Day Off and the .44 Mag

Maximizing the performance of your Rossi firearm.
User avatar
mr surveyor
1000 Shots
1000 Shots
Posts: 1608
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 11:20
Location: NE Texas
Has thanked: 486 times
Been thanked: 292 times

Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by mr surveyor »

My "helper" called in sick this morning and since the last few weeks have been a real drain on me, I decided to take a few hours of "me time" off today. Since it's Thursday and I haven't been to the range since late Sunday afternoon, the range was the first choice. Considering the choices of handguns, long guns, various loads, and what hasn't been shot much lately, the Rossi R92 in .44 mag was the choice of the day. It's seen many, many hundreds of rounds through the barrel in the last 5+ years and instantly became an obsession after first shooting it. The last few months have seen my focus more on 30-30 win with cast bullets, the .357 mag Rossi and various handguns .... so, I realized the .44 mag R92 had been neglected. Time to fix that!

(I would love to post the target image, but now I can't seem to post the image directly from my computer)

Anyway, my Weaver Scout Scope was set for POA with LeadHead 265 gr cast bullets at around 1550 fps and I knew the Hornady XTP 240 gr bullets at 1600+ fps would be shooting a bit higher. Using 8-1/2"X11" targets, I pinned two targets, vertically edge to edge, at the 100 yard board. Using the lower bullseye for the aim point would pretty well assure (if windage was proper) I should at least be on paper in a measurable fashion. It turned out to be a reasonable assumption. With 90% of my .44 mag shooting over the years being from the 50 yard line, the 100 yard target was an inviting challenge for a change.

Hornady XTP 240 gr
AA#9 19.5 gr
Starline Brass
Win LPP
COAL 1.60"
(loaded 09/19/15)
(chrony tested 03/20/14 - Vel 1618 fps, ES 30 fps

At 100 yards, this five shot group was 1.4" Vertical and 1.3" Horizontal. Wow! Impressed me.

As much as I want cast bullets to perform as well, the XTP's have always (in my short experience) seemed to shine a bit more in the accuracy category. This isn't the first time I've noticed this, but making the cast bullets reach the same accuracy standards has seemed to take much more of my time and attention. I think it's time to admit that the HNDY XTP 240 gr is probably the projectile that fit's my R92 needs the best.

jd
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by mr surveyor on 28 Jun 2018 21:44, edited 1 time in total.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guns - They aren't really yours until you void the warranty!
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9398
Joined: 23 Jan 2012 07:44
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1837 times
Been thanked: 2281 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by Ranch Dog »

It sounds like a great way to start a day JD; I need to say to heck with my chores and just work on some shooting. My R92 and Marlin 1894P, both 44 Mags, have been in the line up to do some comparative shooting; however, the temperatures in the high 90s have curbed the appeal of the range. It seems that by the 4th of July, I get acclimated to the temperature and the fact that I'm facing three and a half more months of the same and just suck it up.

The 100 yards target performance is outstanding. Concerning the pictures, see this topic: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4719&p=57994#p57994
Michael
Image
User avatar
Mad Trapper
500 Shots
500 Shots
Posts: 540
Joined: 03 Aug 2013 14:04
Location: Daniel Boone Forest
Has thanked: 171 times
Been thanked: 144 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by Mad Trapper »

Hey JD.
Sounds like a rewarding day for sure.
I spent a big part of the day looking for 44 molds, for a couple of super blackhawks and a couple of rossi 92s, both in 44 mag.
I settled on Noe molds,
Image
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_in ... ts_id=3135
Im hoping to use this mold for small game loads, since the himmelwright design is noted for being very accurate at decent ranges.

Image
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_in ... ts_id=2830
Im hoping to use this one for hunting and defense.
I went with the 434 over 432 since my rossi slugged at 432, i was afraid the 432 version might not work, I can always size down if need be.
Never used an HP mold, hope they pour ok, and cycle in the rossi.
Ive just used lyman molds so far.
My rossi 92s seem to cycle good with any cartridge i put through them.
User avatar
mr surveyor
1000 Shots
1000 Shots
Posts: 1608
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 11:20
Location: NE Texas
Has thanked: 486 times
Been thanked: 292 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by mr surveyor »

I finally remembered to look at the bottom of the page for uploading an image, rather than the tool bar at the top of the page. Anyway, I edited the original post to add the target pic.

All is right with the world now .... I can go to bed :lol:


jd
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guns - They aren't really yours until you void the warranty!
User avatar
Mad Trapper
500 Shots
500 Shots
Posts: 540
Joined: 03 Aug 2013 14:04
Location: Daniel Boone Forest
Has thanked: 171 times
Been thanked: 144 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by Mad Trapper »

mr surveyor wrote:I finally remembered to look at the bottom of the page for uploading an image, rather than the tool bar at the top of the page. Anyway, I edited the original post to add the target pic.

All is right with the world now .... I can go to bed :lol:


jd
That is excellent shooting JD.
Very good group.
LowKey
Posts: 214
Joined: 18 Feb 2016 23:31
Location: New Rawlins, WY
Has thanked: 212 times
Been thanked: 102 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by LowKey »

240 grains at 1640 fps is packing a lot of wallop with great groups.

Impressive!
Ohio3Wheels
1000 Shots
1000 Shots
Posts: 1599
Joined: 31 Jul 2014 15:18
Location: Dayton Oh
Has thanked: 227 times
Been thanked: 328 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by Ohio3Wheels »

Mad Trapper wrote:Hey JD.
Sounds like a rewarding day for sure.
I spent a big part of the day looking for 44 molds, for a couple of super blackhawks and a couple of rossi 92s, both in 44 mag.
I settled on Noe molds,

Im hoping to use this mold for small game loads, since the himmelwright design is noted for being very accurate at decent ranges.

Im hoping to use this one for hunting and defense.
I went with the 434 over 432 since my rossi slugged at 432, i was afraid the 432 version might not work, I can always size down if need be.
Never used an HP mold, hope they pour ok, and cycle in the rossi.
Ive just used lyman molds so far.
My rossi 92s seem to cycle good with any cartridge i put through them.
I have the Lyman version of the conical, haven't cast any in quite a few years as my only 44 Mag is an original octagonal Contender 44Mag/44 shot barrel. I shot the conical a few times in Field Pistol before I decided the light gun and load were wearing me out after 40 rounds. I've used the shot version on squirrel and pests but not lately. The conical shot better than I was capable standing offhand.

Make smoke,
Curt... makin' smoke and raising my carbon foot print one cartridge at a time Image
User avatar
Mad Trapper
500 Shots
500 Shots
Posts: 540
Joined: 03 Aug 2013 14:04
Location: Daniel Boone Forest
Has thanked: 171 times
Been thanked: 144 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by Mad Trapper »

Thank you for the info 3Wheels.
Im curious to see how they perform out of the 92.
JD got some great results from his 92 and loads.
I will be happy if i can at least come close to his results.
User avatar
mr surveyor
1000 Shots
1000 Shots
Posts: 1608
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 11:20
Location: NE Texas
Has thanked: 486 times
Been thanked: 292 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by mr surveyor »

well, I'm still not giving up my wish to find the "perfect" cast bullet for my R92's in .44 mag and .357 mag, but I had a little spendable cash on hand today so ordered a couple hundred each of .44 and .357 XTP bullets. They will probably fit the (now) normal routine of getting loaded in batches of 20-30 to take to the range for the chrony and individual accuracy target(s). Just that little bit of shooting can fill up the available 1-1/2 - 2 hours of weekly range time I seem to get now.

I still want cast bullets, and a reliable supply of them, to make it to the top of the list .... but for a foreseeable short time it looks like the jacketed XTP's will get most of the attention.


jd
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guns - They aren't really yours until you void the warranty!
User avatar
mr surveyor
1000 Shots
1000 Shots
Posts: 1608
Joined: 16 Mar 2013 11:20
Location: NE Texas
Has thanked: 486 times
Been thanked: 292 times

Re: Day Off and the .44 Mag

Post by mr surveyor »

Since things seem to be running a bit slow .... it is summer and hitting the 100° mark and few people care to get out much. Sunday afternoons, after 5:00 PM, are my most likely times to get free time to go to the range, and out gotta do what you gotta do. Since I've got more XTP's for the .44 and the .357 on the way, I loaded up the last few 240 gr XTP's and last few Nosler 158 gr JSHP's last night. My goal for this afternoon was mainly to run 10 rounds of the .44 mag 240 gr XTP's through the chrony at 50 yards, and 10 rounds on target at 100 yards. I did this mainly to satisfy my curiosity concerning the velocity of the same loads posted above, previously chrony tested in March of 2014 that yielded 1618 fps (in much cooler weather). Today, I shot 5 rounds through the chrony (near 100° temp) with somewhat decent accuracy at 50 yards shooting through the wires showing ave velocity of 1629. Then I decided to let the .44 mag rest a few minutes and grab the .357 R92 and pop five rounds through the chrony. These were the Nosler 158 gr JSHP's over 13.0 gr of A-2400 (pretty mild load).

I'll get the picture converted from the scan and add it eventually .... can't believe I forgot the formatting already ....

just remembered a couple of other s/w routines ....
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guns - They aren't really yours until you void the warranty!
Post Reply