Rossi M92 -Opinion [Archive]

Coltpax

11-20-2011, 03:45 AM

They get an A+ for me

Mine shot good and worked fine out of the box. However, being a constant tinkerer I ended up buffing up the internals and staining the wood. The wood to metal fit from the box was just ok, it would've been fine. But, I opted to fit it a little better (I'm not a big wood worker) and stain it. Now, the action is slick, and it looks good too. Mines the .44 magnum with a 16" barrel. As for accuracy, well... I've never been a real stickler for accuracy, I just shoot things, but I'll get consistent hits on the small side of a cinderblock at 100 yards (around a 8" square). That's with the iron sights

Bad side is, the fit leaves a little to be desired, the wood was bland, and there was a small bur on the bolt that chewed the rims on some of my brass (but it broke off by itself). Lastly, the sights ain't the best.

Here's a pic right out of the box (notice the dull wood?)
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo328/coltpax/5e46c8c3.jpg

After some loving and some poly stain
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo328/coltpax/bedd2a02.jpg
http://i388.photobucket.com/albums/oo328/coltpax/bafba37a.jpg

The wood took the finish nicely, and I would recommend them to anybody.

Linstrum

11-20-2011, 05:02 AM

Hey, Moondawg, what I have to say might not be up to date enough because I bought my 20-inch barrel Rossi 92 in .357 Magnum/.38 Special in about 1984. I am totally 110% satisfied with my model 92 using .357 Magnum ammunition. With .38 Specials I get nothing but key holes all over the place because the velocity is too low with my own reloads using the 158 grain Lyman 358156 semi-wadcutter pushed out the bore with 3.2 grains of Bullseye. I suspect that Unique for the .38 Special may work okay, but I don't know. Using my own .357 Magnum reloads I get somewhere around an inch or two at 100 yards WHEN I'm feeling good and have a steady rest to keep things from wobbling around too much. That means that the potential for my particular rifle is probably around one inch at 100 yards, or about one minute of angle. Speaking for myself, I think that is pretty good.

Now, with that said, I have heard many good reports from other .357 Magnum Rossi 92 owners who have bought more recently made rifles. From what I currently know I would not hesitate to get a new one. Too bad they still aren't the $125 that I paid for mine 27 years ago.

rl 1015

missionary5155

11-20-2011, 05:32 AM

Good morning
Over the years I have eneded up with an Interarms named Rossi(very nice) & a Rossi braned one. Both in 45 Colt. The Interarms (used to me) form 20+ years back is already slick from usage. The newer Rossi needed action help as it was still rough. A liberal dose of fine lapping coumpond on the obvious wear spots (bright metal rubs showing) and cycling action a bunch during a 30 minute news show will slick it up fast. Just be sure to get all the coumpound out of the action when done.
Trigger can also be slicked the same way. A dobber on the sear surfaces and using the trigger in normal function slicks those surfaces. Again clean well.
Mike in Peru

fecmech

11-20-2011, 01:38 PM

I have 2 of the newer Braztec rifles and they are both keepers. Mine have been both accurate and trouble free but some members on the board have had feed problems. I had an older LSI Rossi that I sold off due to some accuracy issues. Unless I was looking to scope the rifle I would buy the Rossi before I would pay the difference for a Marlin.

derek45

11-20-2011, 01:57 PM

I have a lot of fun with my 16" 357

It was about $400 shipped, from buds

I used the stevezDVD to tune it up, it's REALLY smooth now.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/derek45/IMG_0491.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/derek45/IMG_0489.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/derek45/IMG_0488.jpg

runfiverun

11-20-2011, 02:28 PM

i have several of them and a couple of original win models, and a browning 92.
i can't say nuthin bad about any of them.
and they do shoot cast much better than the 94's i have in pistol calibers.
the rifles seem to have a bit better action than the carbines do [maybe just my perception]
i have 45 colt 357 and 44-40 carbines that are nice to carry for hunting.
the 24" octagon bbl'd rifles get a bit heavy after a day of carrying them.
i have been looking for a gunsmith to modify one of the rifles down to 20" bbl and shorten the mag tube, and fit a recoil pad with some sling swivels to make a bit more handy hunting rig.

Ragnarok

11-20-2011, 04:48 PM

I bought the same rifle Coltpax bought..except in 20" barrel and it looks like his has a fancier rear sight. Mine just has the plain standard Rossi sights.

The stainless .44 mag carbine is accurate. I did have some issues with the rear sight not having enough elevation adjustment..it shot high..had to take the rear sight slider/elevator doohicky clean out to hit point of aim at 50 yards.

Needed a taller front sight or a lower rear sight..I settled for using a Dremal to make the plain rear sight into a semi-buckhorn style..and gently recut the notch...this got the .44 mag carbine dialed in perfect for 240gr ammo..windage was perfect from the factory.

The wood fit on the buttstock is really good on one side where it mates with the receiver..and not so whoopee on the other side...front wood is near perfect..yes..the wood could be better.

Has the silly/cheesy bolt safety..I deleted it on mine and machined myself a little aluminum plug to fill the hole.

Mechanicaly..The Rossi/Taurus/Braziltec stainless M92 works fine. Feeds perfect..loads easy enough(easier than some more expensive side-loader leverguns). Accuracy is very good..metal parts are quite decently finished and fitted...better than some older Rossi's I've seen.

I'm overall quite satisfied with it. I wanted a compact .44 magnum rifle for hunting...specificaly hog-hunting..and it works well. I have not got to blast a huge 'tusker' yet..but have scored some smaller hogs with it. Smacks 'em right down.

rbertalotto

11-20-2011, 05:44 PM

I've got one in 454 Casull and another in 45LC that I've done extensive modifications to......converted to Take Down and changed to Octagon barrel.

Both have fantastic accuracy and never a hick-up.........

http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/rossi-1892-winchester-take-down-conversion.html

HollowPoint

11-20-2011, 07:09 PM

I bought the 16" 44 magnum. It shot fine out of the box but, I'll second the tinkering thing that's already been mentioned.

I also bought the DVD showing me how to polish the guts of this rifle in order to smooth out the function a little. It made a good gun even better; IMHO.

I went just a little farther in that I made up a set of scope-mounts for it so I could work up some 100 yard loads. My eyes are no longer compatible with iron sights so when it's not wearing a scope, I have a set of Marble-Arms rear peep sight mounted on it.

I don't think you can go wrong buying an M92. I bought mine on sale at a sporting goods store not far from my home a few years ago. I think it cost me $300-and-something out the door at the time.

HollowPoint

Gray Fox

11-20-2011, 07:11 PM

A week ago I picked up two 16" .357s at a gun show. One is stainless the other is blue with a saddle ring and a huge loop lever. I didn't want those two features, but it was the only other 16" .357 the guy had and I wanted a pair for the wife and myself.

The actions of both of them are much better than the two in .45 Colt I bought over 10 years ago, and the wood is real plain Jane. After hunting season I may have to do some refinishing myself.

I haven't made it to a range yet, the closest is an hour and a half away, but I'm getting ready to load some Lee 158 grain GC SWC made of WD WW in .357 Starline brass over a stout charge of 2400 to see how they shoot. I'll say one thing, these boolits were cast over a year ago and man, were they hard!

I also have some 158 RNFP boolits I bought unlubed and unsized from a vendor that come from the commercial Magna mold. I'll size both types to .358 and give them two thinned coats of LLA.

Does anyone have any idea how fast that second boolit from what the vendor call "hard cast" lead could be pushed before it starts to lead? I'm assuming they're about the same as AC WW, but I guess I'll have to just find out. Again I'm assuming I can't push them as fast as the GC boolit, but I'll have to play with them a bit and see what happens.

Linstrum

11-20-2011, 11:16 PM

:hijack:

Hey, Gray Fox, with careful attention to correct sizing for the particular bore, lubricant type, and alloy fine tuning, gas-checked boolits based on wheel weight alloy can be pushed to around 2800 to 3000 feet per second without jumping through hoops. Yup, that is .30-06 velocity without leading. I personally use jacketed when I want to go that fast, though.

With that said, in my .50 BMG rifle I can run up around 2000 to 2200 feet per second using wheel weight alloy gas checked boolits using Johnson's Paste Wax, which is carnauba wax.

I do have one .357 Magnum pistol that leads no matter what I do, some barrels are just prone to leading.

So, to answer your question, you may be able to run your un-gas checked boolit velocity up a lot higher than you may think possible if you are using a high antimony or arsenic content boolit alloy. Do a little research here on high velocity shooting. I know there is a lot to read, but the info is here. Also, don't forget about CASTPICS, the link is at the bottom of this page in a box outline that says "CASTPICS".

Good Luck!

END HIJACK

rl 1017

robertbank

11-21-2011, 09:19 PM

I am serious looking at buying a new Rossi M92 carbine in either 357 mag or 44 mag. The price on these rifles seems very reasonable. For those of you that have owned these gun, what is you opinion. I realize that a $500.00 rifle may not have the same fit and finish as a $1000 + gun, but are the Rossi's decent shooters?

I have both the .357mag and .44mag. Both are excellent shooters. I will tell you one thing though the curved butt plate on the .44mag hurts with anything near approaching a medium to heavy load. I had my 'smith install a recoil pad on the gun and now live is good.
The .357mag is quite manageable.

I installed Skinner peep sights on the rear of both guns for good effect. I may drill and tap the barrel on the .44mag for mounting a red dot or scope. Older eyes don't manage iron sight well.

Take Care

Bob

beefyz

11-21-2011, 10:39 PM

JUST got my first M92 in .357 w/24" octagonal barrel. Looked long enough for a "Winchester" & "Marlin" and just couldn't find one. The winnys like you probably know are coming from Japan, and i just can't justify the $!,300 price tag regardless of the fact that the fit and finish of these rifles are done quite well. Remlins, forget about it from what the overwhelming opinion has been about the new Marlins since Remington took over. That left the Rossi and at less than half the price i took the chance and out of the box so far it has been accurate as hell with factory ammo and I can't wait to start reloading for it.

NavyVet1959

06-03-2015, 12:54 PM

Great info... I saw a Rossi .44 mag 16" barrel carbine the other day for $350. It has the large loop which I guess might be useful if it ever gets cold enough to need gloves (not likely to happen much around here). I was looking for a Marlin in .357 mag, but I'm tempted to buy this instead. It looks like they use the same action for both the .44 mag and .454 Casull, so maybe there's room for getting more out of the .44 mag than normal? Or at least a greater safety margin...

robertbank

06-03-2015, 01:02 PM

If you go for it consider getting someone to install a real good recoil pad. I have the gun in 44mag with a 20" barrel and I swear the rifle was painful to shoot with that curved steel butt plate. I mean painful! My loads were not as hot as factory and it was painful. Did I say how painful it was?

Take Care

Bob
ps With a flat recoil pad on the gun is is very pleasant to shoot.

northmn

06-03-2015, 01:31 PM

I have been quite happy with mine. As I can do that sort of thing I D&T mine for a Williams 5D peep sight. The rear sight was a bit too high for 357 mag loads so I did cut it down before I installed the Williams. Now took the sight off. Have not done any work to slick it up as often all one has to do is shoot them a bit. Some talk about installing scopes etc. When I removed the rear sight I plugged 4 holes obviously D&T for a Scout type set up. I tend to carry this rifle on the tractor/4 wheeler more than any other rifle. It shoots quite well for my standards. As Robertbank mentions, you might want to utilize a recoil pad in a larger caliber as the butt is not only curved but the pull is a bit short also. If nothing else fill the curve with a couple of pieces of Dr. Sholes cheap foot pads and put on a slip on pad.

DP

Bubba w/a 45/70

06-03-2015, 06:14 PM

Everything's been covered by previous posters.

Excellent shooters.
Wood/metal fitting weakness.
Mediocre factory sights.
Rough action that smooths out with use or attention.
Short length of pull.

Like both of mine.

Speedo66

06-03-2015, 06:45 PM

Zombie thread.

FISH4BUGS

06-09-2015, 08:10 PM

I am serious looking at buying a new Rossi M92 carbine in either 357 mag or 44 mag. The price on these rifles seems very reasonable. For those of you that have owned these gun, what is you opinion. I realize that a $500.00 rifle may not have the same fit and finish as a $1000 + gun, but are the Rossi's decent shooters?
I have the 92 SRC from Interarms - probably a 1982 or so gun. Nice wood, nice finish and I shoot the daylights out of it. 357 with a H&G #51 150gr swc and 5 gr of W231 is all I need to shoot all day. It likes 38's too w/ 4.2 gr W231.
I just got an H&G #39 158 gr rn to try to see if it feeds a little better. I have cast and sized and lubed 1500. All I need is the time to load a few to test.The swc's don't always feed every time but if I go slow it will. I think the RN will help that a lot.
I think the older Interarms imported guns are far better quality than today's guns....but that's just me.

Lead Fred

06-09-2015, 09:28 PM

Compared to the 1894 Winchester or 1936 Marlin design, the M92 is inferior

NavyVet1959

06-09-2015, 11:40 PM

Compared to the 1894 Winchester or 1936 Marlin design, the M92 is inferior

But *how* inferior? $800 worth of inferior? I just picked up this one for $300.

http://images.spambob.net/navy-vet-1959/rossi-model-92-480w.jpg
(full resolution) (http://images.spambob.net/navy-vet-1959/rossi-model-92.jpg)

And yeah, I did have my local PD run the numbers to make sure it had not been reported stolen...

jmort

06-10-2015, 12:15 AM

"Compared to the 1894 Winchester or 1936 Marlin design, the M92 is inferior"

How so?

robertbank

06-10-2015, 01:16 AM

But *how* inferior? $800 worth of inferior? I just picked up this one for $300.

141797

And yeah, I did have my local PD run the numbers to make sure it had not been reported stolen...

Have him run it again I think it just was!:kidding:

Take Care

Bob

M-Tecs

06-10-2015, 11:09 AM

Compared to the 1894 Winchester or 1936 Marlin design, the M92 is inferior

The Winchester 1892 is a scaled down 1886. I much prefer 92's and 86's over the Winchester 94's. Both the 86's and 92's are smoother and the 92 is claimed to be stronger design than the 94. Different yes. Inferior how so?

rosst

06-10-2015, 11:29 AM

there is one thing ( just 1, everything else is good ) about the design of the 92 i do not like . . . taking it apart to clean, did it once, putting it back together was a pain.

BCRider

06-11-2015, 02:36 PM

I really like the Rossi and use mine for cowboy action shooting as well as fun plinking. But I did the usual cowboy action slicking up work to mine to get it to where I really like it.

Of course this means that now I'm spoiled and the out of the box rifles feel overly stiff and notchy even when many others would say that they are fine.

The wood quality and overall finish are certainly budget items. For anyone wanting a rifle that's nice to LOOK at as well as nice to shoot I suspect that a Miroku made Winchester or Browning version of the 1892 would be a better option.

Ranch Dog

06-12-2015, 05:00 PM

As a Marlin Nut, I was quite skeptical of the rifles but my bullet mold customers kept offering me some very impressive results. I decided to take the R92 plunge and ended up buying them all; a 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull, and 480 Ruger. My particular rifles probably don't appeal to others, but I decided to try to find the Saddle Ring Scouts that Rossi offered as my interest was strictly as a hunting rifle and in "putting the wood" to the revolver cartridges because of the strength offered with the JB action.

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/Firearms/Rossi/R92/images/bone_collectors.jpg

The file name for the picture is "bone collectors" so before you criticise the look of the raised cheek piece and scout scope understand that in the last three years these five rifles have taken over 180 big game animals, 90% of them feral hogs, and it would not have been possible without the low light advantage of a telescopic sight. These rifles have taken some very impressive hogs, ranging from 8 paces out to 200 yards.

The 357 Mag, 44 Mag, and 45 Colt were offered in the scout configuration but I had to add the saddle ring and cheek piece to the 454 Casull and 480 Ruger. I also had to drill and tap the barrel of the 480 Ruger for the scout mount. Only 100 rifles were chambered in 480 Ruger and it is an awesome offering in this compact cartridge. All of my rifles are of Braztech manufacture, the only other things I have done to them is add stainless followers and magazine springs from The Smith Shop and install the GunSlinger spring kit from Brownell's.

All the rifle have the Weaver K4 Classic Scout scope and Quad-Loc rings. Early on I experienced knocking the scope base off the 45 Colt under heavy recoil so I epoxied it on with JB Weld. I went ahead and glued them all down. The gunsmith that did the drill and tap on the 480 Ruger does a lot of scout work and would not do the installation if it wasn't epoxied down as well.

I use the Doughty Saddle Ring Sling (http://www.castbullet.com/srsling.htm), I really enjoy that sling knowing who made it for me!

jmort

06-12-2015, 05:12 PM

Love my .357 92. Spent a bundle and had a top SASS gunsmith work mine over. Impressive "bone collection" and set-up on those 92s Michael. I am a Ranch Dog bullet mold fan-boy. Have many, Lee, NOE, and Accurate RD molds. Thank you.

John

BTW Those who scoff at the Rossi M92s should try one out.

robertbank

06-12-2015, 05:44 PM

Michael where did you get the cheek pieces? I want to go the way of your scopes as well as iron sights, good results and my eyes have nothing in common anymore.

Take Care

Bob

Maximumbob54

06-12-2015, 08:01 PM

BTW Those who scoff at the Rossi M92s should try one out.

So easy and cheap to make into an even better rifle. You cannot buy a rifle for what you would pay that little bit extra you will put into a Rossi and get the equal. You may be able to buy better but you will pay oh so much more. Really the only must change part is the plastic mag follower. That's the only head scratcher part they put in them.

cajun shooter

06-13-2015, 10:27 AM

Those who say bad things about the Rossi 92's are talking with forked tongue as the Indians once said. they are not speaking from experience. Show me the targets that are verified by range officer with contact info. Show me all the written test results.
Buy Steve's Gunz DVD on the 92, it's worth the price. If you come across the Interarms early models, buy them. Also the Navy arms models were great guns with walnut stocks and deep bluing while also being very accurate.
If you have one of the larger caliber Rossi 92 models that kick too much, remove the butt piece cover and insert a recoil reducer for about $50 or so. It will make a huge difference.
The Rossi 92 is one of the best rifle bargains that are still out there. Later David

robertbank

06-13-2015, 11:05 AM