[broom_jm]

I've been loading for a Model '92 in 44/40 for the last year, or so. It is in good shape and has a new Green Mountain barrel installed. I called them and they confirmed all of their "44" barrels come rifled for .429" bullets. I'm having a lot of problems getting rounds to feed from the magazine and I finally figured out why.

The Winchester factory CAS loads I bought cycle very well but mine do not, so I got out the micrometer and started taking measurements. Yep...you guessed it! The factory ammo is loaded with .427" bullets, which results in the slight bottle-neck on this old round being almost .005" smaller in diameter than my handloads. That is just enough difference for my loads to stovepipe going from the loading gate to the chamber, while the factory stuff goes right in. I can single-feed mine just fine and they slide easily all the way into the chamber...they just can't make that angled turn from the action to the mouth of the chamber without getting bound up.

I'm considering trimming all the cases back about .010" to see if that is enough to allow them to feed properly. Any other thoughts on how I can fix this?

 

[Blackhawk44]

You told us the diameter but not the bullet you are using. Some .44WCF are often unforgiving of anything other than a RNFP or something very close. They can also be critical of overall length. You also seem to be lucky in that most chambers will not accept a round with a bullet larger than .428" despite having a larger bore.

 

[broom_jm]

The bullet I'm using is the Hornady 200gr XTP. The chamber is new, along with the barrel, but may need to be "ramped", or so I'm told?

 

[Davers]

The bullet I'm using is the Hornady 200gr XTP. The chamber is new, along with the barrel, but may need to be "ramped", or so I'm told?

Jason, if you can get a hold of one of those Lee Bullet sizers in .427" then I would resize your .429" 200 gr. XTP's to .427". I do this for my Rossi PUMA in .44-40 and have no feeding problems. The resizing is easy to do just use a hammer and tap the bullets through at the base of the bullets.

 

[broom_jm]

Davers,

I am seriously considering that option, but I've been pretty happy with the groups I'm getting from the .429" bullets. The box of 50 Winchester CAS loads was not nearly as accurate. I spoke with Steve Young, a Rossi '92 gunsmith specialist from Texas, and he was telling me he's seen bores get worked up pretty bad by running .427 bullets down a 429 bore. That surprised me, but he's the expert!

He suggested that the new barrel was not cut properly and that ramping it, and/or adjusting the feed rails, is what he would do to get it to cycle correctly. Keep in mind that the rounds go into the chamber fine, it's just that they're a little too big around at the neck to feed well from the magazine. I will dig out the original barrel today and see if it was ramped in any way.

 

[Davers]

Thanks for the "Heads-up" on .44-40 bullet size, Jason. I just figured the Rossi had a .427" bore. Guess I was wrong and I'll load up a few .429"s & see what happens. I've own my Rossi Puma '92 since 1983 and I bet I haven't fired it more than 200 times.

 

[broom_jm]

From what I understand, the newer 44/40 rifles, replicas and replacement barrels all use the .429" diameter because of the ready availability of those size bullets. I am not positive your gun has that bore diameter, but the 'smith I talked to said to avoid using smaller diameter bullets in a .429" tube.

 

[Davers]

Davers,

I am seriously considering that option, but I've been pretty happy with the groups I'm getting from the .429" bullets. The box of 50 Winchester CAS loads was not nearly as accurate. I spoke with Steve Young, a Rossi '92 gunsmith specialist from Texas, and he was telling me he's seen bores get worked up pretty bad by running .427 bullets down a 429 bore. That surprised me, but he's the expert! .

Jason, this shooting slightly undersized bullets got me thinking. I use .308" bullets in my SKS which has a bore diameter of .311". Just wondering if this potential bore wear would occur in SKS's using .308" bullets vs. .310-.311" bullets?

 

[broom_jm]

Davers, I'm not sure but that's something I've always wondered about. I know that my 7.62x54R is quite a bit more accurate when I use .311" bullets, instead of the .308" pills I tried handloading in it.

I was looking at the .428" bullets that Marshall makes for the 44/40 and wondering if their shape, length and slightly smaller diameter would give me fewer problems with cycling? I would gladly do that, just to see, but I've never handloaded lubed or gas-checked bullets, only jacketed. What velocity range should I keep them under if I want to avoid the dreaded leading I've heard so much about? How much trouble is it to lube the bullets? After reading Marshall's Technical Notes on pistol bullets at impact velocity of 1100fps or less, I'm encouraged to try a different approach to loading this old gun.