Rossi 92 in 45 Colt questions about ammo

[joec]

Here is my questions. First as stated in the heading I have a 45 Colt with 20" octagon barrel. Now I know they will fire SAMMI spec ammo, but will they handle the Ruger type loads? Better yet what max. pressures and fps loads are the rated for? The largest gr bullet they can handle at what size dia. .452 or .454? Last but not the least if loaded up with the max. load they can use what would be the largest game they could take in this Hemisphere (North/South America)? The reason I ask is I might consider taking up hunting which I've not really done much of and have only shot cowboy and standard ammo through my Rossi 92 since I got it. I'm asking as I wouldn't like to buy another gun but I'm looking at the 45-70, 30-30 etc in a lever gun for that. So with that said I would also like to save some money and use it if possible. The game I thinking now would be deer and black bear which is common to my area the rest such as pigs etc I know it will do even loaded with black powder.

[44-40 Willy]

It'll handle Ruger level loads just fine.

I've never slugged a Rossi 45 Colt barrel so I can't help you with what size they are.

[pricedo]

It'll handle Ruger level loads just fine.

I've never slugged a Rossi 45 Colt barrel so I can't help you with what size they are.

If the barrels follow the Rossi "anything but standard" paradigm the barrels in a test group of say 100 guns off the assembly line are probably a lot of different sizes.
RD is into the cast bullet & barrel slugging thing and will probably be along to address that issue in the fullness of time.

[joec]

Well yesterday I put a Rossi Rio Grande in 45-70 Gov. on layaway so will let you know what I think of it. The RG I will scope out for hunting but can't on my 92 due to the fact I use it in my cowboy action shooting also. Thanks for the responses guys, I wasn't sure if any one had read it or not. Oh and I've run .454 255 gr lead through the gun fine though I mostly buy 452 since I'm dealing with those bullets only for 50 yard shots with black powder.

[Ranch Dog]

Here is my questions. First as stated in the heading I have a 45 Colt with 20" octagon barrel. Now I know they will fire SAMMI spec ammo, but will they handle the Ruger type loads? Better yet what max. pressures and fps loads are the rated for? The largest gr bullet they can handle at what size dia. .452 or .454?

I'm not sure what a "Ruger" load is but the 92 will load in the neighborhood of 35.0K PSI without any issue. I have a post on this forum where I offer support of my decision to shoot this PSI level based not only on the barrel and receiver but on my experience with pressure trace work in leverguns. That makes this cartridge capable of handling all the native hoofed big game in the lower 48 and all but the biggest and nastiest stuff with paws except in an emergency.

I measured my 92 bore at .443" and groove at .451" which was the same as my Taurus 450 and Circuit Judge. I have done a lot of work with Taurus hand guns and know that they use "common" barrel stock which my measurements reflect is probably being used with this cartridge. I have the found the Braztech (Rossi and Taurus) barrel stock to be a quality product with chambers, bore, and groove cut to the SAAMI spec with only one exception which does not effect any of the Rossi models. I have been shooting a .454" bullet through my 45 Colts without issue. My belief is that the bullet ogive fit against the throat and leade is a more important decision in what to shoot over that of bullet diameter (.451" to .454") or weight.

All my shooting has been with my TLC454-290-RF, a 290-grain bullet. I use 25.0-grains of Lil' Gun which delivers 1775 FPS from my 20" barreled 92.

[joec]

Here is my questions. First as stated in the heading I have a 45 Colt with 20" octagon barrel. Now I know they will fire SAMMI spec ammo, but will they handle the Ruger type loads? Better yet what max. pressures and fps loads are the rated for? The largest gr bullet they can handle at what size dia. .452 or .454?

I'm not sure what a "Ruger" load is but the 92 will load in the neighborhood of 35.0K PSI without any issue. I have a post on this forum where I offer support of my decision to shoot this PSI level based not only on the barrel and receiver but on my experience with pressure trace work in leverguns. That makes this cartridge capable of handling all the native hoofed big game in the lower 48 and all but the biggest and nastiest stuff with paws except in an emergency.

I measured my 92 bore at .443" and groove at .451" which was the same as my Taurus 450 and Circuit Judge. I have done a lot of work with Taurus hand guns and know that they use "common" barrel stock which my measurements reflect is probably being used with this cartridge. I have the found the Braztech (Rossi and Taurus) barrel stock to be a quality product with chambers, bore, and groove cut to the SAAMI spec with only one exception which does not effect any of the Rossi models. I have been shooting a .454" bullet through my 45 Colts without issue. My belief is that the bullet ogive fit against the throat and leade is a more important decision in what to shoot over that of bullet diameter (.451" to .454") or weight.

All my shooting has been with my TLC454-290-RF, a 290-grain bullet. I use 25.0-grains of Lil' Gun which delivers 1775 FPS from my 20" barreled 92.

Thanks Dogranch, I got so many answers on this not only from this forum but another that I decided just in case I put the 45-70 on layaway. I knew the 45 Colt would kill pigs since I looked at your hunting section here and you killed a couple with the 45 Colt. I also read what the bullet weight you was using but didn't see the diameter listed or a least that I remembered seeing. I've been wanting to try out a 45-70 for a long time but can't afford the one I wanted a Uberti Sharps "down under model" so opted for a something more practical to me. As I will retire next June on nothing but social security (a year late too) I'm sure I will need to eventually hunt for some of our food if times get tougher which I hope won't happen but have a feeling will. I will add Lil' Gun to my list of powder to try.

My powders on hand at the moment are 8 lbs of black powder (4 different brands). I also have smokeless in 1lb bottles of Titegroup, Bullseye, Unique, AA#2, AA#5, BP-38 and 5 lbs of trailboss I load for my wife's 45 Colt in cowboy action with 200 gr bullets.

[dpe.ahoy]

LilGun is a good powder for full power 45 Colt loads as is H-110/ Win. 296. (They are the same powder, may have some variation due to being different lots.) Accurate #9, 2400 or any other powders normally used in Magnum caliber cases are what you are looking for in full power hunting loads. DP

[Missionary]

Greetings
If I was going to load some more BP I would happily use 3F. You can get a litle bit more into a case and it will develope a bit more pressure and thus more FPS. If you use a vibrator (old shaver) 3F will settle into a near solid mass and detonate with authority. Been usisng the Lee 265grain FN and it shoots well sized .454 with a cereal box wad on top of the powder. I use enough 3F that I have to still compress the powder 1/16" in the 45 Colt case.
For plinking I am very happy with 17 grains 2400. For hunting 18-19 grains depending on what that bullet will smack.
Mike in ILL.

[joec]

Thanks guys but I have the black powder down pretty well and no wads with me. I simply load 2F until the bullet will compress it a 1/16" to 1/8" which is about 35 grains depending on which of the BP I use. With the 250 gr cast bullets I use with SPG lube works well in my pistols and rifle. I use 2.5cc which gives me that perfectly for the bullet's depth into the case.

[Old Savage]

My 45 Colt M 92 Hartford shoots much better - like 10" at 50 yds to 2" with .451 vs .453 bullets. I have not slugged it but obviously the barrel is oversize. The heaviest loads which produced 1350 fps with a custom 360 gr bullet were the most accurate they measured .453 - .4525".

.454 255 gr bullet was a bit less accurate than the .453.