ fps from the 158s out of my Rossi/Navy Arms 20" short rifle) into 1.5" at 50 yards/3-4" at 100 off the bags. (I've never really used lighter bullets from the thing.) I've used a lot of Tennessee Valley Bullets hardcasts in both 158- and 180-grain weights and I've used some of the Hornady FP/XTPs and gotten similar accuracy results (although much greater spreads and deviations with the jacketed bullets). I also use a tang sight . . .

 

[AJ]

I guess I should have stated my carbine has a 16" barrel

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I have one that loves my 168 gr cast swc pushed by #2400.

 

[AJ]

I have one that loves my 168 gr cast swc pushed by #2400.

I like 2400, been using it for years. How many grains are you using?

 

[AJ]

I put a Marbles tang sight on my Rossi 92 Carbine in .45 Colt and on my Armi Sport 1892 take down rifle, also in .45 Colt.

I did the same thing with my Rossi 92 Rifle and Short Rifle but went a step farther and added Lyman 17AHB globe front sights as they had more accuracy potential that wasn’t being tapped with the stock front sight.

Will have to rethink how I will possibly redo the sights.

 

[Krogen]

My 38/257 R92 has a 24" octagon barrel, Marbles tang sight and Lyman 17A front sight. It will shoot 2" at 100 yds with it's favorite load. That load is a Badman 157 gr RNFP over a moderate load of 4227.

 

[mtgianni]

358156 and 13.5 gr 2400. NOE 160 RF pushed fairly hard groups slightly better than the 185 gr FN. Lee 125 in 38 specials about 750-800 fps for a light load. I have two that have never seen jacketed bullets but they should shoot equally well. I tossed the buckhorns, peep on one, scout scope on the other.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I like 2400, been using it for years. How many grains are you using?

13.5 to 14

 

[AJ]

13.5 to 14

Maybe I will back it down. I was using 14.4 grains of 2400 with a 158 JHP bullet and the rifle was not really grouping at all.

 

[squidsix]

Skinner makes a barrel mount peep sight that fits 3/8” dovetails. I have found it to really clean up the sight picture.
This is a 60,000 psi action. You can really go ham on the ammo they will eat.

 

[Ethang]

Mine shoots 158 grain Zeros better the faster you drive them. I use Lil'Gun at a bit over published max loads and they shoot great. Cover whatever you are shooting at with that front bead and you will put a hole in it.

 

[max503]

Skinner makes a barrel mount peep sight that fits 3/8” dovetails. I have found it to really clean up the sight picture.
This is a 60,000 psi action. You can really go ham on the ammo they will eat.

I like this gun so much I might just sink the extra bucks into it to get a sight I like. Thanks for the tip.