Rossi 16" lever, range trip , bulged brass ???

[green grunt]

OK , finely got the Rossi 16" Lever action to the range , shot very well ..

38spl shot to point of aim at 25yds , about a 1.5-2" groups , 130grn FMJ's factory ammo.
357mag shot dead on at 50yds , could not ask for better with my old eyes..
all fed and fired and ejected well , about 6 ' behind me at 5'clock

but...the 357mag ammo , factory 158grn JSP had a problen..yes..no ??
the brass was bulged at the base of every round , no sigh of primer back out or primer piercing , just a slight bulge at the base...I don't reload and only use factory ammo ..see photo..

should I worry or just shoot it and enjoy ?

what say all-u-all ?

[sghart]

Unfortunately this is very common for Rossi's.

(NOTE!!! I didn't say ALL ROSSI'S. Just some of them. So all of you Rossi lovers please step back. I know of what I speak, I have owned Rossi's for a long time.)

My latest purchase was a Citadel Levtac 92 in 357 magnum. These are made in the same CBC factory as Rossi's.

It bulged the brass so bad from an over-sized chamber that I sent it back under warranty and they sent me a new rifle. (For those interested I can detail my experience with the process but I will leave it out for now. And since the Rossi's go back to a different place for warranty repair than Levtac's then the comparison may be invalid.)

The new rifle still bulges brass a little more than I like but I have decided to just keep the brass fired in the Levtac separated from the other brass. The Levtac is such a nice, smooth and accurate rifle that I will live with it.

So you have a few options:

If it is new then send it back under warranty.

If that is not an option then keep your brass separate from the others and watch for splits and case head separation.

Fire factory ammo only once and then discard the brass.

Just shoot and reload and not worry but keep your eye on the brass.

This experience did not stop me from buying another Rossi in 45 Colt. Another superb rifle. Very accurate and no brass problems.

The new CBC rifles are the smoothest I have owned in 30 plus years.

This is a timely post. I was planning on doing a test on my next range trip later this week. I am going to do before and after case diameter measurements on rounds fired in my Levtac and compare them with rounds fired in my two Marlin 1894's. If you like I will PM you the results.

[golfish]

OP, is your Rossi and Stainless steel model?

[green grunt]

^ blued model... remember the one with the strange wood on the buttstock ...that be the one...lol

it shoots so darn well I don't know if I want to send it back...never know what I might get back...

[BOBGBA]

...I was planning on doing a test on my next range trip later this week. I am going to do before and after case diameter measurements on rounds fired in my Levtac and compare them with rounds fired in my two Marlin 1894's. If you like I will PM you the results.

Please post the results for all to see..
Thanks

[OLD_skool454]

I have the same situation but with my citadel levtac's and a Winchester 73. I just resize, load, and fire away. I do inspect my brass between firings and prior to reloading, but then again...I am not loading hot loads.

[LAKA90034]

If you don't reload the brass...it's a pretty safe bet that you're never going to have to worry.

I'd say just shoot and enjoy....and check a few pieces of brass whenever you take it out.

[Spyder]

Does it seem to just be the newer ones? I've got a ~12 or so years old stainless 16" Rossi 38/357 I haven't noticed that with yet but also never looked.

[Cowboy T]

That happened to one of mine as well. Yes, Rossi warrants this. Call them.

[W.R.Buchanan]

OK,,, the chamber is NOT RIGHT! Send it back with a few pieces of fired brass nd make them replace the barrel!

The fact that you don't reload makes no difference. Someone else might pick up that brass and reload it and have a major problem. You should not want that to occur?

Just get the gun fixed so it is right. Then everyone will be happy.

Option "B" sell it and buy a new Marlin 1894 when they come out with the .357's It will be 3 times the gun for less than twice the price.! The .44's and .45-70's are beautiful guns. Just saw a 1895 SBL Blued with Brown Laminate Wood and it was a Really Nice Looking Gun, and it ran Smooth as Glass right out of the box!

Randy

[sealocan]

I'll just suggest that if you have decided not to send it back at least give them a call and let them know that you, like many other people, are having the same problem.

Hear what they suggest you do and even if you decide to not send it back to them or even if they tell you it doesn't need a repair at least you know that they know that they have not fixed this known problem.
You might even get a free barrel mailed to your home if you play your cards right And if they have a policy that allows them to do something like that.
But they need to know about it because something at the factory and their quality control systems are broken.

[SG29736]

Is the problem visible in the chamber. Ive had brass in other calibers that had a bulge the seems similar. The sizing die worked the casefar enough down to get rid of the bulge.

[green grunt]

OK...sent a service request to Rossi , have not got back to me yet , guess I'll take the chance that what comes back is better then what went back

Thanks for the help/info

[ar15barrels]

UI am going to do before and after case diameter measurements on rounds fired in my Levtac and compare them with rounds fired in my two Marlin 1894's.

This:

Please post the results for all to see..
Thanks

[sghart]

I made it to the range today. I had a chance to try two different load levels in three rifles. Two Marlin 1894's, one JM and one Remington. The third rifle was My Citadel Levtac 92. All three chambered for 357 magnum.

I used the same bullet for both loads, a self cast RCBS 38-162 SWC, gas checked and sized to .358". They weigh around 173 gr with gas checks and lube.

The two loads were 12.5 gr of 2400 which gives me around 1500 fps. And 14 gr of 2400 which is just shy of 1700 fps, something like 1680-1690 on average.

All of the rounds were loaded in previously fired Starline brass, sized and trimmed to 1.280".

All of the cases were measured at the base just above the rim. I tried to rotate the rounds and measure at six equal points. The unfired rounds measured .379"-.380" consistently around the circumference.

After firing in both Marlins the brass looked fine, no shiny ring was visible and the measurement was .381" consistently for the mid-power load and .383" consistently for the full power load.

The Levtac was different.

The midpower load went something like this: .382", .382", .383", .383",.383" and .382" A slight bump and ring were visible.

On the full power load it was: .383", .384", .385", .386", .386", ..384".

I repeated these measure on several cases. Also this is a replacement rifle that was sent to me when my first one was unacceptable. The first rifle bulged brass so bad it looked like a blood blister or a weak spot in a tire sidewall.

I have to post some caveats.

I am not an engineer or a machinist. My micrometer is my trusty Scherr-Tumico that I have had since my Harley building days in the 80's.

This was by no means a scientific test. It was riddled with variables. It was meant for entertainment purposes only and for the general enlightenment of my fellow shooters.

It does look like my Levtac has an egg shaped chamber near the mouth. If this was done to aid feeding I don't know. Maybe it was bad tooling, bad machining, etc. I will leave that for the experts.

Also, I realize that the OP was discussing his Rossi and not a Levtac. ( I happen to believe they are one and the same but on a previous call to Legacy in Reno the gunsmith said they are not connected. Right......)

I will keep this rifle. It is smooth and functions perfectly. It pains me to say this but it is just as accurate as my Marlins (I am a diehard Marlin fan.) Maybe more so.

I will keep the brass separate and mark each case when it is fired and do a long term test for case separation.

To the OP. I would suggest that you return your rifle for a new barrel if that is an option.

As a final note. I have a brand new Rossi 92 in 45 Colt. All 45 Colt rifles are known for generous chamber dimensions and mine is no different. But the brass resizes easily and I have at least 8 firings on my Starline brass and other than a little scorching at the mouth they look great.

I hope this helps.