My Rossi .45

[sandog]

I was wanting a model 92 a couple months ago and wanted it to be in .45 Colt to go with my Ruger Flattop Convertible.
I really didn't want to spend $1000 so the Miroku and Armisport was out. I had one Miroku 92 a few years back, a beautiful rifle but the rebounding hammer really bugged me.

I saw a BrazTech Rossi that a guy I knew had at a gun show. He told me he had shot a couple boxes of ammo thru it and it cycled fine.
It was the 16" version. The action smoothness and trigger weren't bad at all, much smoother than previous Rossi's I've owned.
Polish, bluing and fit were good also.
The stock stain was a bit light, but had nice straight grain. Finish over the stain was very minimal. The stock color got a bit lighter where I had been grabbing it.

I ordered some parts from Steve'sGunz. A stainless mag follower, bolt peep, a higher front sight and the lighter ejector spring.
The SS follower was needed, the plastic one I took out was cracked on the side, despite the low round count of this carbine.
The bolt peep, once pinned in, wiggled around. I took out the play by wrapping a shim (made from an auto feeler gauge) around the shank.
The peep is very solid now. Steve told me he would make them fit tighter but then guys would have to fit them to their gun, it was easier to make them a bit undersize and then they'll work in every gun.

I haven't got around to putting the softer ejector spring in yet. My ejection isn't that forceful, so I'm not sure If I'll use the new spring or not.
First time out to the range after the new sights were on showed the front bead I got from Steve was too high. I didn't want the peep sticking way up. So I filed the front sight down an 1/8". Which took away the brass bead, but I put a dot of Yellow paint at the top, easy for my 62 year old eyes to see. Front sight was still too high, and to file it down more would make a too thick sight.
I got another out of my parts drawer that was lower, it is just the right height.

The factory stock finish came off easily, some rubbing alcohol and 600 grit sandpaper made it ready for some Walnut stain.
Then 5 coats of Tru-Oil. I like the stock much better now.

Although the Rossi could take some stiff loads, I doubt my shoulder could take it out of a 4.8 lb. carbine with steel buttplate.
Plus, my Ruger Flattop has to keep loads at the 23,000 psi "Tier II" level, as it doesn't have the larger cylinder of the large frame Blackhawk.
So my woods carry load is a 250 Speer Deep Curl with 12.0 grains of HS-6, which gives 1250 out of the carbine, and 1040 out of the 5 1/2" Flattop. Those Deep Curls are one mean hollow point, you can stick a .22 LR down in the cavity:

My range and plinking load is a 250 grain RNFP cast with 8.4 grains of Universal.
I almost have the Rossi dialed in at 50 yards, just a bit more adjustment needed:

If you want a 92 lever gun to be near perfect out of the box spend the extra $$$ and get a Miroku.
If you don't mind doing a little work to your gun to get it where you like it, the Rossi will be right up your alley.
For a knock around truck and trail gun, I prefer this to a $1000 Miroku Winchester that I'd worry about scratching up or getting stolen.
I have less than $500 into my Rossi, and a little bit of my time.
And I'm really liking how short and light this 16" carbine is. It's a keeper.

[Texas by God]

Good shooting and good looking Rossi you have there.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[onelight]

Your sock finish is a big improvement nice job !
And it shoots to . I might need a 16" Rossi to partner with my 45 convertible to. Thanks for the post .

[bikerbeans]

Well done!

BB

[pietro]

.

Nice!

I would respectfully suggest replacing that commercial rear dovetail slot filler blank with one fashioned from the male dovetail portion of a fancy take-off longleaf rear open sight.

I usually do that, as I did on my 16" Big Loop Rossi M-92 (below) - buying old rear longleaf sights from some gunsmith's scrounge box for a dollar or two.

[BFJ]

Great work. Nice looking 92. Thanks for posting.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
You did a nice job on making your carbine more usable plus look far better.
Recoil is east to take care of. Purchase or make a lace on butt pad. They can be bought for about $ 20 . Then find an old torn rubber slip on butt pad. Lots of older shooters have them. Cot off the rubber recoil area. Trim it to fit inside your leather slip on pad and your recoil issue goes from severe pain to a good push.
If this will work on a 50 Alaskan with 525 grainers at 1900 fps it will work on a Rossi. It did on our 45 Rossi with 300 grainers at 1600 fps.
Mike in LLama Land

[sandog]

I don't really need a pad with the loads I use, I don't want heavier loads that could accidentally get put in the Ruger.
I want to be able to use the same loads in both guns, don't want to remember to keep a stiff load away from the Flattop.
If I loaded more powerful than a 250 at 1250, yes, the lace on pad with rubber would be great.
I still might do the lace on cuff just to lengthen the LOP, stock is a bit too short.

Pietro. good suggestion on modifying the old leaf sight. I have several take off leaf sights, but I'm O.K. with the slot filler I have.
One of these days I'll get around to shaping it to the barrel contour, and it will blend right in.

[lar45]

Very nice rifle, I like the wood much better. Did your peep sight just replace the safety lever on the rear of the bolt? How entailed was that to do?
I have the 24" SS Octagon 45 Colt M92 and really like it, but I think I'd like it better with a peep sight.

[sandog]

Lar, the peep was really easy, and just about doubled the sight radius.
Open the action part way, drive out the little pin holding the safety in, replace with the peep, and put the pin back in to hold it.
If the peep wobbles a bit, which it probably will, wrap a thin shim around the shank as you drop it in.
I used a piece of auto feeler gauge, but a strip cut out of a pop can would work as well.
My peep is very solid now, no movement at all.

[Froogal]

I use a Rossi 92 in .45 Colt for cowboy action shooting. Mine has the octagonal barrel. I have done nothing to it except shoot it and clean it. Accuracy is very good. Only problem I have is that the hammer does not always lock into position when the lever is worked. A bit frustrating at times.