Rossi vs. Cimmaron M-92's

[BCRider]

I just want to echo my agreement with John Boy's post above. I too was bitten by an Armi Sport buy. A flintlock in my case. AS and Chiappa guns all look real good on the outside. But the beauty is seriously only skin deep. Along with my own tale of woe I personally know of 7 Chiappa owners locally. And the score of issues on these guns is 7:7 in favour of issues with cycling that are expensive or impossible to fix or outright major broken parts. The one fella that finally got the warranty repaired gun back sold it right away without even trying it out.

Rossi might not look as shiny coming out of the box but out of the 4 I've personally handled and slicked up for my fellow cowboy shooting buddy's they all worked out well and came without any early failures. And for the price point I can live with the plain wood in favor of the attention being put into the internals. A point that has been ignored by Chiappa.

If I wanted both looks AND reliable performance I think I'd pay the coin for a Miroku Winchester or Browning 1892. All the accounts I've read say that Miroku makes a superb firearm. But expect to pay dearly for the out of the box look and reliability.

[northmn]

One thing I will point out about my Rossi and probably a 357 rifle as well. When I got mine it would not adjust to magnums and would shoot about 6" high at close range. The 125's are worse. Others also mentioned that and some got a higher front sight. I took a set of needle files to the rear sight and lowered it to work with 158 grain bullets but it still was high with the few 125 grain loads I had. If you are going to want to shoot both 38 special light loads and some hot 357's there might be a problem with sight adjustment. Whether that problem has been addressed I do not know. Due to my age I now have a Williams receiver sight and keep my loads within a certain velocity/bullet weight range. It is surprising but the longer radius of the Williams permits a sight in with some 38 special 158 loads for small game and is only a little high at 50 yards with the 357 158 grain loads. Otherwise my Rossi is out of the box and gives me a great deal of enjoyment. As to the stock wood. It is a very plain white wood such that I will not waste my time trying to pretty it up.

DP

[cajun shooter]

The guns that were imported by EMF say so right on the bbl. John Boy echoed exactly what I posted in my OP and that is the Rossi made 92's were imported by many companies. Each of those companies are importers "BUT THEY EACH GAVE ROSSI THE SPECS FOR MAKING THE GUNS THEY WANTED". The guns imported by Navy Arms were all made with fine American Walnut and had deep bluing. The guns by EMF, LSI, EARLY Puma, Interarms were all good guns to buy. I could kick my butt for all the good Navy models I sold before realizing they are gone for good. They were all made with the importers name on the barrel. The Italian made guns that used the Puma name are made by Chippa and that is a company that is was owned by C Armi Sports which was the worst Italian gun maker. The parts were all junk with little or no heat treated parts. A friend of mine purchased his son a 1874 Sharps copy made by them and the firing pin broke on the third shot. I would not buy anything this company made regardless of price. The new 92's made by Taurus since they purchased Rossi have not had great reviews. Be very careful when you purchase one of these guns. Later David

[hanleyfan]

Thats just not true, I just bought 2 new Rossi lever in 45 colt and 44mag. and they had no issues whatsoever, they feed anything I put in them and shot great. I bought these in the last 8 months. As far as the stock I don't know why they finish their stocks like they do but if you don't mind a little work you can refinish the stock very easily, I did both of mine I was amazed at the end result. I used true oil and after stripping all that blackish stuff off I got a beautiful wood grain finish. they don't look like the same guns.

[cajun shooter]

I'm sorry Sir but before you go calling me a liar and not knowing me or my experience or training you need to do some research, just because you have two guns that work does not mean that an entire production is good. I also suggest that you also use different wording that does not infer someone is lying. A sentence that reads I must disagree, or that has not been my experience is a much better use of words. If you tell the wrong person here in Louisiana that they are lying, you best be able to back that up.
Do some research on the guns that I said had problems.
I'm also a factory trained armorer on many different guns and also a SASS shooter who puts more than a box or two of rounds through a rifle. I will not call names like you seem to do quite easy on your part.
The guns that are being made today are using a Brazilian hardwood and not as good as the American Walnut stock models. They also made the guns with this same wood on the early Rossi guns unless the importer specified different. As far as wood goes, it is a wood but not up to the same standards I spoke of. Later David

[OuchHot!]

He called no one a name, his experience is different than yours. LieTenUp!

[northmn]

I have a Taurus Rossi that seems to work OK. One does ask the question how a poorly built rifle can stand up to the 454 chambering?? As to refinishing stocks. I only do so anymore when I have more of a purpose to it. I did a couple of Stoeger Uplander double shotguns because it was a way to lessen the weight off of their bulky stocks. Others like to do so and I understand the desire for a nicer firearm, just a little burned out.

DP

[hanleyfan]

you are too sensitive, I bought 2 of these rifles and my two sons each bought one and a friend bought one and none had any problems, sure they are not show quality guns but at their price I looking for a practical gun for hunting and not a show queen. As far as marlins I have had a few of them also and they all had problems with feeding ammo . Sure every brand will have some bad ones, but that does not make them all bad. I know of 5 that have been purchased in the last year and none had any issues with loading or shooting. If you are looking for a low price functional lever Rossi is the answer. If you like high dollar guns to show off and Bragg about than the Rossi is not for you.

[armprairie]

The Rossi's I've worked on impressed me. The 357 went through both 38's and 357's like butter. The 44 Mare's Leg shot fine after I installed a higher front sight for the fella. The guy rolled a coyote while riding in his combine. (The guy was riding in the combine, the coyote wasn't.) Seems like the more you shoot them the slicker they get. I'll probably end up owning one or more myself.

[Jeffjmr]

I have the Puma branded Rossi in stainless with the 24" octagonal barrel in .45 Colt.

It is remarkably accurate, has been 100% reliable and fit and finish is good on mine.

I also have an Uberti SAA Cattleman in .45 Colt and have the same complaint about both. The chambers are at max spec, and I get lots of blowby despite no longer resizing between loads. Can't seem to load hot enough to expand the brass to a tighter fit. Using .454 bullets which sometimes fall into the powder since I am not resizing, thinking of going to .455 or bigger cast.

Anyway, I have one example each of Uberti and Rossi and love them both.

Jeff

[Speedo66]

Personally, I think it's the opposite, Rossi quality seems to be getting better. The guns are smoother right out of the box, and get better with use. Quality of wood finish has improved also.

Mine was purchased in Feb. and has worked flawlessly, feeding everything I've stuck in it, .357 and .38Spl. of all types.

Great gun.

[Ken in Iowa]

I've got a hankerin' for a '92 in .45 Colt, but I can't seem to find anyplace in the Denver area that has them in stock. Which just might be a good thing, considering I can't afford one.....

Want! Real bad. .45 Colt. Long, octagonal barrel......

Hey, that looks like one of mine.

Great thread so far guys. I agree with 99% of what has been said here.

We have had 4 or 5 Rossi '92s in the family of various vintages. We shoot cowboy action, so long range accuracy is not a factor for us.

The rifle that I use the most is an EMF Hartford in 45 Colt, just like the one pictured. My son bought it new about 5 years back. It worked well enough out of the box, so we never bothered to have a race job on it. The chamber is generous and I have considered trying .455" boolits myself. The rifle feeds RNFP and SWC boolits with 100% reliability. The safety on the bolt was never a problem, but I replaced it with the blank plug from Steve's Gunz. I also replaced the follower with Steve's stainless steel upgrade.

The rifle I used when I started CAS is a Interarms import 357 Carbine. It must be over 20 years old now. Quality is a notch below my EMF, but it has been a good shooter. We keep it as a backup/loaner rifle. This baby is very finicky about ammo. The most reliable load is a 140 Hornady swaged Cowboy boolit seated long in 38 Special cases. The fat chamber leaves dirty cases, but that is what a tumbler is for, right?

When I feel like a gamer, I'll borrow my Mom's Marlin. It is faster and smoother but twice the money as a Rossi, maybe more.

Steve's Gunz is a great source for all things Rossi. Parts, accessories, instructions and advice are a phone call or website away.

[Pereira]

Only have a Rossi, Puma that was imported by LSI.
Is a good shooter, have had no big problems.
Maybe a little chambering issue when I first got it,
But I shortened the magazine spring quite a bit and it has been flawless since.
I carry when I'm out horseback ridin.
And also took a young buck with it the first year I got it.

[Blackwater]

Wow! You guys have cost me some money, I think! THANKS! I've long hesitated on making a purchase because of all I've heard that tended to make me hesitant to trust any of the models out there, including the Marlins, but I want one, and I think my young grandson NEEDS one, so I think I'm going with a Rossi. I like to do my own slicking up, so am not averse to doing a little fine tuning on it, and you guys have really given me all I could possibly want in the way of both warnings and support, both of which are always useful. With the slickness out of the box that the SS trapper model showed, that I let get away, I think I may very well go with that model. Nice and short, so it'd make a really good truck gun, as would the SS metal possibly, and a refin and maybe even restocking may be in the future as well, if I get it percolating like I really want. SS and curly maple would look really nice, I think, and I've long wanted that combo. It's time to pull the trigger on that or just say "Oh well." Again, thanks for all the input, both pro and con. At least I know what I'm getting into. We'll see where it leads.

[pricedo]

Have a Amadeo Rossi M92 which is the pre safety pre Braztech version 20" bbl carbine in 454 Casull.
Couldn't be more pleased.
Very slick and accurate with my load that pushes a round nose flat point 335 grain hard cast lead bullet (Brinell hardness 25) to approx 1975 fps.
Good for bear protection.

[pricedo]

A couple of coats of tru-oil really smartens the jungle wood rossi stocks up.

[fecmech]

I have 2 Braztec Rossi's in .357, a 20" carbine and 24" octagon. Both have had many thousands of rounds through them in both .38 and .357 and have been trouble free. I have bought and sold both a Winchester 94AE and Browning B-92 in .357. since owning these two Rossi's. The Winchester had a very slight accuracy advantage over the Rossi's with heavier bullets but was a mechanical disaster. The Browning while somewhat prettier than the Rossi's was not as accurate. My Rossi's are slick, accurate and dependable. I personally think they are the most bang for the buck in the pistol cartridge levergun class.

[jmort]

I have two Rossi R92s .357 mag rifles 16" barrel. First one went to the top SASS gunsmith and I had to beg him to tune it. He has a sign "No 92s" - Actually I begged his wife and it got in line and came back four months later with my Blackhawk, both more than slick. What a great gun. I just purchased a second one from Steve aka Steves Gunz, the best Rossi 92 gunsmith, and it is in the queue, 10 month wait. No problem for me. I will have two of the best Rossi 92s out there. The crying about these guns is mostly from people who never owned one. What a great deal for the money.

[helice]

This is just a side thought here. I don't know what your intended use will be for the Rossi. You indicated that you were interested in the .357 version. Though I have not had the pleasure of hunting with the .357 I have had good reports, from men I consider trustworthy, concerning its ability to take deer at ranges reasonable. Somewhere around here I have a letter from Veral Smith of LBT, praising wide mepat cast boolits in that caliber for deer. One more reason to more than consider purchasing.

One last thing. I am a sucker for pictures. When you get this levergun, shoot us a picture of your grandson with your new prize. We'll all rejoice with you.

[TCLouis]

So who is the village idiot that spec'ed 1:30 in the Rossi 92 in 357 mag?

I did not know that before I bought it and had plans for LAR or RD's 180 grain boolit.

So far 358156 and such short boolits is all I have found to be accurate in this rifle.