Ammo for Rossi 1892 44 magnum

A

agent00

New member
Hi guys I am about to get a Rossi 1892 in 44 magnum and also for self defense.

Why lever action rifle for self defense you may ask. Well here in Austria it is quite tricky to get a decent semi auto rifle in 223 rem so I need to be a bit more old school.

The main purpose is fun shooting and plinking anwyway but I prefer owning a rifle that can be used for different purposes as well.

But ok back to my question. Does anybody here has experience with Rossi? Is there anything to note ammo wise when using the Rossi? Do have any problems with certain type of ammo or they work fine with everything?

The ammo choice of 44 magnum is not that waste in Austria so I am going to either use 180 grain sjhp or 240 shp from s&b, fiocchi, ppu. Under normal circumstances you would also get some 180 grain rounds from Federal but US ammo is quite are to get at the moment.
 
With the extra barrel length you probably won't need to drop to a 180gr bullet. The added velocity increase with either a 16 or 20 inch barrel will help 240gr expansion.
I use a .357 Marlin, but have had 44 mags by Browning and Marlin. My usual load was 240gr.
 
I had a Rossi in .454 Casull. The rifle was fine, but too light for that huge recoil, it would make me see stars. In .44 Magnum it would be a handy rifle for hunting deer or elk in woody areas.

I would use 240 grain loads.

You'll find that the wood and workmanship are not top rate, but mine functioned very well and was good value for it's price.
 
I think 44 magnum is a great caliber for your Rossi. As far as the rifle itself many people like it and many hate it. My thoughts are very simple, they wouldn't still be in business if their product was unworthy. Also the lever action rifle is a very versatile firearm.
 
Thanks a lot for the answers. Yes using 240 grain loads makes a lot of sense. As you guys said with the extra vel out the longer barrel they should work fine. 240 grain loads are also the easiest one to get which is another big plus.

@stinkeypete That's interesting. Did not know that there such a thing as a lever action in 454 casul. Always though that 44 mag was the biggest pistol rifle caliber that was used in lever actions.

Never though of getting one though because 454 casul ammo is a very rare animal to find in Austria and I also suspected that such lever action rifles are bit too light to shoot the big 454 casual comfortably.
 
I have a Rossi in .44 magnum with a 16 inch barrel and it’s run without a problem since I got it three years ago. Fit and finish aren’t perfect but I got it to shoot, not admire. I hand load and use magnum and special cases and a variety of FMJ and cast lead styles.The only reliability issues, in over 3000 rounds, were shooter induced, namely failing to push the lever all the way forward on the recock/ejection stroke. Very pleased with it.
 
I own one in .44 mag. Mine is the Cowboy model with the octagon 24” barrel, which is very accurate and feeds with any ammo I spot in it, including.44 special
 
I have two of them, it will tame a thumping 240 gr bullet just fine, in fact both my guns really like 240 gr warm loads, don't be afraid to shoot powerful cartridges with it. For a lightweight, powerful, quick on target carbine it can't be beat, though quality control in manufacturing can be sketchy, both of mine needed lots of work but was worth it IMO. You'll like it, no worries.:)
 
I owned a 16” stainless Rossi in .44 for quite some time, loved the rifle and it shot and ran well. I didn’t sell it, lost it in a burglary. I used some 225 grain copper rounds for hunting, and the hornady lever evolution ammo was so hot it wasn’t enjoyable to shoot.

Side note: using cowboy action ammo made it essentially my kids’ favorite rifle. I was using HSM cowboy loads pushing 200 grain lead round nose bullets at 900 FPS. Really low recoil and very low report from the muzzle. My kids thought it was great.
 
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