What are your thoughts on the Rossi lever guns?

[Mikej]

We saw a Rossi stainless lever gun in .45 colt today at a show. Just wondering what experiences people have had with these. Wifey was quite enamored with it. Price seemed real good, considering the times. New in box and the action seemed really smooth. Much smoother than the M94 Winchester I recently picked up.
My worry is, if she gets this, that I'll be needing to find a matching stainless single action revolver too somewhere down the line! Also, just what I need, another caliber to find brass and bullets, and dies, for! But I've become pretty fond of historic calibers too.

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[41mag]

I ran a used Rossi 45 carbine hard for nearly a decade at cowboy matches. 2 or more a month, plus sometime loner to some buddies. Never a glitch. A few ammo related out of spec
temporary glitches. Accurate enough with any published component recipe. Only noisome feature is iactio cycled with delicacy of steering a large agricultural farm machine.
Reliable, economical, accurate.

 

[AK0perator47]

@kmk1012 just bought one in 44 magnum and said that he liked it and it was a great rifle

 

[Mikej]

Thanks gents. I'm somewhat ignorant of the Rossi and other "imitations"(?). Not that I know, but my thoughts have me preferring Winchester or Marlin. That Rossi sure felt good though.

 

[CountryGent]

We have two, one in .357 Magnum and the other in .44 Magnum. The former is part of an SBR project, the latter is stock. Like them both, but the .44 in particular. No complaints or major issues. Though I did replace the magazine follower on both from the cheapo plastic one to steel.

 

[dangerranger60]

There are thousands of them used in Cowboy matches without any problems. Most are built on copy's of the Win 92, which is much smoother than a 94 win. If you like historical guns you will like this one. DR

 

[oremike]

I've got the Stainless carbine in 44 Mag, my wife had to have it as well. We've not had a problem with it other than me trying to feed full wadcutters thru it. Stick with the RNFP style bullets and you'll be fine.

 

[boattail]

I have a 38/357 Rossi carbine from the 80's that is a great little lever gun. Accurate and easy to use........my wife has claimed it for her own and let me tell you when she has it in her hands you had better not piss her off.....she is deadly with that gun.

 

[Mikej]

There are thousands of them used in Cowboy matches without any problems. Most are built on copy's of the Win 92, which is much smoother than a 94 win. If you like historical guns you will like this one. DR

That explains the model #. All I know by sight is M73 and M 94. However I did get to hold/fondle an original model 86 today that was manufactured in 1895. Still had the original case hardened in pristine shape. That left something in me. I didn't ask the price.

I've got the Stainless carbine in 44 Mag, my wife had to have it as well. We've not had a problem with it other than me trying to feed full wadcutters thru it. Stick with the RNFP style bullets and you'll be fine.

It makes sense wad cutters might have a feeding issue. This sounds pretty good for Rossi.

It's good to see Wifey get this excited about a gun. I think I'll give the guy a call and see if he still has it. Then, come the search for dies, brass, and projectiles.
@oremike, I noticed on your site that you carry/make .45 colt? What's your thoughts on loading 200 gr plated bullets for .45 Colt. I know it's not traditional, but, that's what I have on hand.

 

[boattail]

Yea, round nose flat nose cowboy bullets in 158g loaded in 38 special don't feed well. Semi wadcutters feed well in both 357 and 38. I did pull a 357 case in half up at camp on Mt Hood when I forgot I had been shooting 38's and never cleaned the chamber when switching to 357's. I won't make that mistake again.

 

[DirectDrive]

Rossi is well-liked.
I like the Marlin and Henry closed top design better though.

 

[ma96782]

In my life time......I was actually the owner of two of those SS lever guns from Rossi.
Yup....internally they were "rough." But well, a gunsmith could help with that. Rrrright?

Actually, even back then......I was contemplating shooting in SASS. And wanted SS guns for the ease of maintenance. Rrrrright, I thought that I could/might get away with less cleaning/maintenance (if I went to BP). Anyway, I bought the first one in 45LC then changed my mind. So I sold it, without firing it. Along with my pair of old style (heavier sized framed) Vaqueros in 45 LC. Rrrrright.....I thought that I'd go with a .38 special/.357 mag combo instead.

So.....I bought another Rossi rifle and a set of SAA Vaquero revolvers too. This time in .38 special/.357 mag.

Well, that didn't work out either. You see, the new (smaller sized frame Vaqueros) came out right about then. So.....I sold all of that off. Yeah, without firing them either.

Mad at myself......I shot my old SAA Colts in .38 special/.357 Mag for awhile, along with a Marlin 1894 in .38 special/.357 Mag. That was back in Hawaii. And YES, the Marlin's action is much smoother vs the Rossi's action.

Later, I moved to WA (2005) and continued with my Colts and Marlin. BTW, a new Marlin was cheap back then. You could even find them frequently advertised on sale at Big 5.

Later still, I changed again. This time, it was to a used pair of Ruger new model Vaqueros in .38 special/.357 Mag. So then, the Marlin and the pair of Rugers are still with me to this day.

BTW......I also owned a used Rossi (clone of the Win '92) in blued steel that I also sold off rather quickly without firing it. IIRC...that one had the safety on the top of the bolt. IMHO......ugly as sin.

Aloha, Mark

PS....don't get me wrong. I've known of a particular SASS competitor that has/was (as he now is R.I.P.) very successful with his .45LC Rossi. But, he had slicked up the action himself (as he was a Gunsmith).

You might want to keep this link if you're into DIY gunsmithing.

Rifles

Cowboy Action Shooting Firearms hints

marauder.homestead.com

 

[Yarome]

It's good to see Wifey get this excited about a gun.

There's your answer right there. If nothing else, buying a bit of marital goodwill never hurt no one!

Rossi's ain't no slouches though. They aren't a Winchester, but if the price is right, and considering that finding anything in "fine" condition at a decent price from that era certainly isn't getting any easier.... I would pull the trigger on it. You can easily flip a Rossi and if it makes the wife happy in the process, I fail to see a downside.

If you're already set for reloading, dies are really just a drop in the bucket when you consider current ammo prices. They pay for themselves practically "out-of-the-box".

 

[Member 34319]

Great rifles.

 

[Mikej]

If you're already set for reloading, dies are really just a drop in the bucket when you consider current ammo prices.

That's what I like about this hobby!

 

[oremike]

]@oremike[/USER], I noticed on your site that you carry/make .45 colt? What's your thoughts on loading 200 gr plated bullets for .45 Colt. I know it's not traditional, but, that's what I have on hand.

The main thing would be that they have a cantilure for a good roll crimp so they don't shorten in the mag tube due to battering. Other than that try them and see.
The original bullet was a 250gr RNFP so I make that but alot of the Cowboy Action shooters like the 200gr RNFP at a modest velocity for a faster shot to shot recovery time. Judge owners like the mild load as well.

 

[Provincial]

Smoothing up a Rossi 92 action is pretty simple. Look on the internet for disassembly instructions. There are also how-to's for smoothing the action. Here is one, but it is not the one I followed: https://www.gun-tests.com/rifles/working-rossis-model-92-lever-action-carbines/ It seems to be very close to the procedure I used. Basically, you are speeding up the wear-in of the moving parts, and nothing needs to be replaced or seriously modified, except the following two items:

First, most people look askance at the plastic magazine follower. Actually, it works quite well, but it is possible to distort it by leaving the magazine full for long periods with high temperatures.

Second, there are many reports of excessive force ejecting brass. My experience is with a .357 Mag. model, and it threw the empties into Low Earth Orbit! I wound springs from several diameters of music wire, and the first (and lightest) I tried reliably tossed the empties just over the right side of the receiver and dropped them by my right toe. This makes collecting up brass for reloading very easy. I believe that several vendors online sell lighter ejector springs.

My rifle is a 20" carbine and is very fun. Light, shoots well, handles nicely, and is long enough to make muzzle discipline pretty easy. It balances nicely with this length barrel.

I use two loads, a full-power (but not maximum) load with a 125 gr. RNFP jacketed bullet at about 2200 FPM, and what I call "putt-putt" loads with a 158 gr. lead or coated RNFP bullet at about 1050 FPM, which is subsonic. The light loads shoot and feel like Standard Velocity .22LR, and are really fun for plinking. To compensate for the point of impact, I have a tang sight that I use for the hot loads, and a folding open sight that I use for the subsonic loads, since I shoot them at shorter ranges.

 

[Mikej]

The main thing would be that they have a cantilure for a good roll crimp so they don't shorten in the mag tube due to battering. Other than that try them and see.
The original bullet was a 250gr RNFP so I make that but alot of the Cowboy Action shooters like the 200gr RNFP at a modest velocity for a faster shot to shot recovery time. Judge owners like the mild load as well.

Thanks Mike. Is that something you're making on a fairly regular basis? I'd consider ordering some if so. IF we get the gun. I haven't heard back from the seller yet. Also, I loaded plated bullets for the .30-30 and a light crimp into the plating shot well. I would think it should be safe for this too.

 

[Mikej]

Smoothing up a Rossi 92 action is pretty simple. Look on the internet for disassembly instructions. There are also how-to's for smoothing the action. Here is one, but it is not the one I followed: https://www.gun-tests.com/rifles/working-rossis-model-92-lever-action-carbines/ It seems to be very close to the procedure I used. Basically, you are speeding up the wear-in of the moving parts, and nothing needs to be replaced or seriously modified, except the following two items:

First, most people look askance at the plastic magazine follower. Actually, it works quite well, but it is possible to distort it by leaving the magazine full for long periods with high temperatures.

Second, there are many reports of excessive force ejecting brass. My experience is with a .357 Mag. model, and it threw the empties into Low Earth Orbit! I wound springs from several diameters of music wire, and the first (and lightest) I tried reliably tossed the empties just over the right side of the receiver and dropped them by my right toe. This makes collecting up brass for reloading very easy. I believe that several vendors online sell lighter ejector springs.

My rifle is a 20" carbine and is very fun. Light, shoots well, handles nicely, and is long enough to make muzzle discipline pretty easy. It balances nicely with this length barrel.

I use two loads, a full-power (but not maximum) load with a 125 gr. RNFP jacketed bullet at about 2200 FPM, and what I call "putt-putt" loads with a 158 gr. lead or coated RNFP bullet at about 1050 FPM, which is subsonic. The light loads shoot and feel like Standard Velocity .22LR, and are really fun for plinking. To compensate for the point of impact, I have a tang sight that I use for the hot loads, and a folding open sight that I use for the subsonic loads, since I shoot them at shorter ranges.

Good info! Thanks.

 

[Member 34319]

Smoothing up a Rossi 92 action is pretty simple.

By shooting it, shooting it a lot.