16" vs 20" Round s Octagon Large loop vs regular.....?

Michael Bear · March 01, 2013, 07:46:29 PM

I'm probably duplicating this thread, but... I have decided to get a Rossi M92 or Winchester in .357magnum.

My only questions are:

1. Whether to get the 16 inch "trapper" model or 20 inch barrel rifle? Advantages of one over the other?

2. Whether the large loop or regular loop is the best purchase?

3. Whether large loop is useful or it's just a Holywood.

Most of my shooting is range and some whitetail hunting. No cowboy action. Most shots inside or around 100m.

Thanks for your feedback

Bear

Bugscuffle · March 01, 2013, 08:31:17 PM

100 m. huh? That's long range for some of us CAS shooters. As far as the barrel length goes, that's strictly personal preference. It will probably effect the number of rounds the magazine will hold. If magazine capacity is a concern for you, you may want to keep that in mind. If you hunt in brush country, you may want the shorter more maneuverable barrel. As to the large loop handle, There are exactly zero practical advantages going for the large loop, but it scores very high in style points. My self I went with probably the least practical barrel length, at least for CAS shooting, a 24' octagon, but DANG! it has class!

Jefro · March 01, 2013, 08:43:06 PM

Iffin it was me I'd get the 20", more accurate but still short enough to handle any where. The large loop lever is totally worthless, nothing but Holywood, and does not allow you to cycle the action like it should. Good Luck

Jefro

Relax-Enjoy

Abilene · March 01, 2013, 10:20:28 PM

The octagon barrel will be a little heavier than a round barrel. Obviously longer will be more accurate to a degree. The large loop is not practical for fast CAS shooting, but it may allow easier use with a gloved hand. If you like it, go for it. The large loop is mostly only found on the '92 carbine, although it can be added to an octagonal '92 rifle (maybe they made some '94's that way, can't recall). A '92 is a good choice for hunting as it is light and has a very strong action.

Michael Bear · March 02, 2013, 06:43:05 AM

I'm partial to round barrel, 20in and regular lever. I'm 5.7" so I don't want to look rediculous with too long barrel. Got my Pennsylvania percusion rifle for that, lol. McCain used 20" and Duke used 16" I guess and those were big guys. I don't know. So hard to decide. They both handle nicely. And both look good. Hmmmmmmm

Bugscuffle · March 02, 2013, 03:56:36 PM

Quote from: Abilene on March 01, 2013, 10:20:28 PM
The octagon barrel will be a little heavier than a round barrel. Obviously longer will be more accurate to a degree. The large loop is not practical for fast CAS shooting, but it may allow easier use with a gloved hand. If you like it, go for it. The large loop is mostly only found on the '92 carbine, although it can be added to an octagonal '92 rifle (maybe they made some '94's that way, can't recall). A '92 is a good choice for hunting as it is light and has a very strong action.

Pard, I don't mean to argue, but the fine point of what you said about the longer barrel being more accurate, just isn't completely correct. The difference in inherent accuracy between the long and short barrels is, I suspect, not even measurable. The longer barrel has a longer sight radius and will be inherently more accurate at a distance, 100 yards or more. The longer sight radius allows for a "finer tuning" of the sight picture, but will be slower to acquire a sight picture at all ranges. He said that he was not interested in CAS, so it appears that he would find the longer barrel more practical for his purposes. He's not going to have to shoot like Lucas McCain. He just wants to be able to put one in the kill zone at 100 yards or so.

Michael Bear · March 02, 2013, 10:22:13 PM

Now who said I will not shoot like Lucas McCain, huh? LOL!!!!!!!
Love that saying of yours. Lucas McCain had 20in barrel on his rifle and I decided I will go with 20" inch round barrel, all blue in .357mag and won't look back.

More than likely, the future will bring a 16" barrel rifle and perchaps some others, but like I said, that's in the future.
I had a chance of buying a octagon barrel with color case hardened frame and butt. I did like the colors, but the barrel for mighty heavy for me and honestly I don't find it that appealing to me. Nothing wrong with it, it's just personal preference. I guess the Hollywood printed that round barrels in my head.

Maybe one day...

Btw, guy on gunbroker sells Winchester 1 of 500, octagon, looks like 18 or 20inch, CCH frame and but. Asking 900.00, look it up boys!

Thank You for your opinions

Six Gun Saint · March 02, 2013, 11:31:29 PM

Honestly, apart from gloved use, the ONLY use I've ever seen a large loop for is spin cocking. A useless party trick, basically.

Or if you ever find yourself riding down a bunch of killers, Colt SAA in one hand, Large Loop Winchester in the other, reins in the mouth...

Anyway, on the Rossi 92, that's what I shoot-.44 Mag/Special. Don't cycle it TOO fast, and you're golden. Cycle it too fast, you'll get a stove pipe where the feed system was designed for a bottle neck cartridge (the Lightning clones that are out there have a similar issue, turns out-there's a thread about it somewhere on here I think).

Anyway, apart from that one glaring issue, making it difficult for me to place high in the CAS matches, it's a great little shooter. Accurate, too, at least at CAS yardage!

Bugscuffle · March 03, 2013, 07:32:08 PM

SixGun Saint - I've found that I get the best results from working the action forcefully. I don't go slowly at all, but i do work the action with authority. The Rossi 92 respects an order delivered with stern message. If you are getting those stovepipes with the .44 Spec. only you might look at an adjustment to the carrier and or the ejector spring. Have you done the Tom's modification to it or replaced the ejector sprin with the lower powered spring? That might cause it to stovepipe if it isn't quite quick enough to eject the spent case before the action closes.

Michael Bear · March 03, 2013, 08:05:44 PM

My 20" .357mag will be on its way tomorrow. Joel Balzac/Ultona at GunBroker sells them at a nice price. Pleasure to deal with.
Anyway. Now, going back to working the action. What do you think will help feeding? Polishing the loading gate maybe?

pony express · March 03, 2013, 09:03:01 PM

My experience with Roosi '92 is same as Bugscuffle's, if you try to "baby" it, it will jam. Not a stovepipe, but the round going into the chamber will jam. Probably wouldn't happen with a bottleneck round. Mine is in .38/.357 and it DOESN"T like .357s! However, mine hasn't been worked on any, just used several years for CAS.

Abilene · March 03, 2013, 09:12:24 PM

Good info on Marauder's website on working on '92's:
http://marauder.homestead.com/Rifles.html

Nate Kiowa Jones has a dvd on slicking the '92 and sells parts:
http://store.stevesgunz.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=14

FriscoCounty · March 04, 2013, 02:05:36 PM

I think that how it feels and handles in your hands is the most important factor when choosing a rifle, however I was interested in how muzzle velocity would be affected by the barrel length. I found this site: http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html .

Basically 16" delivers the overall peak muzzle velocity on .357 Magnum. After that it begins to decline. What I take from that is .357 Magnum is commercially loaded with faster burning powders because it is basically a pistol cartridge. After 16" of barrel the powder has finished combustion and friction begins to take over.