Best C.O.L. for Rossi '92 .45 Colt?

[RevJim]

 I got a good deal on a NIB Rossi Puma '92 (20" RB) in .45 Colt, its in route. I sent off to Steve's Gunz for the peep sight/DVD kit too. I shot 250 XTPs in hand loads in a Marlin 94 45 Colt and the Buffalo Bore 325 HCGC factory load. It worked swell in the Marlin, but can the Buffalo Bore 325 cycle through the Rossi '92? I also have some Speer 300 JSP I want to load, what C.O.L. would work best with it...anyone load/use these loads in your '92? Thanks a bunch.

[rod251]

I can't speak for the particular loads you listed, but I shoot 230 grain round nose hand loads in my M92 with an OAL of 1.600". It cycles perfectly with this load.

[RevJim]

 I'm just going to set up some dummy rounds at first, and as soon as it arrives, cycle them through, etc. I'm hoping I can get some heavy lead to cycle, i.e. DoubleTap 335 and the like too. Thanks Pard.

[temmi]

I have been shooting Speer 250g HP
They are stock from the Speer book and work flawlessly
 
Snake
 

[RevJim]

 Picked up the rifle Friday, took it straight over to my smith's with the StevesGunz stuff. I was impressed with fit/finish, felt like a solid little rifle. The action cycled very smooth, of course the extra heavy ejector spring was hard on closing/opening, that will get replaced.
 I found some Buffalo Bore 325s I had left over for my Marlin 1894CB, they measured almost 1.69, so not sure they will work. However, loaded the speer 300JSP to the smaller groove and they ended up a tad less than 1.6, ogive very rounded too, so no reason they shouldn't work. of course, my 250XTPs looked great too. I think I will find a load that is a bit slower for the 250XTP. I had these going a tad over 1700 in the Marlin and the one that killed my mule deer ( hit high shoulder/spine) was all fragmented. I think I'll try 2400 or 4227 with it instead of 296 this time. I'm thinking that 1500 or so is still going to be wicked on deer/coyotes,etc. I will use those 300 speers for serious hunting ( timber deer/hogs/cow elk) What speeds do any of you guys like the 250 XTP to run in a carbine?

[Warboar21]

I have the same rifle and so far I have only one problem with OAL and that was with the Hornady 300gr XTP.  I had them seated out on the rear cannulear for my Ruger revolvers and they were around 1.700".  With the ogive of the bullet the bolt just wouldn't close completely.  I have also loaded up several Cast performance 325gr LBT and 335gr LBT style bullets and have had no issues with them at all. 
For powder I have been using Unique for all my plinking loads with 255gr semi wadcutters and 300gr cast bullets.  For the stout loads I ran out of H110 so I recently bought Win 296 and worked up some loads with it. 
 
These rifles are a lot of fun to shoot and are pretty accurate to boot.

[RevJim]

Thanks, I'd be interested in your COAL with those heavy cast bullets. I too use 296 but with a magnum pistol primer. I am not after super speeds with the heavies, just no need for them and I don't like to get slapped with that straight buttstock, ha. I spoke with marshal Stanton at beartooth and he told me he used his 340 LFN in his Rossi, but he wasn't able to get to his notes as to length, but did use 21.5gr H110. I'm thinking I'll start a bit lower with the Speers, all I want is about 1350 or so out of them. I've decided to go ahead and just load for accuracy with the 250 XTP and if it ends up fast ( the Marlin did), so be it.

[yukondog]

I can't comment on the OAL as I shoot my 45's in a Rossi 454, but my 45lc 250 xtp's are running around 1350 fps through my chrony, at 100 yrds I get full expantion with no cup core separation in wet news paper with AA#9 15.0 grn. 1.60" hope this helps. As always the standered disclaimer apply's, this load is safe in my gun

[RevJim]

Thanks Yukon. I'll get it back pretty soon then I can start working on those loads.  I like to hunt mixed timber out here ( where the Aspens run up against the dark timber) and never got a shot over 100yd, (that was through a small open lane and the doe was standing in a pocket of sunshine, very easy to see) mostly under 75.
When I moved out here to Utah in the early '90s, a friend I met got me into the black powder season ( then it was in November, during the rut) and I shot a .50 cal, fast twist GR barrel in a TC Renegade and peep sight. I loaded the .44 Hornady 240 XTP over 110gr Pyrodex. I never clocked it, but I shot a spike buck right at 150yds up on an open ridge, pole axed him, so I have a high regard for the XTPs. Seems about perfect for a deer bullet in a lever gun to me. Of course, it had slowed down considerable by then, but it opened up fine and was wadded up against the far ribs. Now, I really do want to shoot those Speer 300 Unicores, so hopefully I can use both, as I hunt a lot in black bear country during our rifle season. Yep, I would use that XTP on a P. O'd sow if I had too! lol.

[RevJim]

 I've had the rifle back about a month now, and still have not been to the range! I finally broke down and loaded up some trial loads. Using some once fired Winchester brass, I loaded the Speer 300 (1.6" OL) over some W296 and another batch over 2400. I'm looking for 1300-1500 or so. I also loaded some 250XTP ( also 1.6) over some H4227 to slow it down a tad from my W296 Marlin deer load ( it came apart at 1750) CCI 350 primers for all.
 After my smith gave it the Steve Gunz treatment, this baby will cycle the Buffalo Bore 325 and even some Keith 270 loads! I have a slip on Decelerator pad for the range ( I'm not big on curved steel buttplates, ha) I also have to zero this thing at the same time, adjusting the Steve Gunze bolt peep sight. It looks like its screw will need shortened up some, so we will see.
 Wife is going with the Youth to a weeks camp over in Colorado next week, so I'm taking some "me" time and working on this puppy. I'll try and post some pics then too. This little rifle sure turned out swell, so far.

[RevJim]

 Finally got to the range this week! I was just trying to zero it and then see if my preliminary loads would cycle, didn't set up chrono. I wasn't thrilled with the bolt peep sight from Steve's, as it set up very high, but I was on paper at 50yds with my old Marlin load 250xtp. I set up at 50yds, had to tap over my front sight a tad. My 300 speer loads shot very well, averaged 1" with the both top loads of 296 and 2400, with 2400 being the best rounded group. I will try bumping up the 2400 a bit next time; recoil was minimal, surprisingly, and I had a slip on Limbsaver pad, but it still didn't get all in my face as expected. I cycled and shot one 325 Buffalo Bore round, but it hit very low at 50 (under the target!) and I could see no advantage over the Speer 300, but was pleased it cycled well. In fact, I had no problems at all with this little '92! Very impressed with it. It handles even quicker than the Marlin 94 cowboy, and should be a joy in the woods. Nice to have a "baby" 45-70 in a tiny rifle, lol.
 I them tried the H4227/250XTP and 21gr put me right over and about 2" higher than the best 300 speer loads! I will try it again when I chrono next time. I like my bullets to hit about 1" high at 50yds (which is close to 2" high at 100) and do this with Steve's set-up(.50" front sight/bolt peep) would put the peep far too high. It just looks to me as being too easy to get knocked off.  I decided to have my smith drill/tap put a Winchester '94 Williams FP ( have used these for over 20yrs on other rifles) on the rifle, along with a .450" front, which should make the sights zero a bit closer to the bore and be more robust in the field. I will have a bolt peep for sale afterward, ha. The recoil pad made the LOP more comfortable, but works. In winter, I'll have enough clothes on to work well with the stock LOP.