MCgunner
Member
Since I've had this gun, in .357 magnum, I'd had a problem with it cracking off cases near the rim and leaving the front part of the case in the gun on ejection. I dig it out with a screwdriver. I figured it was just old brass, nickel does it too, new or not. Nickel brass is more brittle than regular brass. New non-nickel brass doesn't do it when it's new, just as the brass gets three or four reloads. But, I had the gun at the range today and it started doing it consistently after I'd fired it enough to get it really hot. Thinking back on it, it never did it until it got hot in the past. I think what's happening is maybe the chamber is growing with thermal expansion and the brass can expand only so far without cracking. Don't affect the field use of the gun as it doesn't do it until maybe 30 rounds of rapid succession on a hot day with older brass. .38 loads don't do it, not as much chamber pressure I guess. Has anyone else noticed this in a Rossi Puma or have any wisdom to bestow me?
I got some of the best groups I've ever got out of the gun today, though. My magnum loads were shooting under 3" at 100 yards and my light .38s were shooting about 1.5" at 50, pretty danged awesome. I need to take this thing squirrel hunting. I shoot a 105 Lee cast SWC at about 900 fps for the light load and it's like shooting a .22, two guns in one. Just takes a rear sight adjustment when you switch ammo. I have a ghost ring aperture I got off an old .22 on it and it works great. Weren't for that little brass cracking problem, I'd LOVE the thing. I guess that ain't a real big deal, like I say, for field use. It has to get hot before it does it, just annoying at the range.
I got some of the best groups I've ever got out of the gun today, though. My magnum loads were shooting under 3" at 100 yards and my light .38s were shooting about 1.5" at 50, pretty danged awesome. I need to take this thing squirrel hunting. I shoot a 105 Lee cast SWC at about 900 fps for the light load and it's like shooting a .22, two guns in one. Just takes a rear sight adjustment when you switch ammo. I have a ghost ring aperture I got off an old .22 on it and it works great. Weren't for that little brass cracking problem, I'd LOVE the thing. I guess that ain't a real big deal, like I say, for field use. It has to get hot before it does it, just annoying at the range.