next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by Moon Tree »

They do make a Lipsey convertible flattop 45 ACP/45 Colt in SS 5 1/2 barrel with pinned front sights.
http://www.lipseys.com/itemdetail.aspx? ... UKNVB-455X
If I were given a "do-over" that's probably the revolver I would purchase.
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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by alphalimafoxtrot »

I thought I'd follow up this Friday evening with a status check.

Now that my job (5th grade teacher - yeah! superstar salary man!) is nearing its usual break, I can focus on what's important: the guns.

I saw a used Ruger .44 carbine recently - you know, the tube magazine semi-auto carbine they should have kept making forever - and I realized that was going to have to be my next gun toy. Thus, it will by default become a quest for a .44 magnum Rossi - and a nice used .44 magnum Redhawk!

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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by HarryAlonzo »

I had the opportunity to shoot in a friend's Ruger 44 mag semi-auto recently. I, too, found this model to be very attractive. However, I came away less than impressed. It didn't cycle at all. I had heard that it was persnickety about the loads you put through it, and maybe that was my problem. I cleaned it thoroughly, but didn't have a chance to see if that fixed it. It had a goodly burr on the loading ramp, which I would have filed if it were mine. Recoil was rather harsh for an auto-loader. The tubular mag only takes four rounds. Oh, and I didn't like the sights. I wonder if the Ruger lever action version is any better, but I already have a Rossi that I'm very happy with.
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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by alphalimafoxtrot »

HarryAlonzo wrote:I had the opportunity to shoot in a friend's Ruger 44 mag semi-auto recently. I, too, found this model to be very attractive. However, I came away less than impressed. It didn't cycle at all. I had heard that it was persnickety about the loads you put through it, and maybe that was my problem. I cleaned it thoroughly, but didn't have a chance to see if that fixed it. It had a goodly burr on the loading ramp, which I would have filed if it were mine.
You do bring up a good point - I have also read about this possible defect in the original tube-mag Ruger .44 carbine. That's something that I bet has to do more with cartridge OAL (overall length) and bullet profile (round nose versus flat nose) than design flaw of the weapon.

For example, I own a Model 14 Remington pump in .32 Rem. These Model 14's and 141's as well are very persnickety (to borrow your terminology :!: ) about feeding any rounds that are anything other than round-nose bullets. Try and feed a .32 Rem flat nose round, it will not function - and will jam up your action.

I made the mistake of "proving the idea wrong" when I first had the Model 14 I'm talking about - tried pumping some 170 grain flat nose Hornady reloads through the gun. It jammed up so bad, I had to disassemble the gun at the shooting range and that's an ugly proposition for a rather intricate Model 14!

So I'm going to learn more about this feeding issue in the tube-mag Ruger carbines. I know that the other Ruger .44 made a while in the 2000's with the detachable mag is supposedly good to go on feeding cartridges.

I appreciate your sharing your own actual experience with the gun in question. It does help me refine my search!

Thanks
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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by GasGuzzler »

Ruger levers are more than uncommon. Nice Ruger deerstalkers are too. I passed on one last fall for $300 because of the lack of blue. The bad shape stock I could fix with LOTS of work.

Ruger should still make auto loading pistol cal rifles and lever rifles but Walmart won't sell "assault rifles".....all the while the gubmint will decide for us all the features that make up such while turning away from other previously known non-variables such as gender as an identifier.
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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by alphalimafoxtrot »

Thanks for the feedback, y'all!

I am wondering if the 92 Rossi .44 mag carbine likes any particular rounds over another. In terms of feeding through the tube, and so on - and variations in custom rounds with oversize bullets. I know that TinMan was asking a similar question about those big bullets in .45 Colt - so I imagine I'd have to watch some particular OAL before rounds won't be cycling properly? Is sticking with the usual 240 grain best?

Hope my grammar makes sense. It's early in the morning, only on my first cuppa coffee.... :roll:

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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by Ohio3Wheels »

alphalimafoxtrot wrote:Thanks for the feedback, y'all!

I am wondering if the 92 Rossi .44 mag carbine likes any particular rounds over another. In terms of feeding through the tube, and so on - and variations in custom rounds with oversize bullets. I know that TinMan was asking a similar question about those big bullets in .45 Colt - so I imagine I'd have to watch some particular OAL before rounds won't be cycling properly? Is sticking with the usual 240 grain best?

Hope my grammar makes sense. It's early in the morning, only on my first cuppa coffee.... :roll:

Adam
With my 45 Colt I started with the recommended OAL for the boolit and for the most part it has worked. With e Lee 452-300 I find that I can use either crimp groove and they work, but as I've said before I was told that these guns wouldn't work with semi-wad cutters after I'd already run about 150 of two different SWC (225 and 255). Guess gun didn't read that book :D . It's been a great ride and when I come across a bullet I like the looks of I don't hesitate to give a go.

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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by HarryAlonzo »

I've never had any failure to feed problems, although 95% of my throughput is .44 Spl. I've used a variety of bullets shapes (including SWC), jackets (or not) and weights. Feeding from the magazine has never been a problem, but rounds with flatter points (or SWC) can be resistant when fed from the top. I now consider this to be a last ditch Zombie Apocalypse technique. Even if I'm loading one round at a time, I feed it through the loading gate. Orientation of the rifle is important, also. Tip it sideways, and you're asking for trouble.
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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by Archer »

I've shot the Ruger .44 carbine, oldstyle. It was ok. I've never really liked the Ruger 10/22 sights they use on everything.
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Re: next Rossi: .44 Mag or .45 Colt?

Post by remus »

I chronograph stuff. I have a SAA in .45 colt, and a Ruger BH also in that caliber. I used a generic 2400 powder load behind a 250 grn casted keith bullet. The SAA gave me a little over 800fps. The Ruger was about 50fps faster. The same load gave me a little over 1100 fps in the Rossi 92 carbine model. I'm not giving the load exactly because you can find a similar one in the Lyman book. My little test showed that there is a really significant velocity increase in the short barreled rifle over either revolver. You can really heat up the Rossi where you wouldn't want to shoot a really hot load in a revolver. I have loaded really hot stuff with cast bullets for the Rossi but they were gas checked and were 350 grainers. No real need for the in the lower 48 for the most part but they are fun for a few shots at breaking rocks and stuff like that.

I am a .45 colt fan. Like others I sold my last .44mag 30 years ago.
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