Lever Action Ammo Question

[Tamlin]

Just picked up a Rossi 357/38 lever action carbine. The manual says that full metal jacket and round nose ammo should not be used, because, due to recoil, it could set off the primer in the other bullets in the tube. Only flat-topped, lead ammo is recommended. A guy at the gun shop said round nose and fmj is just fine in the lever action. My question is, Is the warning just because someone, somewhere experienced a random magazine firing and the lawyers had to include this warning, or are these types of bullets really not suitable for the tube magazine in a lever action rifle?

Thanks for your advice.

 

[.303]

the dangerous bullets to use are pointed, because with recoil, they can set off the primer in front of them. roundnose, semi wadcutter, and pistol hollowpoints should be safe, as there is no distinct 'point' to discharge a primer.

 

[Harve Curry]

Tube magazine with round nose FMJ bullet tips to the primers, not a 100% safe combination.
Better to stick with jacketed hollow points, jacketed soft points, bullet shapes like used in the 30-30 and those are always lead tipped.
I think Hornady has the LEVERLUTION polymer tipped spire points ammo for 357 mag now.

 

[charlie505]

i use hollowpoints and Swc all the time. Also ran some flat tips with no problems.
I hate using Lead - unjacketed ammo - want a mess cleaning the barrel.
I have the marlin 44mag - they are fun guns.

The Hornady LEVERLUTION ammo is a blast and great hunting round

 

[TIMC]

As little as my Puma mod 92 recoils I doubt it could set off a primer, especially with .38 special.

 

[Seafarer12]

That is common with all tube magazine guns. Pointed bullets could set off the primer of the round in front of it. Why do you think all 30-30 are FP's. I usually shoot lead out of my Navy Arms 357. I usually just shoot jacketed bullets for full power 357's. It is a great gun you will enjoy it.

 

[stiab]

That is common with all tube magazine guns.

True of all lever tube guns I am aware of, but Remington pump action Model 14s and 141s are designed to avoid the tip to primer situation, and can safely be used with pointed rounds in their tube mags.

 

[moooose102]

round nose soft points would probably be fine, but fmj round nosed bullets would be rather iffy. anything that was flat, or hollow pointed would be fine.

 

[Coyote Hunter]

Several of us use leveraction ammo in our lever action deer rifles. 30-30 and .35 remington. The soft point won't cause the primer to discharge. That's what they are made for.

Cabella's now is offering .45lc in Leveraction exclusively. I hear in a '92 they are great for those who must use handgun calibers for deer hunting (Like Indiana). They increase the range greatly for the round.

 

[foghornl]

You don't want to use the really pointy stuff, other than the Hornaday "Leverevolution" with that polymer tip.

 

[Water-Man]

Heed the warning and be safe.

 

[wilson]

Can you use the leverevolution in a revolver?

 

[rcmodel]

30-30 Winchester & .35 Remington kicks way harder then .357 Mag in a lever-gun.

Remington has been loading 170 grain RN Core-Lokt's in 30-30 and 200 grain RN Core-Lokt's in .35 Remington for about, oh?
100 years!!!!

You can use any lead tipped .357 soft point you want too, just not pointy full metal jacket stuff.

But I don't know of any pointy FMJ .357 mag ammo anyway.

The Rossi warning sounds like Lawyer-Speak CYA talk to me.

rcmodel

 

[scrat]

Think rc model said it best.

 

[Seafarer12]

True of all lever tube guns I am aware of, but Remington pump action Model 14s and 141s are designed to avoid the tip to primer situation, and can safely be used with pointed rounds in their tube mags.

Thats splitting hairs. Remington quit making the 141 in 1950. You don't see them around much anymore. Unless you reload your not going to find any 30-30 or 35 that won't have a fp.

As far as recoil goes shooting my heavy reloads it feels like a 30-30.

I mean it doesen't really put you out to run FP bullets. If you think it is all lawyer speak fine but make sure you post picks if you ever light off a tube of rounds.