Author Topic: M92 357 accuracy? (Read 5675 times)

mattri · « **on:** May 01, 2011, 01:50:00 PM »

Looking at the M92 in .357 Magnum with the 24" oct barrel.

For the folks who are shooting these, or similar Rossis, what kind of 100 yard accuracy have you been seeing?

Lots of variables of course, but what have actual owners found to be a reasonable accuracy expectation?

Dee · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2011, 02:16:39 PM »

Last year I shot thru both shoulder of an adult male coyote at 160 yards. I shoot a Lyman 66 Receiver sight, with a post front sight. Mine is not for sale, it's a tack driver, and I've owned it for about 6 years now. It was the Deluxe model from Navy Arms, and has really nice walnut after I stripped the original finish, and hand rubbed it with 5 coats of true oil. It looked just like my 1958 Model 94 Winchester looked with it was new. Now neither rifle looks new. They look like they have bee used. A LOT!

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2011, 04:40:47 PM »

Mine is more accurate than I am.

I need to put one of the Skinner Peeps on it and get rid of that silly safety on the bolt, have one on the 20" 357 and it really helps me out. DP

mattri · « **Reply #3 on:** May 02, 2011, 02:10:30 AM »

Thanks for the replies. What kind of groups are people seeing at 100 yards?

Dee · « **Reply #4 on:** May 02, 2011, 03:29:06 AM »

Mine is way under 3"s according to what kinda day I'm havin. A lever action was never really intended to be a bench rest rifle, and it won't usually shoot with a bolt or single shot rifle unless the single shot is something like a handy rifle.
I have never bothered with trying to shoot groups with my levers. I zero them in, and use them.

mattri · « **Reply #5 on:** May 02, 2011, 12:37:08 PM »

Under 3" isnt bad. Do you re-load?

I shoot all of my rifles off a bench. I love seeing what an old levergun, or other rifle that isn't designed to be used as a bench gun, can do accuracy-wise.

A lot (most) people use their leverguns or other hunting rifles as practical tools. And while I absolutely understand that, I get a huge kick out of trying to squeeze every bit of accuracy as I can out of them. Hey, it keeps me out of the bars.

Thinking about the next project, a .357 shooting cast bullets would be a lot of fun. Going back and forth between a .357. a .44, a .45 Long Colt etc etc.

Thanks again, Matt.

Dee · « **Reply #6 on:** May 03, 2011, 02:51:34 PM »

I've been reloading the 38 special and 357 magnum since 1971. A 158 grain jacketed soft point at 2000fps will do anything my 3030 will do out to about 100 yards.

277284 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 06, 2011, 06:02:32 AM »

I have two, a 16" 357 and a 20" 44 both blue round barrels. The stock sights are to coarse for my testing routine and hitting 8" too high at 25-50 yds with the rear sight all the way down. After going through a hundred rounds each and getting taller front sights on both my recollection is vague. I'm not going to try at 100 yds for me.

scotsman · « **Reply #8 on:** May 07, 2011, 04:00:50 PM »

I have a M92 24 inch Legacy Puma. I have had it a few years and it has become a favorite. I have never fired it for groups but it is plenty accurate. A couple of weeks ago my brother and I were fooling around and shot about a dozen apples off the top of fence posts at about 50-60 yards.(a medium sized apple is a pretty small target at that distance) Not a bench test by any means but plenty accurate to use. Dee is absolutely right with good hand loading you get about 2000fps with the 158 grain bullets. It is a pretty serious rifle out to 100-125 yards.

darkgael · « **Reply #9 on:** May 11, 2011, 12:39:10 AM »

Accuracy. Funny that you should ask. Just Saturday I had my Rossi .357 Lever gun out to the range. It has the sixteen inch barrel. It shoots right where it is pointed. Handy little item.

Quote

I have never bothered with trying to shoot groups with my levers. I zero them in, and use them.

I read that a lot. I haven't benched it ever. I set the sights and shoot. If I stand still enough, the bullets hit what I am aiming at. 100 yards is as far as I have shot the thing.
Years ago, when Rossi first offered this rifle, American Rifleman did a test for their Dope Bag. They got consistent four inch groups at 100 yards with the carbine.

Reloading - OK, I'll bite. Where do you find load data that will give you 2000 fps with a 158 grain bullet from one of these guns? I just looked through Hornady, Hodgdon, Speer, Sierra, Lee, Lyman, and Accurate manuals. The closest that I found was 1963 fps in the Accurate manual. All the others were 1800 fps and down.
Is that Accurate loading (15.0 grains of AA#9) the one that you fellas are using? It is the one that I load but I have not chrono'd it.
Pete

reliquary · « **Reply #10 on:** May 11, 2011, 03:46:45 AM »

Mattri-

If you're thinking about another caliber, I vote for the .45 Colt. I have a stainless Puma carbine. It's as accurate as these old, tired eyes can manage without optics. It likes the Lee 452230 truncated cone/SWC with factory-ball-equivalent amounts of powder and the Keith-style 250 with 8.5 grains of Unique.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #11 on:** May 14, 2011, 02:51:58 PM »

I have had excellent luck with LilGun and 158 JSP's in the 357 mag. After reading an artical done by Brian Pierce in Handloader magazine and seeing what the pressure is for the top book load listed by Hodgdon, I followed Brians lead and uped the charge 1.0gr. I'm not telling anyone else to do it, but I have used it in 2 revolvers and 6 rifles without any issues or shortened case life. Use your own judgement on this, it is over book on Hodgdon, their top load is listed at 25,800 CUP for LilGun, 40,700CUP for 110/296 powder and 42,600 cup for the top load listed for 4227. I have no doubt that load will reach 2,000 fps in the 24" barrel. DP

jlchucker · « **Reply #12 on:** May 15, 2011, 07:25:32 AM »

Quote from: Dee on May 02, 2011, 03:29:06 AM

Mine is way under 3"s according to what kinda day I'm havin. A lever action was never really intended to be a bench rest rifle, and it won't usually shoot with a bolt or single shot rifle unless the single shot is something like a handy rifle.
I have never bothered with trying to shoot groups with my levers. I zero them in, and use them.

Same here. My 357 is a using piece--my truck gun. It does what I ask when I need it, and provides me fun and satisfaction at plinking distances at my club range--mostly with cast bullets, of course.

dpe.ahoy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 05, 2011, 03:13:27 PM »

My 20" went out to play this weekend. Now I was cheating, she wears a Burris 2 3/4 power scout mounted scope set dead on at 100 yd. Putting the point of the wide part of the bottom retical on top of a rock 6" (roughly) across leaned up against the edge of the field, I broke it with the first shot. I have pounded a larger rock to pieces with this rifle on that edge, put this one on edge standing up and had my buddy use 2 rangefinders to set the distance. 202 yds with the Bushnell 450 and 203.5 yd with the Nikon 1200. MagTech factory 158gr. soft points. (Yah, I was lazy and left after work Friday). Know your rifle, your ammo and your range along with the anatomy of the animal you are hunting, and the 357 in a rifle will cleanly take deer for you farther than most think. DP

ace1001 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 08, 2011, 12:02:30 PM »

I have 3, 45s both rifle and carbine and one .357 carbine. The .357 is by far the most fun. It is as easy as a 22 and therefore more accurate standing. I consider it a 150 meter gun and the handloaded .45 a 200m gun, but you will have a lot of drop. 13.5g of AA9 will give 1550fps. Lead bullets w/o gas check should stay under 1600fps to avoid leading. I shoot a Lee 158g bullet with a wide meplat flat nose or inexpensive Ranier Ballistics hollowpoints. Ace1001

Hank08 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 30, 2011, 12:35:54 PM »

Most of the Rossi levers and capable of 1 1/2" to 2"groups at 100 with the right load and shooter. I have some old ones (30 yrs. or so) and some newer ones. They all shoot in the 1 1/2 to 2" size, iron sights from the bench.
H08

lakota · « **Reply #16 on:** August 11, 2011, 12:01:22 PM »

I have the 16" Legacy Puma version. I put a marbles tang and post front site on it. I find it difficult to shoot it from a bench. I was bench shooting it today at 25 yards with crappy results. I got fed up with it and started shooting off hand braced against a post and started getting consistent clover leaf groups. I have had it for 3 years but havent shot it much. After today I think I am going to start playing with it a little more

Mikey · « **Reply #17 on:** August 13, 2011, 02:06:43 AM »

Lakota: I have the 20" standard rifle version in 357 and it is quite accurate with everything I throw down the barrel. I load heavy swc slugs for my magnum revolver and the M92 just eats them right up and shoots them all right where I point the barrel. I would love to play with this one some more and will, now that my brother in law has cast out some really nice slugs for me to reload........ I'll have a whole bunch loaded up for when (whenever) he comes to visit..... then the fun begins....

S.S. · « **Reply #18 on:** October 29, 2011, 02:52:26 PM »

it is possible to squeak 2000 fps out of a .357 carbine with a duplex powder charge
but I think Mr. Graybeard would frown on passing on this kind of load data. These kind of loads
are not really practical as the faster a 158 grain .357 bullet is driven, the less accurate they seem to get. I have fired them from a .35 remington and it was a waste of powder and shot. no accuracy at all.
And yes I realize they should have been .358 dia.

oldhunter · « **Reply #19 on:** November 01, 2011, 01:23:10 AM »

I recently bought Rossi M92 in .357 with a 20" barrel and after over 200 rounds of various ammo have determined that this shoots best with Buffalo Bore 180 gr hard cast and Hornady LeveRevolution 140 gr ammo. Using a bench with factory sights (poor) and my 68 year old eyes, at 50 yards it shot dead center under 2" and at 100 yards I can keep all shots on a 6" bull. With aftermarket sights it should do better. Excellent rifle for $400. Plan on using for deer in a couple of weeks.

oldhunter

mattri · « **Reply #20 on:** December 23, 2011, 01:23:19 PM »

oldhunter, did you ever get a chance to try the rifle on game?

P38 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 24, 2011, 06:15:50 PM »

Mattri

My wife bought me a Winchester 92 in 25-20wcf for my birthday this year.

Your not wrong ............... She's a keeper alright.

I have developed a 60gr Hornady FP load that is showing surperb accuracy at 100 meters as can be seen here.

Not too fly blown for a 110 year old rifle being operated by a shakey old blind bugger trying to see the approximate location of the target aim point using the original buckhorn sights and yanking on the trigger while trying to stand on uneven slippery ground in the face of a howeling cross wind and hypersonic driving rain at dusk.

Cheers
P38

Greg B. · « **Reply #22 on:** January 06, 2012, 11:03:43 AM »

I have a Legacy Puma made by Rossi with the 24" octagonal barrel. I use the Lyman 358477A a plain base semi wadcutter for cowboy action shooting over a small charge of Bullseye powder. For this purpose the gun functions reliably and I am a slow shooter so mostly hit what I aim at in the fun shoots. However I have not shot this gun at 100 yds. and there is a reason. At 25 yds. groups average 2" X 3" even with some jacketed loads that I tried. However I like this gun and am going to try a few things to get some reasonable 38 special velocity groups at 100 yds.

First, Legacy sent me a tall front sight which got it on paper at 25 yds.

Second, I purchased a fire lapping kit from Veral Smith and will give it this treatment.

Third, I am going to get a Lee 125 grn. round nose flat point bullet mold and see if these work for low velocity loads. Since this rifle has a 1 in 30 something twist a light fat bullet might be more accurate at 100 yds.

After this it will just be load development. Some people are reporting 1" groups and I hope I can get something close. This is just my experience and I do not believe it is representative of what to expect from all Rossi rifles.

Greg B.

454Puma · « **Reply #23 on:** January 13, 2012, 02:27:16 PM »

I get 1-2.5" groups with my scoped Marlin CBL depending on the shooter at 100 yards.

It loves the Lee cast 158 gr.

Deerhunter#1 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 28, 2012, 12:36:12 PM »

I went to order a 357 stainless today and the distributor that most dealers in the state use told us that they have not been able to get one of these guns since december. I wanted the stainless 24 octagon. Maybee someone can clarify but its states in the dealer book that the octogon barrel is drilled and taped. Is that on the barrel for a scout base or on the receiver. I really want a 357 but i did find a 44 20 inch stainless. I hope I can control myself and wait for the 357.

pricedo · « **Reply #25 on:** March 29, 2012, 12:14:44 PM »

Quote from: Deerhunter#1 on February 28, 2012, 12:36:12 PM

I went to order a 357 stainless today and the distributor that most dealers in the state use told us that they have not been able to get one of these guns since december. I wanted the stainless 24 octagon. Maybee someone can clarify but its states in the dealer book that the octogon barrel is drilled and taped. Is that on the barrel for a scout base or on the receiver. I really want a 357 but i did find a 44 20 inch stainless. I hope I can control myself and wait for the 357.

I have 3 legacy Rossi Puma 92s (NO SAFETY) in .357 Mag, .44 Mag & .454 Casull......the 357 & 44 are 16" & the .454 Casull which will shoot .45 LC is a 20".
All 3 are shooters and give me 1.5" - 2"@ 50 yard or better groups off sand bags.
Can't beef about that kind of performance from budget priced leverguns.

Lonegun1894 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 08, 2012, 03:03:29 AM »

I have a 20" round barrel .357 and a 20" round barrel .45 Colt, and both will do 1.5"-2-5" the vast majority of the time, with my groups opening to 3.5-4" when I am having a bad day. All I use anymore is my cast loads as jacketed didn't give me good accuracy, (3-5" at 25yds). My loads all use either a Lee 158gr RNFP over 7.0 grs Unique for the light load that I plink with and that my girlfriend also uses in her Rossi 92 .357 20", and the Lee 158gr SCWGC over some 2400 that exceeds some book recipes slightly but gives me no pressure signs in my rifle or any of my .357 revolvers. Both loads give me equal accuracy, but two very distinct groups at 100yds due to the velocity difference. I have tried playing with these .357 loads at 200 yds, but it's been just once so far, and the rifle managed to keep everything in a 5" group, but until I try again and do it more consistently, I dont know if that was a fluke, or if I can improve on it. And this is all with the issue irons these guns come with. So I dont think you can really go wrong with one after buying the three above and all doing this well.

oldhunter · « **Reply #27 on:** May 27, 2012, 03:47:28 PM »

I was rereading this old post and saw that I never answered Mattri who asked if I ever shot a deer with this M92. The answer is yes, a 4 pointer at about 60 yards with Hornady LeveRolution. Through and through and dropped in less than 20 yards. Kicked a couple times and that was that. Will continue to use this rifle when the circumstances are favorable.

oldhunter