I got a Rossi

[Jack Straw]

Well, I did wind up getting a Rossi lever action in .45LC. I have been casting bullets using the RCBS 45-250FN mold. Upon looking at that bullet for use in a lever action, I have developed some doubts as to if that is a safe bullet to use. It has a flat nose, but the diameter is slightly smaller than the primer it will be bumped up against. Does anyone have experience with that bullet? Thanks again, JS.

 

[El Chimango Pete]

Congratulations and good shooting with the Rossi! - Had the choice between Rossi and Winchester when I was shopping for a 45 lever action: They really compared very well and I got the Win just about 'tossing a coin'

On the semi wad cutter bullet - I use the Lyman 452424 which casts a 255 gn with a very broad flat nose, the weight seems about right for the rifle and though a little heavy for the revolvers it seems ok in my Ruger Vaquero (the Lyman Handbook recommends for Vaquero and Contender only) - since my other 45 is an Uberti I guess it complicates logistics a bit. I don't have an RCBS manual handy but I take it that your mould casts 250 gn - not much difference.

Would a primer fire from a nose slightly smaller? - hardly a 'firing pin' but i guess the risk is there - as it would be, on the other hand, from a litle convexity in the broader nose... someone out there got any suggestions?

Hasta pronto!

El Chimango Pete (aka Peter Knight)
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'A 44 beats 4 aces'

 

[Big Bunny]

No, from tests we(SSAA Lever Action) have done, even a slightly pointed projectile is safe, as long as it is lead, as the strong primer cup needs a "specialised" hit for it to go off.In most tube magazines the rounds are offset anyway and a huge "bear load" would be required to get anywhere near the critical force for a chain fire in a tubular magazine such as a Rossi or Winch/Marlin.
Try an experiment yourself with an old case in a vise and ear/eye/hand protection when you hit your held, slightly pointy projectile upon the primer with a hammer!
We only found it ruined the case.
Makes your aim a lot better to know such things are safe before the match !!(see ssaa.org.au for our website).



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***Big Bunny***

 

[Joe the Redneck]

Big Bunny is right. BTW, lets all take his word for that test

Let us know how it does.

 

[Long Path]

Really, you can perform the test quite safely, by placing a primed case in a vise and then using an unprimed cartridge, held by a pair of vise-grip pliers, as a punch. Put on some good eye protection, and just hammmmmmmer away at that thing, all day long. Take out your big 18 oz. framing hammer and bang down on that squib load's head while the bullet is centered on the primer. You know what's gonna happen? You're going to (A) probably push the bullet into the case, unless you've got a MONGO crimp on it, and (B) *flatten* out that pointy-tipped lead bullet, so that it actually will be as wide or wider than the primer pocket.

Primers detonate from sharply focused strikes driving the cup into the anvil. The primers are brass, the bullet is lead. Guess which is harder?

Rest easy. Have fun. Be safe. (Which it sounds like you intend to do. Excellent.)

[This message has been edited by Long Path (edited August 31, 1999).]

 

[Mal H]

Along the same lines, I had some a few primed 44 Mag cartridges and I wanted to change the primer, for what reason I can't remember. This was not a test, I just wanted to remove the primers which you can't do safely if they aren't fired. Since I hate to clean the soot out of my gun after a primer only firing, I thought I would chuck them in a vise and hit them with a center punch and hammer right over the anvil. Taking all safety precautions, and then some, of course. Well, it amazed me how hard it was to get them to go off. It's also amazing how reliable the gun hammer/firing pin is in setting them off each and every time. It became obvious to me that it's the speed of the blow as well as the force and position that counts.

 

[Big Bunny]

I'll drink to that, but be careful with a live primer in a case in a vice with a steel punch blow it CAN indeed make it go off.
Also with more powerful shotgun primers(410) it can blow back and the caspsule can actually come out of the case(+sparks and dust), maybe because the cup/anvil assembly is sometimes a looser fit and bigger than rifle centrefires?
That's when you need gloves and eye /ear protection !

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***Big Bunny***