Scary issue with a Rossi Lever 44

[GeeLeDouche]

I was at the local shooting range tonight, and there was a guy we knew there shooting a Rossi Lever action 44. He was trying out some of his reloads. he had different recipies of each bullet. well, he was trying to figure out why he was getting such a hard primer strike, we kinda thought it was becuase the primer was showing high pressure signs.. so he tried a couple different rounds and got the same result with all different powders, bullets and overall loads including factory. well. he hands me the rifle (since I have completely 0 experience with a Rossi) and hands me a factory loaded hornady 44 and says "lets see what you think.." I put the round directly into the chamber and closed the bolt, and as soon as it locked shut the round discharged. LUCKILY, I was keeping the firearm downrange and in a safe direction. but it scared the SHEET outa me and I handed the rifle back to him about as fast as I could. needless to say, my very first experience with a Rossi was a very bad one.

[paulrabe78]

That is scary. I'm just glad no one was hurt.

[richgp100z]

Was that a Rossi Puma rifle??? If it was,he was suppose to use semi-jacketed rounds. Just like it says for my Puma in .357 cal. carbine which is only 8 rounds+1.richgp100z,Omaha,Ne.

[GeeLeDouche]

I think it was a puma. I didnt look at it that closely. I was going off what the dude was telling me about it. I'm guessing nobody else has ever had an issue like this with one of thier rifles??

[NativeTexan]

I have a 92 in .357 and my son-in-law has one in .45 Colt. Never had such a problem. There is a guy in Beaumont that is the guru of 92s, specializes in slickin' them up for cowboy action shooters where they're really popular. You might try to find this guy. I've lost his e-mail addy and don't recall the name. Sorry.

Shooting lead ammo would NOT have an effect on the action. It might cause leading of the barrel, but I shoot nothing, but bullets I cast in mine. I've fired a few jacketed rounds through it, but it mostly eats either lead 105 grain SWCs in .38 at about 900 fps or a Lee 158 grain hard cast gas checked SWC at just under 1900 fps. This round has killed a deer at 80 yards from that gun, good load, a little off maximum and easy on the gun. I shoot that bullet ove 14.5 grains of Alliant 2400. I have a problem with mine in that when it gets hot and if I'm using multiple fired cases, the cases will occasionally crack around the back of the case and sometimes separate. It's done this since I got it and I'm thinkin' it could be head spacing a little off, but it doesn't really affect the gun's hunting uses. It has to get really hot before it does it. So, I just shoot fresh brass in it for hunting and never have a problem. My son-in-law's 45 Colt is sweet! I put an aperture sight on my .357 up on the dove tail from a .22 I had, but his has a Williams receiver peep on it. We fired my white hot Ruger only 300 grain XTP loads in it and it clocked over 1400 fps from my chronograph. WOW, great hunting rifle for 100 yards and in! But, heck, my .357 puts up similar energy numbers even if the bullet is a little smaller....well.....okay, a lot smaller. A deer or hog ain't going far from either rifle, trust me.

[Smokewagon]

NativeTexan, do you have some hunting load recipes for the .45 Colt? (rifle of course)

[NativeTexan]

Same for the rifle as the pistols, actually. I shoot a 300 grain XTP in front of 20.0 grains of 2400. It is a tick below the Ruger only pressures, but not a big tick. I haven't tried other powders, just pretty much settled on 2400 as I had it an it's most often recommended. I'd think 296 would be good, maybe H110, AA#9, any powder that works for handguns in the caliber for the Ruger/TC load pressure limits in the manuals.

The Rossi 92 action is very strong. I cannot say this for the Marlin 94s. I ain't saying they're any weaker, I'm just saying I don't know how strong they are and whether it'd be wise to shoot the hot stuff in 'em. But, as those guns are chambered for .44 mag, I'd think so. The Rossi even comes in .454 Casull, very strong action. I would want to research the use of these loads in the Marlin before doing it, though. If they're strong enough, this load is Ruger/Thompson-Center friendly.

[snal]

I'm selling a Marlin 1894 just so I can get a Rossi/Puma .357 in stainless. Always heard these guns were built strong.

[Funshooter]

I'll see what comes up next month. One local store has a new Marlin in .357 mag that was ordered and not picked up by a customer. The Gander Mt here has the Puma for the same money, but will do lay-a-way. Both are right at $450 each. But GM also has a NEF .44mag single shot for $279 that I like.
As far as problems above, I'd suspect the owner and his hand loads before I would the gun. Some of the "gun authorities" I know around here would break a crow bar in a sand pile.