New Rossi 92 45 Colt

[papaglenn]

I just shot my new Rossi 92 in 45 Colt. Here is my initial report.

The rifle is beautiful. The blueing is extremely well done. The wood on the new rifles is very nicely finished. Years ago on my first Rossi 92 I was shooting with my son at an outdoor range. It was a hot day. My son asked me "What's that red stuff on your face?" It was the oily stain from the wood. It was oozing out and getting on everything. This wood is very well done. Wood to metal fit is good.

The action cycles well. Smooth and positive. I won't have to disassemble the rifle and spray it out with brake cleaner like my older Rossis. The bore has some of the best machining I have seen in a long time. Better than some of my Remington Marlins.

The front sight has been improved it looks like. My older Rossis had a very large brass button. And it was always too tall. I would swap those out for a Skinner straight blade of a shorter height. This front sight has a smaller brass bead that looks almost like a straight blade to my old eyes. More importantly the height seems good. I don't think I will have to shorten it.

It is raining very hard today so I went to an indoor 25 yard range. I shot my standard Blackhawk loads of a 250 gr bullet sized to .454" over 9.1 gr of Unique. All 1 hole groups at 25 yards. I then loaded some jacketed rounds over a Ruger only load of W296. Again 1 hole groups 5" higher.

I think the rifle is a winner. Next week I will take it out to 50, 75 and 100 yards and see how it does.

Pros: Excellent workmanship from the blueing to the wood fit to the rifling in the bore. Feeding is good. Initial accuracy is good.

Cons: Ejector launches brass several feet. I still have a few Century C530 springs left over. If I can find them I will replace the stock spring.

Short length of pull. Not a deal breaker but I will look for a nice slip on pad to add an inch or two. Recommendations gladly accepted. I see that Boyds makes replacement stocks for the Rossi. I may see what they can do for me.

The loading gate is heavy. I will modify this and the spring in the tube.

All in all for $633 delivered from Kentucky Gun Co I am very happy.

[elmacgyver0]

The new Rossi's are very nice, at least mine is.
The only detractor in my opinion is the safety on the bolt, doesn't bother me, but I know it is a big deal to a lot of you.
I know all about the stain on the older Rossi's.

[Maine1]

picked up a 357 last year, and despite what people say about it, i find it a good rifle, shoots well and the quality is quite good for the price
looking for a 44 magnum now, and a buddy is eyeballing the 45 colt

[Kosh75287]

My "go to" rifle for open to semi-open vountry is an M4-like Ar15, or an L1A1. For thick brush, areas, it's my .45 Colt caliber Rossi M1892. It is faster handling, unobtrusive, and (with MY loads) every bit as effective as the other two, out to 100 yards.
Two loads that routinely get run through my Rossi are 8.0/Unique/250 gr. RNFP-PC to approximate factory rounds, and 18.5/2400/250 gr. RNFP-PC, for hunting Tx Whitetail.The first load is phenomenally accurate, routinely landing 5/5 into a tea-cup (3.125")at 100 yards from a bench. Three or 4 of the 5 rounds would land close enough to overlap & make one weirdly shaped hole, but never got 5 out of 5 to connect. I think I know why, now.
The 18.5/2400 load gives about 1250 + 25 f/s, chronographed 8' from the muzzle, and gives slightly larger 3.625" groups, which I can live with, for the extra horsepower. I have run heavier loads of 2400 through the chrono, to see what's available without stretching anything. I can get well into the mid-1500 f/s range, without getting any nasty-grams from primers or difficult extraction. Unfortunately, the day was ending, so accuracy tests are to follow. I SUSPECT the same or better with the heavier loads, if more complete case fill does what I think it will.