Rossi 45 colt ballistic help

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Wendyj

New member
I've been shooting 45 colt vaquero and wanting a rifle to match it. Old Marlins way too expensive and the Henry being a nice rifle is on the heavy side. I'm loading some 260 grain lead with 7 grains of unique. Havent chrono graphed yet. I had a Rossi in 357 and got rid of it because it would only cycle 38 special. My back range offers some 34-100 yard shots. Can't scope it so old eyes are going to have to zero at 25 yards and was wondering drop at 50-75 and 100. Didn't buy it today until I could do a little research and check here to see if anyone has any experience with the 45 and the Rossi out to 100.
 
I have been shooting A 20 inch round barreled SS Rossi 1892 Lever Gun in 45LC for many years now. And I have never had any type of problem with it. I Cowboy Shoot with it, shoot steel silhouettes, and hunt Deer and Pigs with it. I have killed a few pigs out to about the 100 yd line. But normally much closer like 25 to 75 yds. I use 250gr to 255gr Hard Cast LRNFP bullets and WIN-231 powder. I also use either Ruger Blackhawks or Ruger Vaqueros in 45LC, with the same load. They work very well for me, and I can hit a beer can at a 100yds without much problem. I really have never shot any paper targets at a 100 yds with my Rossi 45LC. If I could answer any more of Your question. It would be my pleasure.
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You just have to try it and see, WendyJ. If you were me, that would be more like 8.5 grains of Unique under that bullet. But whatever works for you. I have the Marlin Cowboy with 24" octagon barrel, and the original Vaquero. I put a Marbles tang aperture sight on my Marlin, along with a Lyman aperture front sight.
 
I was going to go with 8 grains of unique but it's the first batch I loaded so I backed off a grain for safety factor for myself. Vaquero recoil is good with 7 grains and I plan to load the next batch hotter.
 
Anyone know the bore diameter of the Rossi 92 in 45 colt. I did go buy the 20 inch stainless model and popped a few shot with the 260 and 275 grain lead out at 20 yards or so. Seems dead on and makes a big hole. Now got to get a tang flip up peep so I can see the front sight if one will fit. Front sight is ok but rear a little fuzzy. Getting old sucks.
 
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I went with a Marbles full buckhorn on my Rossi in 44-40. You can use it as a ghost ring so it doesn't matter if it gets fuzzy.


buckhorn.jpg
 
No experience with a .45 Colt Rossi, but I am very interested in hearing what others have experienced with accuracy and group sizes. One review I read about the .45 Colt chambered Rossi claimed "expect 5 MOA with loads it likes."

If anybody is getting 2 MOA at 100 yards with their Rossi .45 Colt, please let me know as that is acceptable accuracy to me. 5 MOA may as well not even have rifling.
 
Yeh, it would be. Depending on what I am slinging through my AR , 2 to even 4 MOA is acceptable to me. To be fair, I just don't care enough about it to try for better. I imagine that with some match grade stuff I could get around 1.5 MOA.
I am curious enough that next time I am at the range I will give my 16" R92 in .44mag a go.
 
I'm sure hoping for half of 5 moa. I'll sell mine if that's the best it will do. Ill try some different bullets and loads first.
 
I'm sure hoping for half of 5 moa. I'll sell mine if that's the best it will do. Ill try some different bullets and loads first.
Click to expand...

I'm sure it will do much better than that.
 
2.5 inch group at 100yds with hs6 loaded warm. 20 barrel.
I use a small reflex sight. Took the factory sight off. Couldn't see it well.
 
^ That's another thing, I don't think Buckhorn sights give the best sight picture and I believe that the factory sights were all that were used to test accuracy in the review I linked to. Not 100% sure on that.

I think Skinner peep sights are wayyyy better and pretty much every lever gun I will ever own will be fit with Skinner sights.
 
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