Rossi 92 357 mag lever action

[owejia]

Never owned a lever action rifle,so have a couple of 357 mag revolvers and like the looks of the Rossi 92 in stainless with the walnut stock, so what is the good, the bad and the ugly about the Rossi 92 levergun?

[DerekP Houston]

bad, it is a "kit" gun if you will. Needs smoothing and polishing on your end to make it run like a champ. Sometimes finicky about bullet profile and 38 vs 357 brass. It *does* have a goofy crossbolt safety, easy enough to remove and replace with a plug though. It is also a bit more involved to tear down.

Pros: Readily available, reasonable price, just a fun shooting gun and dead on for me. Slicking it up with a file and dvd made it smooth as glass with a 3lb trigger pull. One of my favorite range toys.

If possible get it local or from a gun show, the wood stocks vary greatly in the look and you can rack it a few times to feel how gritty it is.

I love mine and wouldn't trade it for anything.

I have a 16" stainless model and it shoots like a dream now. Take a look at stevesgunz video if you decide to pick one up. It walks you through all the needed modifications to get it in top shape.

174011

[dverna]

It has (had?) a goofy safety. It is not easy to tear down and reassemble. They seem to shoot well. I had one in .45 LC but never used it much. For me the Marlin 1894's and 1873 clones were easier to work on and functioned better (faster/smoother cycling).

[kungfustyle]

I have one in 44 mag and its a great gun. The basic difference is do you ever want to put a scope on it? If so you will have to scout scope it or get a Henry or if you can find a Marlin. I got the Rossi 92 because of the better twist for the 44 both the Henry and Marlin were 1 in 38. I think all have better twists for the 38/357 like 1 in 16 or so. My next will probably be the Henry. You hit a point in time were Irons work but if you are going to hunt with it you owe it to yourself and the animal to shoot through a scope.

[DerekP Houston]

I have one in 44 mag and its a great gun. The basic difference is do you ever want to put a scope on it? If so you will have to scout scope it or get a Henry or if you can find a Marlin. I got the Rossi 92 because of the better twist for the 44 both the Henry and Marlin were 1 in 38. I think all have better twists for the 38/357 like 1 in 16 or so. My next will probably be the Henry. You hit a point in time were Irons work but if you are going to hunt with it you owe it to yourself and the animal to shoot through a scope.

The newer rossi's are drilled and tapped already for scopes. Mine is sporting a leupold scout scope now, drift out the buckhorn sight and it is right underneath.

[nvbirdman]

I have a stainless 20" .357, and I really, really like it, HOWEVER, due to the design of the m92 action it is somewhat picky when it comes to what ammo it likes. I load 358429 for my revolvers but they are too long for the m92. The convenience of a rifle and revolver that shoot the same round is lost, but I still like the gun so much that I just load different rounds.

[Speedo66]

I have a blue 20" .357 and it feeds everything. All shapes of .38 and .357 pass right through it perfectly. Mine arrived a little stiff, but operated the lever a few hundred times and it's now very smooth, as in one finger operation.

[Artful]

Addictive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-knJmz6HE0

[EllasPapa]

My Rossi 92 is an SBR in the US, starting life as a Ranch Hand & growing into a full stock 92 with a 12in bbl. It's my most carried, most shot gun by a wide margin. Deadly accurate at 100 yds, handles smokin hot bear loads without a hiccup, & the fireball from those home grown loads is truly impressive. It's the shortest carbine I can own in Canada, & the most fun. Easy to slick up the action; It's a heck of a gun!

[w5pv]

Love my Rossi 92 in 45C close to being a tack driver out to 70 yards,that is all the room I have.Everything that I have shot with fell like a rock.I have the longest barrel I think it is a 24".The reason for the longer barrel all of my hunting is from a box blind and I like the accuracy.

[jmort]

I have two. Both 16" and both tuned. Removed the safety. They run real good. You don't have to have them tuned, but it makes a big difference. Had one worked on by Jim Bowie and the othe other by Nate Kiowa Jones aka Steve's Gunz. Both top level SASS gunsmiths, as good as it gets.

[rondog]

I recently bought a stainless in .45 Colt, 24" octagonal barrel. Only had it out once, but we like each other very well! An absolute joy to shoot, and I haven't even done any of the recommended mods or internal cleaning yet. We're going to be great friends. Sometimes when you handle a gun in a store you just "know" it's going to be a good one, this was one of those times. Like when you pick out the best puppy from a litter.

[KCcactus]

I like the looks of the stainless M92s, too. I've got 20" stainless in 357 and 44. The only thing the 357 won't feed is wadcutters in 38 brass. It does feed WC in mag brass. I only use mag brass in the 44 and it feeds everything, including wadcutters.

The bad: Both extractor springs were way too strong. Empties nearly went into orbit. The loading gate spring was too strong and sometimes caused jams while loading. New extractor springs from Stevesgunz fixed the first problem and a dremel and Steve's video fixed the second. The only other problem is that I have to spend more time casting and reloading because we shoot the rifles more than we do pistols.

The good: Lots of fun. Young shooters love the 357 with light load 38s. Tuned up actions cycle with one finger. Accuracy is good enough that even beginners can easily break clay pigeons off hand at 35 yds and then hit the larger pieces. I put Steve's bolt mounted peep on both. They are light and handy. They look cool. Price is much better than other brands in stainless.

The ugly: My wife says two of them is enough.

[Suo Gan]

Never owned a lever action rifle,so have a couple of 357 mag revolvers and like the looks of the Rossi 92 in stainless with the walnut stock, so what is the good, the bad and the ugly about the Rossi 92 levergun?

I think it will serve you fine. A lot of people like to tweak on their belongings to personalize and make them "their own." I don't think you really need to in my experience. I worked on slicking one up, and the other one not. They both shoot about the same. I do like being able to load the one on the gate spring I worked over though. The rifles have about the fit, finish, and material use you would expect for a rifle in this price range. They are pretty rugged and robust. I use them for scabbard rifles. I did add a steel follower to one of them, the other still has the plastic one. Both of mine seem fine. They are pretty fun to shoot with light recoil ideal for young shooters or taking out plinking. I think the stocks are made from the same wood as you see on a forklift pallet.

[Smoke4320]

I think the stocks are made from the same wood as you see on a forklift pallet.
How dare you insult a pallet like that :)
Wood can run from AK plain to some decent grain ..luck if the draw

[Mtnfolk75]

As I have posted before, I have had a 16" Stainless 92 in .357 Mag since March of 2013. I haven't really tuned it with exception of the Magazine Follower & Spring, I went with Stainless. I have shot about 800 rounds through it and it is getting smoother everytime I shoot it. It is just the right size to carry on the Side-by-Side and ATV's, really easy to pack & acceptable 100 yard accuracy. I think you would really Like one ...... [smilie=s:

Edit: I have put a Skinner Peep on it, easy to shoot well.

[Gaterskiner]

My Rossi .45 Colt is A decent gun. The Stainless .357 I had was scrap metal. When I finally got it back from Rossi it was working sort of scrap metal. I dumped it cheap.

[Ken in Iowa]

We have had a number of Rossi '92s in the friends and family circle. I can relate to all of the comments above.

My favorite is a 24" 45 Colt. Worked great out of the box, fair wood but fitted perfectly. We have run thousands of rounds through it without a hiccup.

If possible, try to select your rifle in person.

[Texas by God]

I've had three and they all needed tweaking to run right. But they all were accurate and the wife's .357 will do 2" at 100yds easily. I wish I still had the 44-40 Rossi. Best,Thomas.

[FergusonTO35]

Is it true that Steve's Guns now does warranty work and/or factory authorized service on Rossi lever actions? I remember reading that somewhere.

[KCSO]

My first Rossi came to me in 1970 and was smooth, worked like a champ fed everything and would put them all into 3" at 100 yards. I carried it as a patrol rifle as long as I packed a 357 and it shot umpteen rounds in 20 years or so. Since then I have owned or worked on maybe 150 Rossi's in various calibers and currently own two a 45 and a 357.

Quality has gone down some over the years but they can be slicked up to match a real Winchester 92. The current stocks are my big gripe and I reshape them all to regular Winchester shape. The latest ones have went to a bulbous bulgy forend that needs to lose a 1/2 pound of wood. But for the price they will shape up into a good reliable shooter. My latest 45 LC will shoot under 4 inches at 100 yards with barrel mounted iron sights and will shade that some with a peep.

[TXGunNut]

Mine's a blue 357 bought used and appears to have been slicked up properly or is simply broken in. Not a slick as a good original Winchester but quite enjoyable to shoot. Like most others it won't feed a 38 WC but gobbles up almost anything else.

[phonejack]

I have a 24" octogonal stainless in .357. I removed the wood, washed the water based stain off and refinished it. While doing that, I stripped the receiver and polished the internals with jewelers files and a hard Arkansas whetstone. Put everything back together and it is a dream to shoot.

[rintinglen]

Mine is a 20 inch 357 with no safety, my brother has a similar gun with a 16 inch barrel, and a 20 inch 44 mag. They are a bit persnickety when it comes to OAL and mine will only take 38 loads that are on the far edge of the long side. They are rough out of the box. But I got a copy of the Steve Gunz dvd and in a weekend after noon if you are at all handy you can make the action butter smooth.
One thing you will want to address is the sharp edge on the loading port. I think the Brazilians wanted that to substitute as a can opener--it is darned sharp.

[Blackwater]

Well, guys, I'm jealous! I finally decided to go ahead and get a Rossi, and now they're out of stock at all my LGS's suppliers, and they have several of them. Anybody know a supplier that has some in stock? I'm thinking I want a 16" .357 in either blue or stainless - either would suit me, really. Anybody know a supplier with them in stock? I want a new one so I can tune it just like I want it.

[needausername]

What is your time worth to you? My Braztech Rossi cost me multiple trips to the range and many hours to get smoothed out, repaired and usable. The main issue was the barrel band that had a misaligned screw that over tensioned the barrel when cold/hot. And it still leaves an odd bell in the side of brass. Either way, your spending the money. Either in your time and effort or the factories. That said, I got the Rossi for a cheap throw around 'tool' rifle that needs no worry. In that, it has paid off.

The Henry has been flawless since day 1 and is worth every penny but to me it is not a 'tool'.

Good luck in the hunt and should you choose one, I hope yours is a good one.

[shoot-n-lead]

Blackwater...I bought a new one in April...had to get it off Gunbroker as none of the local dealers could get one for me. The search and wait went on for about 3wks...I finally had enough and went to Gunbroker. It has been a gem...absolutely love it...great little gun.

[hylander]

Well, guys, I'm jealous! I finally decided to go ahead and get a Rossi, and now they're out of stock at all my LGS's suppliers, and they have several of them. Anybody know a supplier that has some in stock? I'm thinking I want a 16" .357 in either blue or stainless - either would suit me, really. Anybody know a supplier with them in stock? I want a new one so I can tune it just like I want it.

Hi Blackwater:
I work for a large retailer and none of our vendors have them right now. Only LGS that has one is 16" and I wanted the 20"
Also the local one seemed very good, action was pretty smooth, trigger not bad and fit/finish was good as well.
I ordered mine off of Gunbroker last week, it arrives tomorrow.
GB has several available.
Look for my new thread after tomorrow for initial review.
I read all the negative post's but also the good one's, Seems hit or miss.
I don't buy lotto tickets, I figure my chances of getting a winner are better with the rifle ;-)
I have already loaded 50 rounds for trial.

Almost forgot, a friend has the 454 casull and with .45 colt loads I shot my best cast match with it.