44Mag Rossi 92 16 inch barrel bear load ?

[wll]

If you were to take your 44 Rossi 92 in brown bear country, what ammo you'll you take or what ammo would you buy ?

Will the Rossi 92 handle the same high power loads as a Ruger Redhawk ?


wll

[Pisgah]

I rarely go to brown bear country, but I think I would look for a bullet of 260 gr. at minimum, with an idea toward penetration rather than expansion. Your 92 is strong enough for any legit .44 mag. load, up to and including the 300 gr. heavy-bullet loads. Only problem you might encounter is that some longer bullets may present feeding problems in some 92s.

[AJMD429]

WARNING: PRETTY SOON SOMEONE IS LIKELY TO COME ALONG AND TELL YOU THAT IS THE STUPIDIST THING YOU COULD EVER DO AND WHY ARE YOU SUCH AN IMBECILE AND SO ON....

Then someone else will tell you something about the gun should have 'rounded edges'. . .

However, I'd agree with Pisgah - a stout load using a heavy-for-caliber bullet in a hard-cast lead seems logical. I would also want to be SURE the cartridge would FEED PERFECTLY though, since a second (or third or fourth or fifth) shot might be needed, and would 'settle' for a 240 grain load if the heavier ones didn't feed perfectly in my particular firearm.

Unfortunately, there is little actual data regarding shooting of bears in the U.S., because it is well known that the firearms of the 19th Century and first half of the 20th Century were useless against them; until the 458 Winchester came about, I'm not sure if anybody ever actually shot a bear with a rifle.

Personally, though I'd not want to go in 'bear country' without a rifle, I'd want to have a handgun along regardless. Sounds like you have that covered, though. I just know my armchair confidence and attitude might be 'recalibrated' if I were alone afield and happened to disturb a large bear; at that point, anything less than a 458 Winchester might still seem too wimpy, even though I know more bears were probably killed by 30-30 and 44-40 and other 'weak' cartridges than all others combined.

[jdad]

WARNING: PRETTY SOON SOMEONE IS LIKELY TO COME ALONG AND TELL YOU THAT IS THE STUPIDIST THING YOU COULD EVER DO AND WHY ARE YOU SUCH AN IMBECILE AND SO ON....

Of course that's the most stupid thing you could do....total overkill. A 22LR through the eye ball is all that is required.

[1886]

I rarely go to brown bear country, but I think I would look for a bullet of 260 gr. at minimum, with an idea toward penetration rather than expansion. Your 92 is strong enough for any legit .44 mag. load, up to and including the 300 gr. heavy-bullet loads. Only problem you might encounter is that some longer bullets may present feeding problems in some 92s.

Yes!! Your 92 will likely, only cycle rounds that are up to 1.60". Many loads that will fit in a Blackhawk cylinder, for example, will not function in your 92. Rossi 92s in proper working order are considered to be very strong. 1886.

[jazman]

Well, at least one good thing is since you live in California you won't see any brown/grizzly bears in the state no matter what gun you carry!

[wll]

Well, at least one good thing is since you live in California you won't see any brown/grizzly bears in the state no matter what gun you carry!

They are there in my mind, I'm also concerned about T Rex, as I leave for work early and I hear they are early morning feeders ----- Lol, Lol.



wll

[7.62 Precision]

WARNING: PRETTY SOON SOMEONE IS LIKELY TO COME ALONG AND TELL YOU THAT IS THE STUPIDIST THING YOU COULD EVER DO AND WHY ARE YOU SUCH AN IMBECILE AND SO ON....

Of course that's the most stupid thing you could do....total overkill. A 22LR through the eye ball is all that is required.

Nose, not eyeball. Eyeball just makes him mad. (Unless you take both, then he is blind and mad.)

The .22 is to shoot your buddy in the leg while you run from the bear.

[J Miller]

wll,

Well since bears are now issued Kevlar vests by the local chapters of PETA you'll need to up your rifle caliber to a Barrett 50 BMG with a 10 round magazine.

Just spoofing.

I wouldn't be afraid to carry any tested and reliable lever gun such as the Rossi you mentioned in any bear populated area.

As for feeding issues, I wouldn't hesitate to pick the rifle and caliber you want then have the gun tuned to feed longer ammo.
I had a Rossi 92 in .45 Colt some years back that came to me new in the box. It would not feed anything. Not even factory ammo. I sent it to M&M Gunsmithing with some sample dummy rounds loaded with Keith bullets. I got the rifle back and it fed the Keith bullet loads like water through a funnel. Also fed anything else I had the opportunity to stuff in it.
Our own Steve Young has a dandy video about tuning your 92s, it's worth the cost to get it.
If you can't do it yourself send the gun to him with sample dummy cartridges and have him tune the rifle to use them. There is an OAL issue, but you can tune them for longer than OEM rounds.

Joe

[wll]

wll,

Well since bears are now issued Kevlar vests by the local chapters of PETA you'll need to up your rifle caliber to a Barrett 50 BMG with a 10 round magazine.

Just spoofing.

I wouldn't be afraid to carry any tested and reliable lever gun such as the Rossi you mentioned in any bear populated area.

As for feeding issues, I wouldn't hesitate to pick the rifle and caliber you want then have the gun tuned to feed longer ammo.
I had a Rossi 92 in .45 Colt some years back that came to me new in the box. It would not feed anything. Not even factory ammo. I sent it to M&M Gunsmithing with some sample dummy rounds loaded with Keith bullets. I got the rifle back and it fed the Keith bullet loads like water through a funnel. Also fed anything else I had the opportunity to stuff in it.
Our own Steve Young has a dandy video about tuning your 92s, it's worth the cost to get it.
If you can't do it yourself send the gun to him with sample dummy cartridges and have him tune the rifle to use them. There is an OAL issue, but you can tune them for longer than OEM rounds.

Joe

As you can guess, I don't plan on getting in a situation of me against brown bear ..

I'm just wanting a heavy load, that won't hurt the gun that I could use in a major time of threat ... this includes big pigs, or ? at less than 50-75 yds, maybe much closer than that !

I have a few Marlin 45-70's, but they are big, I have a Rossi 45-70 and she is light and feels great , but only six rounds ( if that really matters).

I have a few marlin 1894's in .44 and they are very nice,, but my Rossi '92 is way lighter and the 16 inch barrel moves like lightning ! I really like the Rossi '92's

For any one that has not handled the Rossi 92, 16 inch barrel, you are in for a major surprise, what an awesome little gun, small enough for the front seat of your car, small enough for a backpack, yet has enough barrel to reach out and be a major player in stopping big game ! The difference between a 20-18 or 16 inch barrel in a small capacity cartridge like the 44 is very little !

After all, you are getting energy levels at 100 yards that equate to a 44 mag pistol at the muzzle ! That is a potent package for sure !


wll

[wll]

WARNING: PRETTY SOON SOMEONE IS LIKELY TO COME ALONG AND TELL YOU THAT IS THE STUPIDIST THING YOU COULD EVER DO AND WHY ARE YOU SUCH AN IMBECILE AND SO ON....

Then someone else will tell you something about the gun should have 'rounded edges'. . .



.

Folks have told me that all my life, why should I change now ;- )

wll

[Grizz]

do you know the rossi twist rate?

I carry a redhawk in alaska with 405g hard cast running along at 942 fps. This penetrates firewood exactly like my 45/70 heavies. I have not had to kill a bear yet. The other guy who checked out this load penetrated 13 one-gallon jugs of water with a bit more fps. I prefer the slower load, BUT, the redhawk cylinder is undersize and swages the load, robbing some velocity. My load is low pressure and well below the operating zone of redhawks. And mild recoil.

That load will feed thru the miroku Model 92, but the twister is too slow.

It is right up there with original 45/70 terminal ballistics, so if it will work in your gun it should be more than enough... it's MOMENTUM you need to break bones and make CNS shots that actually drop bears, not velocity. It's a proven fact that higher velocity lighter bullets will not penetrate as well as heavy slower velocity bullets..... popcorn time.

I put the details up on this forum years ago, might still be available via search.

[mikld]

From what I can remember, my Puma has a 1-30" twist. We have black bears up in the hills around here, and if I were to go where they are/have been seen lately, I'd take some heavy loads of WC820 under a Ranch Dog 265 gr. RNFP. But when I'm up in the hills, I usually make a bunch of noise and usually ain't too far from my truck (and even at 66, I'm not too slow... ). I think I'd rather avoid a bear than shoot one, besides, what the heck am I gonna do with a dead bear?

[steve817]

besides, what the heck am I gonna do with a dead bear?

Have a great rug!

[1894c]

besides, what the heck am I gonna do with a dead bear?

Have a great rug!

that's a question that I've been asking for years...I can see it now, "yeah, I shot a bear...now what?

[wll]

besides, what the heck am I gonna do with a dead bear?

Have a great rug!

that's a question that I've been asking for years...I can see it now, "yeah, I shot a bear...now what?

I can tell ya I have not inclination on hunting a big brown bear, that is more greasy meat than I can eat in a life time !

The ONLY reason for me to carry a heavy bear load is in case I encounter a big one and he or she is intent on eating me !

At my age (65) I don't need the excitement of having a 1000+ lb Brown/Kodiak bear charging me at 30+ mph, with the intent of ripping me apart !

I would rather be at home, with a vodka in my hands watching Duck Dynasty !


wll

[BigSky56]

a 265 or 300 gr WFN from beartooth bullets will work in your revolver & rifle and will kill any bear that walks build a load for your revolver then use it in the rifle too. Its bullet placement that kills, any DG coming at you needs a cns shot. danny

[wll]

a 265 or 300 gr WFN from beartooth bullets will work in your revolver & rifle and will kill any bear that walks build a load for your revolver then use it in the rifle too. Its bullet placement that kills, any DG coming at you needs a cns shot. danny

Yes, I have been reading and talking to everyone I can get my hands on and they say about the same thing.

The 300gr beartooth looks like a winner, scooting them out at 1550 or above sounds like a potent little package, good for anything I would encounter in my lifetime.


wll

[Blaine]

Garrett .44 Hammerhead. ....word!

[Merle]

From what I can remember, my Puma has a 1-30" twist. We have black bears up in the hills around here, and if I were to go where they are/have been seen lately, I'd take some heavy loads of WC820 under a Ranch Dog 265 gr. RNFP. But when I'm up in the hills, I usually make a bunch of noise and usually ain't too far from my truck (and even at 66, I'm not too slow... ). I think I'd rather avoid a bear than shoot one, besides, what the heck am I gonna do with a dead bear?

Have you ever tried planked bear steak?