38+P in a Rossi '92

[vaughn357]

I've been shooting a new Rossi '92 with 38 Specials. I was surprised how well the rifle shoots and really enjoy it.
What I'm wanting to know is will the rifle shoot 38 +P without any problems.
Also curious what cartridges are being used for deer hunting and the range y'all feel the round is capable of for a clean kill.

Thanks for any advise.

[Old Ironsights]

I've been shooting a new Rossi '92 with 38 Specials. I was surprised how well the rifle shoots and really enjoy it.
What I'm wanting to know is will the rifle shoot 38 +P without any problems.
Also curious what cartridges are being used for deer hunting and the range y'all feel the round is capable of for a clean kill.

Thanks for any advise.

Unless it's manufactured for one of the South American "no magnums in civilized hands" countries It's designed for .357

.38 +P is lower pressure than .357, so, in 2 words - No Problem.

BUT, IMO, unless you are already heavily invested in .38 (for instance you reload .38 because you have a bunch of .38 pistols & no .357 pistols) I see no reason to shoot .38s in a Rossi 92. There's not enough price difference between the two OEM rounds. The Rossis were designed for .357 and work best with them. If you need lower recoil (which is negligible with .357 anyway) just download your cartridges.

As for deer? In most places in the US the .38, +P or no, would not be allowed, and I wouldn't use them anyway unless I had no .357s handy.

In those places where .357 is "allowed", it does a fine job out to the 100yd range. I've taken 5, one shot deer with mine at ranges from 30yds to 110yds with no woundings.

I use 180gr Buffalo Bore (or handload equivelent) cartridges.

[gak]

+1 what Old Ironsights said. There were a few (darn few that I can tell) discretly .38-chambered Rossis in the Interarms era. A friend has one. Could be yours is one of? Even if so, +P should be no problem.

[Griff]

I see you say, "new" rossi mdl 92. If that being the case, then there's no good reason why +Ps wouldn't be perfectly acceptable in your rifle. I have certainly shot LOTS of my old department +Ps out of mine! IIRC, we'd get issued new ammo about every 6 months... the turn-in ammo would get shot up and the range and the brass reloaded for practice and qualifying ammo... all 158gr +P, reloads with lead, and new ammo JHPs.

Ah, them were the days... gettin' paid to shoot!

[Tycer]

+P is a misnomer. Anything less is loaded below SAAMI specs for the .38 Special cartridge.

[Leverdude]

OI, where wouldnt he be able to use 38s? Most places I'm familiar with care about caliber in relation to dia only. Not saying it makes sense or that I'd do it but for instance in CT I cant use a 223, but I could use a 25 ACP. Our regs say 6mm-243 or larger. At any rate I agree about foregoing 38's altogether & just useing mild 357. Thats what I do now 99% of the time, they always go all the way thru my targets.

[AJMD429]

OI, where wouldnt he be able to use 38s? Most places I'm familiar with care about caliber in relation to dia only.

In Indiana, the cartridge case length is a factor, and .38 Special wouldn't be allowed.

The other issue would be if a person had a stout .38 Special handgun, which could handle "+P" loads, and wanted to use the same ammo in rifle and handgun.

+P is a misnomer. Anything less is loaded below SAAMI specs for the .38 Special cartridge.

I didn't know that... What are the specs then, for 'regular', "+P", and "+P+"...?

[Old Ironsights]

OI, where wouldnt he be able to use 38s? Most places I'm familiar with care about caliber in relation to dia only. Not saying it makes sense or that I'd do it but for instance in CT I cant use a 223, but I could use a 25 ACP. Our regs say 6mm-243 or larger. At any rate I agree about foregoing 38's altogether & just useing mild 357. Thats what I do now 99% of the time, they always go all the way thru my targets.

Better recheck your regs...

CT regs:

Rifles and Handguns- Rifles or handguns using ammunition larger than .22 caliber rimfire long rifle cartridges are prohibited on state-owned land. Rifles or handguns of any caliber are prohibited on State-leased and Permit-Required Hunting Areas (see Permit-Required and State-Leased Hunting Area sections for exceptions). The use of rifles or handguns to hunt turkeys, waterfowl, or any other federally regulated migratory game bird (except crows) is prohibited. Hunting on private land with ammunition larger than .22 caliber rimfire long rifle during the private land shotgun/rifle deer season is prohibited unless the user has a valid private land deer season permit and landowner consent form. The use of rifles or revolvers to hunt deer is subject to additional restrictions (see Private Land Shotgun/Rifle Season). The use of ammunition larger than .22 caliber rimfire long rifle to hunt raccoon or opossum at night is prohibited. A person using a handgun for hunting must possess any required state/town permits to carry. Note that it is legal to use .17 caliber rimfire firearms in all situations where it is legal to use .22 caliber rimfire long rifle firearms.

"Private Land Shotgun/Rifle season (deer)

Legal Firearms: 12, 16, or 20 gauge breech loading shotgun loaded with single soft alloy projectile ammunition. Rifled or smoothbore barrels allowed. Shotgun must not be capable of holding more than 3 shells. Centerfire rifle 6mm (.243 caliber) or larger or revolver .357 caliber or larger may be used if the landholding is 10 or more acres and the landowner has authorized use on the consent form. To use a revolver, you must also have Revolver Deer Endorsement for the current season. No minimum acreage required for shotguns.

Most states have an OAL/case OAL restriction specifically to prevent people from using .32acp or the like on deer... (who has a .25acp/.32acp rifle?)

.357 is usually about as short as they will allow.

[tman]

I've been shooting a new Rossi '92 with 38 Specials. I was surprised how well the rifle shoots and really enjoy it.
What I'm wanting to know is will the rifle shoot 38 +P without any problems.
Also curious what cartridges are being used for deer hunting and the range y'all feel the round is capable of for a clean kill.

Thanks for any advise.

Unless it's manufactured for one of the South American "no magnums in civilized hands" countries It's designed for .357

.38 +P is lower pressure than .357, so, in 2 words - No Problem.

BUT, IMO, unless you are already heavily invested in .38 (for instance you reload .38 because you have a bunch of .38 pistols & no .357 pistols) I see no reason to shoot .38s in a Rossi 92. There's not enough price difference between the two OEM rounds. The Rossis were designed for .357 and work best with them. If you need lower recoil (which is negligible with .357 anyway) just download your cartridges.

As for deer? In most places in the US the .38, +P or no, would not be allowed, and I wouldn't use them anyway unless I had no .357s handy.

In those places where .357 is "allowed", it does a fine job out to the 100yd range. I've taken 5, one shot deer with mine at ranges from 30yds to 110yds with no woundings.

I use 180gr Buffalo Bore (or handload equivelent) cartridges.

Well said!

[Old Ironsights]

I've been shooting a new Rossi '92 with 38 Specials. I was surprised how well the rifle shoots and really enjoy it.
What I'm wanting to know is will the rifle shoot 38 +P without any problems.
Also curious what cartridges are being used for deer hunting and the range y'all feel the round is capable of for a clean kill.

Thanks for any advise.

Unless it's manufactured for one of the South American "no magnums in civilized hands" countries It's designed for .357

.38 +P is lower pressure than .357, so, in 2 words - No Problem.

BUT, IMO, unless you are already heavily invested in .38 (for instance you reload .38 because you have a bunch of .38 pistols & no .357 pistols) I see no reason to shoot .38s in a Rossi 92. There's not enough price difference between the two OEM rounds. The Rossis were designed for .357 and work best with them. If you need lower recoil (which is negligible with .357 anyway) just download your cartridges.

As for deer? In most places in the US the .38, +P or no, would not be allowed, and I wouldn't use them anyway unless I had no .357s handy.

In those places where .357 is "allowed", it does a fine job out to the 100yd range. I've taken 5, one shot deer with mine at ranges from 30yds to 110yds with no woundings.

I use 180gr Buffalo Bore (or handload equivelent) cartridges.

Well said!

It IS my favorite gun/round...

[Johnnyjr]

Them 38+p will kill a deer easily at 50 yards. Use a good bullet and practice a lot to put that bullet in the boiler room... Pay no attention to what others say. They never did it.. so you be the first...

[AJMD429]

.
Always fun to see an old thread churn to the surface...

Certainly some things never change, and it's always shot placement number one, bullet construction number two, TKO or some similar energy factor number three. A 0.05 cal steel sewing needle in the CNS with enough energy to get there will likely result in DRT.