newfalguy101
Member
Personally I would go with the .357.........
Of course I am already set up for 357 and do not own any 45's of any flavor
Of course I am already set up for 357 and do not own any 45's of any flavor
.357 magnum or 45 colt decisions decisions..
- Thread starter Analogkid
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I went ahead and got the .357 I wanted blued but all he had was SS. He has ordered me a blued one so it should be here shortly. The Stainless is fine. I just wanted blued.
As for the choice it Just made more sense like you all said with having been already setup for reloading the cartridge.
As for the choice it Just made more sense like you all said with having been already setup for reloading the cartridge.
rugerman
Member
I have a Marlin .357, when a group of folks get together to shoot and let other folks try their guns that .357 is usually the favorite. Even hot loads in .357 have little or no recoil and 38's are real cream puff loads. Kids love it, at reasonable ranges it is suitable for deer (I've killed a few with it). Wide range of bullet weights for it (only feed problems I've had were with bullets that have a sharp shoulder like Keith style semi-wad cutters, they tend to hang up a bit). It is also fairly light weight, short and easy to handle.
BCRider
Member
SOME of the Rossi rifles can be a little gritty and stiff right out of the box. But they burnish in nicely after a thousand or so cycles.
Or if you are a handy sort with a slip stone and some fine sandpaper for polishing the parts you can use the information from on line or from the Steve's Guns DVD to deburr and other wise slick up the action parts.
And best of all Steve's has a spring kit to replace the main, ejector and lever detent springs to slick up the action. This spring kit is the key item in any slicking up work and the low cost of it is well worth the price.
When slicked up in this way the Rossi need not bow to any other stock stock lever rifle you'll find out there. The trigger pull is greatly lightened up by the lighter main spring and the lever cycling is slicked up to a high degree. When describing the resulting rifle there simply isn't enough "o's" in smooooooooth.
If you are not a handy person or simply don't trust yourself check into local smiths that slick up the guns for the legions of cowboy action shooters out there. The work that needs doing is relatively minor and well known so you're likely looking at a fairly low cost even to have a smith do the work. I'm not even a smith but having done four of them now for myself and friends I could do the work in about an hour to hour and a quarter from opening the box to closing it on the completed gun and calling the customer.... if I were a proper gunsmith. So you're looking at around $25 for the spring kit and what SHOULD be an hour or slightly more of shop time if the parts tuning and spring kit is the only work you want done.
On the last two I did the stocks looked like a lazy person lightly shaped them from some old 2x6's. I removed the craptastic stock finish that looked PINK in some light and used a coarse metal file to rasp down the comb so the cross section was more tear drop shaped and to refine the thumb grip so it grooved inwards more like the original 1892 shape. Similarly I removed the finish and refined the fore stock to round over the hard upper lip edges and to round off and smooth the nose where the band goes. The resulting bare wood was very light in colour without a lot of contrast to the grain. I didn't want to muddy it up with a regular staining job but it needed some color. So instead I mixed some stain about 50-50 with boiled linseed oil and used that for the first three coatings to give it some color but leave it "clean" looking. Patience is needed to wait for this oil mix to kick off and harden. So don't be in a hurry. When it changes odor then it's cured and you can put on and buff off the next coat. After the three stain and oil coats I switched to using my hands to rub in a very few drops of straight boiled linseed oil without buffing off any excess. That led to a nice water resistant film with a nice soft gloss.
That work really turned the sow's ears into silk purses.
Or if you are a handy sort with a slip stone and some fine sandpaper for polishing the parts you can use the information from on line or from the Steve's Guns DVD to deburr and other wise slick up the action parts.
And best of all Steve's has a spring kit to replace the main, ejector and lever detent springs to slick up the action. This spring kit is the key item in any slicking up work and the low cost of it is well worth the price.
When slicked up in this way the Rossi need not bow to any other stock stock lever rifle you'll find out there. The trigger pull is greatly lightened up by the lighter main spring and the lever cycling is slicked up to a high degree. When describing the resulting rifle there simply isn't enough "o's" in smooooooooth.
If you are not a handy person or simply don't trust yourself check into local smiths that slick up the guns for the legions of cowboy action shooters out there. The work that needs doing is relatively minor and well known so you're likely looking at a fairly low cost even to have a smith do the work. I'm not even a smith but having done four of them now for myself and friends I could do the work in about an hour to hour and a quarter from opening the box to closing it on the completed gun and calling the customer.... if I were a proper gunsmith. So you're looking at around $25 for the spring kit and what SHOULD be an hour or slightly more of shop time if the parts tuning and spring kit is the only work you want done.
On the last two I did the stocks looked like a lazy person lightly shaped them from some old 2x6's. I removed the craptastic stock finish that looked PINK in some light and used a coarse metal file to rasp down the comb so the cross section was more tear drop shaped and to refine the thumb grip so it grooved inwards more like the original 1892 shape. Similarly I removed the finish and refined the fore stock to round over the hard upper lip edges and to round off and smooth the nose where the band goes. The resulting bare wood was very light in colour without a lot of contrast to the grain. I didn't want to muddy it up with a regular staining job but it needed some color. So instead I mixed some stain about 50-50 with boiled linseed oil and used that for the first three coatings to give it some color but leave it "clean" looking. Patience is needed to wait for this oil mix to kick off and harden. So don't be in a hurry. When it changes odor then it's cured and you can put on and buff off the next coat. After the three stain and oil coats I switched to using my hands to rub in a very few drops of straight boiled linseed oil without buffing off any excess. That led to a nice water resistant film with a nice soft gloss.
That work really turned the sow's ears into silk purses.
I got the Blued 16" .357 in. I took it down when I got it and cleaned it out.
It was pretty nasty inside with shipping grease/oil. It aint no Winchester but fit and finish looked real nice on it. Wish it had a saddle ring.
I had recently started reloading .357 and I took a Bunch to the range. I had no issue with it running .357 and .38's with magtech 125gr hps in both cases.
I also took a bunch of .357 with 158gr fp and those were fun to shoot as well. I had some swc 158gr .38's and .357's there for my Revolvers so I tried those as well. The gun ran them all without a hitch. The .38 swc's maybe were a little hesitant to slide home but went in pretty dang smooth if you didn't short shuck it. It wont run .38 full wadcutters at all. But apparently that is the case with most of these. <in edit. I guess it would have ran them if I loaded them by hand. I didnt try it.
Everything was charged with either hp-38 or CFE Pistol <love it!
No H110 yet. I have it, just not ready to reload with it.
I ran a few factory 158gr .357 that were definitely hotter than anything I made.
To be completely honest. I don't really think I am going to mess with it at all other than to break the edge around the loading gate and get a metal follower. Its a fun gun. I am glad I have one now.
Now I just gotta figure out how I can get the 20" 45c as well.
It was pretty nasty inside with shipping grease/oil. It aint no Winchester but fit and finish looked real nice on it. Wish it had a saddle ring.
I had recently started reloading .357 and I took a Bunch to the range. I had no issue with it running .357 and .38's with magtech 125gr hps in both cases.
I also took a bunch of .357 with 158gr fp and those were fun to shoot as well. I had some swc 158gr .38's and .357's there for my Revolvers so I tried those as well. The gun ran them all without a hitch. The .38 swc's maybe were a little hesitant to slide home but went in pretty dang smooth if you didn't short shuck it. It wont run .38 full wadcutters at all. But apparently that is the case with most of these. <in edit. I guess it would have ran them if I loaded them by hand. I didnt try it.
Everything was charged with either hp-38 or CFE Pistol <love it!
No H110 yet. I have it, just not ready to reload with it.
I ran a few factory 158gr .357 that were definitely hotter than anything I made.
To be completely honest. I don't really think I am going to mess with it at all other than to break the edge around the loading gate and get a metal follower. Its a fun gun. I am glad I have one now.
Now I just gotta figure out how I can get the 20" 45c as well.
Glad you like it! How was the accuracy? I've been tempted by a Rossi in .44 or .45 for a long time but never jumped on it.
Also, don't fear the H110. It is actually pretty benign in terms of safety and hard to get into trouble with. It's my favorite.
Also, don't fear the H110. It is actually pretty benign in terms of safety and hard to get into trouble with. It's my favorite.
HoosierQ
Member
This all day long.
Clark
Member
I have a Win 94 ranger [like a trapper with a cheaper stock] 45Colt with 16.5" barrel. It cost me $300 new in 2004.
With 24 gr H110 250 gr XTP it gets 1525 fps with 20,000 psi, and shoots 3 moa.
I have never had the slightest functional problem with that rifle.
That sounds great, but it kicks like a mule.
Before I take it to to the range, I put a large trim to fit Limbsaver but did not trim the pad, so it has more area on the shoulder. Recoil is just ok then.
I have a falling block rifle in 38 special tight chamber that I have shot 357 mag double loads, no great recoil there.
What does it all mean?
Because of recoil, I would get the 357 mag for the range.
Because of power, I would get the 45 Colt for hunting.
With 24 gr H110 250 gr XTP it gets 1525 fps with 20,000 psi, and shoots 3 moa.
I have never had the slightest functional problem with that rifle.
That sounds great, but it kicks like a mule.
Before I take it to to the range, I put a large trim to fit Limbsaver but did not trim the pad, so it has more area on the shoulder. Recoil is just ok then.
I have a falling block rifle in 38 special tight chamber that I have shot 357 mag double loads, no great recoil there.
What does it all mean?
Because of recoil, I would get the 357 mag for the range.
Because of power, I would get the 45 Colt for hunting.
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justin22885
member
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2009
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- 2,102
357 delivers as much muzzle energy as 45 colt, if not more and does so using less powder, less lead, and takes up less weight at lower costs
Wildfire
Member
R92
I have a R92 in .45 Colt. 24" octagon barrel and a Marbles rear sight. With 8.0 grains of Unique and a bullet I redesigned from a 255 gr. cast. It shoots very well. Recoil is low and it is just plain a fun gun. This is my new deer /hog gun. I hunt with the .45 Colts in an 1860 and an 1873. The .357 shoots very nice. Even .38s coming out of a 20" will do deer at close ranges. The rifle had some ruff spots inside. I work on my own guns and did what they call a slick job on this one. It is as smooth as they get now and shoots right. The Winchester did not impress me at all. The finish was cheap. And the cost was way more. I re worked the finish and made it what I wanted. Look old but yet have some shine and feel. It worked and I am very happy with how it turned out.
I have a R92 in .45 Colt. 24" octagon barrel and a Marbles rear sight. With 8.0 grains of Unique and a bullet I redesigned from a 255 gr. cast. It shoots very well. Recoil is low and it is just plain a fun gun. This is my new deer /hog gun. I hunt with the .45 Colts in an 1860 and an 1873. The .357 shoots very nice. Even .38s coming out of a 20" will do deer at close ranges. The rifle had some ruff spots inside. I work on my own guns and did what they call a slick job on this one. It is as smooth as they get now and shoots right. The Winchester did not impress me at all. The finish was cheap. And the cost was way more. I re worked the finish and made it what I wanted. Look old but yet have some shine and feel. It worked and I am very happy with how it turned out.
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Wildfire
Member
R92
I should add this. There are some out there if you study up on the Rossi 92s you will find what they do. I do not wish to run mine like they do. They can push the 1892s way past what most would even consider. At that point no .357 will even come close to keeping up if it is a hot rod you are after.
Doing that will drastically increase recoil. But, they claim the Rossi 92s can take it. You can also look up Steve's slick jobs. He does a lot of Rossi's for Cowboy action shooters. Tossing 300 grainers over 1400 fps just does not sound like much fun anymore.
I should add this. There are some out there if you study up on the Rossi 92s you will find what they do. I do not wish to run mine like they do. They can push the 1892s way past what most would even consider. At that point no .357 will even come close to keeping up if it is a hot rod you are after.
Doing that will drastically increase recoil. But, they claim the Rossi 92s can take it. You can also look up Steve's slick jobs. He does a lot of Rossi's for Cowboy action shooters. Tossing 300 grainers over 1400 fps just does not sound like much fun anymore.
olafhardtB
Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2011
- Messages
- 393
I had a Rossi in 357. It was OK. However with full loads it kicked as hard as my Winchester 94 in 30 30. After a lot of research and gun swapping I have come to some conclusions: For plinking I got a Marlin 39 22lr. For a centerfire all around blasting lever action the Winchester 94 in 30 30 with a 20" barrel is head and shoulders above the rest.YMMV but is the Winnie 94 for me.
BCRider
Member
One thing I would suggest you "mess" with is installing a cowboy action spring kit. A lighter trigger and easier lever cycle is the result. Makes the Rossi into one super slick puppy without any other work. There's certainly some other slight things you CAN do but the spring kit is the central star of the show.
And if you needed an "honest" reason for the spring kit then the low power ejector spring means that the brass falls within a couple of feet of your feet after a short trajectory arc versus being tossed up and away half way to the moon.
The metal follower is a nice to have but it's not something I would have paid for. I replaced my yellow plastic follower mostly because with a quick glance the mind keeps seeing "BRASS!". And since I've got a lathe I made up a steel follower and blued it so when I do a clearance chech on my Rossi there's blued metal to be seen instead of something that has fooled me a few times into thinking it was a brass case.
FL-NC
Member
357- SO fun to shoot with a 38 special. Both calibers more "mainstream" than 45 LC.
GeezerwithGuns
Member
With a hot load, you get legitimate deer killing performance out of the .357
ljnowell
Member
It's definitely cheaper to reload considering there is more lead in the bullet. Go to any cast bullet manufacturers and look at the price difference.
Well since the OP has already made his decision, and based on the number of odd off topic, and now deleted, posts I'd say this one is done!
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