new Rossi in 454 Casull

[gerrycan]

Hi ,I just ordered 92 Puma Rossi .What to load, what to look for ,how to handle it ?Gerry

[RobS]

Cool.......

It is a good rifle....maybe a bit rougher around the edges, but a good one. I have one in SS and 20 inch barrel. I did work on mine a bit at first regarding slicking it up and working on the springs a bit; nothing serious. The rifle has been "knock on wood" good to go from the beginning. I haven't shot any j-bullets through it but it has shot everything I can throw at it.

If you get yourself the Lee 300 grain GC bullet it will need to be crimped on the top crip groove for it to feed correctly (shorter COAL crimp groove). I've fed it LFN (.380 ish nose), RCBS Keith 255, RCBS 45-270-SAA, Lyman 452651, BABore's 453640 and a few others and it will shoot them all and do it well.

I've heard that if a person shoots some 1,000 rounds or so the roughness that the rifle may have when you get it will work its way out.

Have fun with it; they are a blast to shoot.

[gerrycan]

Thanks for your input I will order the Lee 300.TheGC is a bother[cost] but I,ll try them. I have 50 loaded with 8grs of Trailboss under a 220 gr RN Lee handgun bullet for starters.I generally start slow with what I have on hand and then tear open my wallet try something else.Gerry

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I have two older Rossi`s in 45 Colt and yes they can be Rough to start with but.. cycle it about 100 times watching the SNEWS and then you can see where the real wear areas are. A bit of metal polish applied to those areas and another 100 cycles. Clean and it should be much bettter. If not reapply the metal polish (I am partial to Metal Glo) and run it another 100 times. A leather glove will help the fingers also.
I have heard filling the action with toothpaste will do the same but much slower... I have NOT tried that one.

[Snyd]

Ya, take it apart and polish it up. Mine had a stiff trigger with quite a bit of creep. After smoothing it up and slightly bending the trigger spring the creep is gone and it breaks nice and smooth.

[WyrTwister]

Good morning
I have two older Rossi`s in 45 Colt and yes they can be Rough to start with but.. cycle it about 100 times watching the SNEWS and then you can see where the real wear areas are. A bit of metal polish applied to those areas and another 100 cycles. Clean and it should be much bettter. If not reapply the metal polish (I am partial to Metal Glo) and run it another 100 times. A leather glove will help the fingers also.
I have heard filling the action with toothpaste will do the same but much slower... I have NOT tried that one.


I read that tooth paste is about the finest abrasive in the home ?

Might also try J. B. Bore Polish ?

God bless
Wyr

[saz]

I have one in stainless 16". Great little shooter. I have the lee 300 and 255 and it likes them both. Be careful with the trail boss though. If you go too light the case won't seal the chaimber and you will get a blast of **** in your face. I shoot my 255gr lee's with a near "max" trail boss load and it is pretty accurate and REALLY fun to shoot. You will burn up 200 rds in record time. I do. I dont go to the range with any less than 250 of those loads anymore.

[Bret4207]

I suggest you hang onto it tightly. My 44 mag bounces around rather vigorously.

[saz]

I suggest you hang onto it tightly. My 44 mag bounces around rather vigorously.


Yeah, get yourself a PAST recoil pad for the range. Shooting a 6lb gun with heavy loads can get "fun".

[Phat Man Mike]

I bought that DVD from Steve's gun and tricked out my Rossi 92.. man did it make it smooth after that!! :holysheep

[helice]

I dont have the 454 but with the 45 I have experienced the rough ride Bret spoke of with a case full of Lil'Gun and the XTP.
Like SAZ, I load a 300 gr RCBS SWC deep and it cycles ok.
Like Mike I bought Kiowa Nate Steve'z Gunz DVD. Haven't got the job done yet tho. I recomend the DVD to the handy and the bold.
Keep Writin', I'm Learnin'. Helice

[Old Goat Keeper]

I haven't reloaded for my 454 Rossi yet but with full tilt factorry loads it kicks as much as my 9 pound Marlin in 45-70 with various factory loads. Yeah those 3+ pounds make a difference. But it is accurate and shoots well for me.

Tom

[82nd airborne]

my BIL has a 92 in 454, Im a bit of a girly man i guess, but i found it unpleasant to shoot with hot loads. cool gun tho, and fun to shoot with light stuff. but like i said, im a nancy.

[bbailey7821]

Does any of you have a scope mounted on one? I was thinking one with a barrel mounted pistol scope would be a good pig slayer...

[pricedo]

I read that tooth paste is about the finest abrasive in the home ?

Wyr

No kidding !

Maybe that's why I only have 3 natural teeth left after using tooth paste for all these years. :bigsmyl2:

[pricedo]

Does any of you have a scope mounted on one? I was thinking one with a barrel mounted pistol scope would be a good pig slayer...

There's a B-Square side mount that works but looks terrible in my opinion.

The pistol scope on the barrel would seem the best option.

I'd mount it on the barrel with a Picatinney rail and those removable (return to zero) Warne rings so it can be easily removed when not wanted.

I shot several 50 yard 1 1/4" - 1 1/2" x 3 shot groups at the range yesterday with my Rossi M92 in .454 Casull with the gun haphazardly supported on my ammo box and using the provided buck horn iron sights. Could have done better from a proper bench rest or off sand bags.

The gun kicked like a mule shooting the full power .454s and I think I swallowed a couple of tooth fillings but the gun held together good with no breaks or malfunctions & was quite accurate.

Definitely hold onto your hat when firing the little Rossi M92 with full power .454s.:bigsmyl2:

[Four Fingers of Death]

I bought the cheap a$$ed Rissi that is in my avitar. It was pretty smooth, apart from loading up for the last part of the lever throw on lock up, I figured it would improve with use. I figured wrong! Three years of cowboy shooting later, it hadn't changed a whit! I was a bit pressed for time and got it tuned by a smith.' Slicker than frogsnot now! Great gun. Get a good grip on that 454! That's gonna buck!

What did Monte Walsh say? 'Helluva ride!'

[no34570]

No kidding !

Maybe that's why I only have 3 natural teeth left after using tooth paste for all these years. :bigsmyl2:

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:
What a ripper!:wink:

[no34570]

I have a Rossi 454,nice gun,can be finicky with some loads.
Mine likes a load of 22gr of W296 behind a 300gr cast boolit,(I think it is 22 gr,have not got my load details here)it lets you know when you shoot it.

Mine is still a bit rough,so I'm going to try some of the tips in this thread. ;)

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have a Rossi 454,nice gun,can be finicky with some loads.
Mine likes a load of 22gr of W296 behind a 300gr cast boolit,(I think it is 22 gr,have not got my load details here)it lets you know when you shoot it.

Mine is still a bit rough,so I'm going to try some of the tips in this thread. ;)

Look up Steve's Gunz. He does a DVD which shows you how to tune the critter and he also recommends a stainless steel follower and a replacement spring, pretty much all you need. I got him to send me out all three, Didn't cost that much from memory, well worth the money.

[pricedo]

I have a Rossi 454,nice gun,can be finicky with some loads.
Mine likes a load of 22gr of W296 behind a 300gr cast boolit,(I think it is 22 gr,have not got my load details here)it lets you know when you shoot it.

Mine is still a bit rough,so I'm going to try some of the tips in this thread. ;)

The ball powders WW296 & H110 are a little finicky as regards downloading.

I have several cans of WW296 around.

I'm going to use the 22 grain of WW296 as a baseline to develop a .454C load for some 250 grain bagged lead bullets (.452") I have kicking around.

Do you use the copper bases (forget what they callem) to protect your lead bullets from being melted by the powder flame & the subsequent barrel leading?

I guess that would depend on the hardness of the lead in your boolits??

Straight soft lead would probably need the copper base and the Linotype lead alloy wouldn't.

[no34570]

The ball powders WW296 & H110 are a little finicky as regards downloading.
I have found W296 not too be too finicky,just in what the gun likes in projectile wise,it was finicky.
I have several cans of WW296 around.

I'm going to use the 22 grain of WW296 as a baseline to develop a .454C load for some 250 grain bagged lead bullets (.452") I have kicking around.
I think some powder companies say start at 18.grW296 (I could be wrong,have not got my load details here)but at 250gr bullet with 22 grs of W296,it will make her sing.
Do you use the copper bases (forget what they callem) to protect your lead bullets from being melted by the powder flame & the subsequent barrel leading?
Gas Checks,yes I do,on most of my bullets.
I guess that would depend on the hardness of the lead in your boolits??
I use Air cooled WW and if I want something to be more harder,I go with water quenched WW or half WW,half linotype.
Straight soft lead would probably need the copper base and the Linotype lead alloy wouldn't.
Depends on how fast you are going to make them come out of the barrel,soft lead,I would put a GC on and keep it under 1300fps,linotype,gas check,a good lube,but thats me,I put a GC on all my bullets,unless it is going to be around the 1300fps mark.
Have fun :)

[Snyd]

H110/W296 is best with heavy boolits. 300gr and up. Put 12 gr of Unique under that 250 for a start.

I've loaded up to 28gr H110 under a Lyman 335gr that weighs 340 lubed and checked.

45 Colt brass with 9gr Unique and a 255rnfp is a nice plinker as well.

I am currently working up a round I'll call the "454 Snyd" :) I'd been caling it the "454 Short" but the 454 Snyd has a better ring to it :D.

The goal is to be able to shoot these 355gr LBT hammers in the 454 Puma levergun.

http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/45_350_lbt.jpg

Loaded in 454 brass they won't cycle with this big metplat. In 45 Colt brass no prob. But, I'd like to be able to push these at 454 levels in the Puma. My 45 Colt load is 21.5gr H110 and is a max load and is accurate and about 1200fps in my SBH. I could stuff more powder in the case but don't feel comfortable doing that and the SBH doesn't need it. I also don't want to take the chance of mixing up ammo and shooting an over max/high pressure load in my wheelgun. So, I decided I'd trim 454 brass down, seat and crimp some dummy rounds to where they'd cycle in the levergun and see if I could have more case capacity than the 45 Colt brass. I ended up at 1.330. 45 Colt brass is 1.285, 454 is 1.385 so I ended up in the middle. The 454 Snyd is about half way between the 45 Colt and 454. Plus, since it's headstamped 454 that should help keep from accidentally stuffing them into my 45 Colt SBH.

I have in the past loaded a 360gr Cast Performance boolit in 454 brass trimmed to 1.365. That bullet seats deeper in the case than the 355gr Hammer I cast. I don't have one to measure but I do have this old pic and you can see the difference.

http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/45_bullets01.jpg

I bet it's close to .050 or more shorter. My observation/conclusion is that the 355gr Hammer in the 1.330 454 Snyd case has the same case capacity (or more) than the 360gr CP boolit seated in 1.365 454 brass. I've got some loaded up with 25, 26 and 27 gr H110 but haven't been able to make it to the range yet.

[badbob454]

will these rossi's hold up to the full power of the ruger super redhawk loads ? 60,000psi ?

[Snyd]

Here's one article that hits on it some. I've read as much as I can and talked to guys and they seem to be holding up to lots of heavy/high pressure loads. I don't shoot the hot stuff all the time. It's like shooting a loud 22 with 45 Colt plinkers. Tons of fun. But, with 10 full house 454 loads in the tube it makes for a nice fishing gun here in Alaska when when my wife is down the bank a ways.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_5_49/ai_99145185

"When the Puma .454 arrived, the first thing I did was to call Glen Ruh at Legacy Sports International to ask him how Rossi had been able to adapt the 1892 design to the hot Casull cartridge. Ruh explained that the metallurgy and heat treatment had been modified to handle the high pressure and that the carbine had been thoroughly torture tested by H.P. White Laboratories using standard factory ammunition."

[no34570]

Here is an article written by Paco Kelly,it is a real eye opener and it was the deciding factor when I bought my gun,I liked it so much.

http://www.gunblast.com/Paco_Legacy_454.htm

[no34570]

Snyd
They are some good looking boolits you have there,I would not mind some of them,can you get them in a mould? What mould maker?
TIA

[Snyd]

It's a custom LBT mould I bought from another forum member.

[no34570]

It's a custom LBT mould I bought from another forum member.
Ok,is LBT still going ?

[pricedo]

H110/W296 is best with heavy boolits. 300gr and up. Put 12 gr of Unique under that 250 for a start.

I've loaded up to 28gr H110 under a Lyman 335gr that weighs 340 lubed and checked.

45 Colt brass with 9gr Unique and a 255rnfp is a nice plinker as well.

I am currently working up a round I'll call the "454 Snyd" :) I'd been caling it the "454 Short" but the 454 Snyd has a better ring to it :D.

The goal is to be able to shoot these 355gr LBT hammers in the 454 Puma levergun.

http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/45_350_lbt.jpg

Loaded in 454 brass they won't cycle with this big metplat. In 45 Colt brass no prob. But, I'd like to be able to push these at 454 levels in the Puma. My 45 Colt load is 21.5gr H110 and is a max load and is accurate and about 1200fps in my SBH. I could stuff more powder in the case but don't feel comfortable doing that and the SBH doesn't need it. I also don't want to take the chance of mixing up ammo and shooting an over max/high pressure load in my wheelgun. So, I decided I'd trim 454 brass down, seat and crimp some dummy rounds to where they'd cycle in the levergun and see if I could have more case capacity than the 45 Colt brass. I ended up at 1.330. 45 Colt brass is 1.285, 454 is 1.385 so I ended up in the middle. The 454 Snyd is about half way between the 45 Colt and 454. Plus, since it's headstamped 454 that should help keep from accidentally stuffing them into my 45 Colt SBH.

I have in the past loaded a 360gr Cast Performance boolit in 454 brass trimmed to 1.365. That bullet seats deeper in the case than the 355gr Hammer I cast. I don't have one to measure but I do have this old pic and you can see the difference.

http://web.mac.com/perryschneider/pics/45_bullets01.jpg

I bet it's close to .050 or more shorter. My observation/conclusion is that the 355gr Hammer in the 1.330 454 Snyd case has the same case capacity (or more) than the 360gr CP boolit seated in 1.365 454 brass. I've got some loaded up with 25, 26 and 27 gr H110 but haven't been able to make it to the range yet.

I was thinking along the same lines of your "454 Snyd" or "454 Short" if you will for a round that would cycle the 250 grain Hornady FTX bullet that was developed for the 450 Bushmaster in the Rossi .454C 92 gun.

Too much OAL with FL .454C cases to cyycle in the 92 & I don't think the .45 LC cases are strong enough to be packed to the rafters with enough powder to get velocities that would make the experiment worthwhile.

It's an idea I'm going to think on & experiment CAREFULLY:killingpc with as a project to dispel the onset of mid-winter doldrums.

[Snyd]

Modern 45 Colt brass is plenty strong. It's what Dick Casull used when developing the 454. When it became a "SAAMI" round the case was lengthened by 1/10th of and inch so it wouldn't fit in 45 Colt guns. Check out some of the 45 Colt loads Taffin and Linebaugh use in 5 Shot 45 Colt guns. They are at 454 levels. I use starline brass and the only difference between the two is the primer pocket.


no34570- http://lbtmoulds.com/

[pricedo]

Modern 45 Colt brass is plenty strong. It's what Dick Casull used when developing the 454. When it became a "SAAMI" round the case was lengthened by 1/10th of and inch so it wouldn't fit in 45 Colt guns. Check out some of the 45 Colt loads Taffin and Linebaugh use in 5 Shot 45 Colt guns. They are at 454 levels. I use starline brass and the only difference between the two is the primer pocket.


no34570- http://lbtmoulds.com/

Yah, I think the .454C was a proprietary round that was chambered solely in the excellent Freedom Arms SA revolver for a few years before it came out of the cold. Then Ruger chambered the Super Redhawk DA revolver for it.

I have a Redhawk.......couldn't afford the Freedom Arms gun. I was dead set on buying one because Freedom makes a beautiful well built handgun but cold steel is small consolation to a man :holysheep sleeping on the living room chesterfield.

Rossi chambered the Puma for LSI in .454C and now that LSI & Rossi are divorced the LSI Puma lever rifle is no longer offered in .454C or .480 Ruger and prices of the new Chiappa made Pumas are double what the Rossi Pumas were.

[Snyd]

....Rossi chambered the Puma for LSI in .454C and now that LSI & Rossi are divorced the LSI Puma lever rifle is no longer offered in .454C or .480 Ruger and prices of the new Chiappa made Pumas are double what the Rossi Pumas were.

Rossi USA which I think is now owned by Taurus. No 480 but here they show the 454.

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=164&category=8&breadcrumbseries=&search=454

[PatMarlin]

Rossi would really break through the market if they started offering these in "Deluxe" versions like old Winchesters and Marlins of yore- Half rounds barrels to. Case hardening and fancy wood options.

[pricedo]

Rossi would really break through the market if they started offering these in "Deluxe" versions like old Winchesters and Marlins of yore- Half rounds barrels to. Case hardening and fancy wood options.

Agreed.

Taurus/Rossi is now the defacto source for Win. model 92 & other American historic firearms knock-offs for most of us modestly resourced middle class people since the prices of the new Chiappa supplied LSI Puma lever actions have skyrocketed into the ionosphere.

I have had a couple of emails from guys who are simply aghast at the new LSI price list. Maybe they (LSI) are trying to be the "Westley Richards of the USA".

Taurus/Rossi should take advantage of this new market share leverage to expand their product line.

All in all Rossi throws together a very respectable & solidly built gun which is like a rough, uncut diamond that needs a little spiffing up & polishing between opening the box and the cowboy competition firing line.

[pricedo]

will these rossi's hold up to the full power of the ruger super redhawk loads ? 60,000psi ?

I have a Ruger Super Redhawk in .454C & bought the Rossi as its running mate for hunting in Maine (if I ever get lucky in the Maine moose lottery :popcorn:). I will only have to carry one caliber of ammo with me.

The gurus I spoke to say to keep the Rossi .454C pressures to < 55,000 psi.

To say a gun is strong is one thing. To say it is as strong as a Ruger puts it in an even more exclusive club.

Rugers are built like tanks.

[Snyd]

I'm not sure a guy needs to load a 454 to anything over 55000 anyway. My 20" 454 gains about 200fps over my 4" Redhawk with 45 Colt loads. A 14-1500pfs 325-360 gr load from a handgun should translate to 16-1700fps or more in the Puma give or take. That's plenty of whoopee for Alaskan Moose and Interior Alaskan Griz or most anything esle.

[GL49]

My 454 Rossi should be here in a few days, I wonder if LBT would make a mould with a second crimp groove so you could seat those heavy bullets just a little deeper in the case? You would have to be careful working up your loads, but at least you wouldn't have to trim back your 454 cases.

[Jeff H]

Yeah, get yourself a PAST recoil pad for the range. Shooting a 6lb gun with heavy loads can get "fun".


I am glad to hear others say that.

I would love to have another .44 levergun, but the Marlin I had was abusive.
I handled a Rossi stainless .44 recently and it felt light to me, bu that would be a detractor for me.

Yes, I am a "recoil whimp," due to neck injuries, so have been looking for a .357, but the "stouter" .44s that were manageable in my 7 1/2" Super Blackhawk were much less pleasurable in the MArlin and I use a PAST "sissy pad" when shooting anything more than the .223 in a rifle anyway.

[saz]

I dont really see it as being a whimp, I just want to eliminate all the human error as I can when I am working up a load. "Flinchitis" is the big one. I am bad for it so I pad accordingly.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I've had a few big recoiling rifles, 458WMs, 45/70s, etc, but when I bought my 444 there was a packet of 265Gn Hornady ammo with it. I tried to zero it with the Leupold scope on it off the bench and every shot was a small headache stab :(

[pricedo]

I've had a few big recoiling rifles, 458WMs, 45/70s, etc, but when I bought my 444 there was a packet of 265Gn Hornady ammo with it. I tried to zero it with the Leupold scope on it off the bench and every shot was a small headache stab :(


I had a Marlin lever in .444 Marlin & gave it to my mother.

At 78 years of age she wants to carry a lighter recoil deer hunting rifle.

When the rifle first came out all you could get was the 240 grain flat nose ammo from Big Green.

What is essentially a pistol bullet traveling at .444 velocities was much too frangible.

I hand loaded 300 grain Barnes Originals once I got a few cases saved up.

[pricedo]

Does any of you have a scope mounted on one? I was thinking one with a barrel mounted pistol scope would be a good pig slayer...

I acquired a 16" bbl. Rossi 92 Trapper in .44 Mag. for hog shooting.

The .454 Casull 92 was bought as my Maine moose gun if I ever win a permit in this lifetime.

For hogs the .44 Mag. is fine.

That .454 kicks like a mule in fly season & when I shoot an animal I as the shooter want to be in better shape after the shot than the shootee (the hog).[smilie=s:

[Four Fingers of Death]

Almost on topic, I bought a 44MagRossi and I was at teh range at Cessnock and there was one guy who also shot cowboy. He saw the Rossi and showed me his long Octangular barreled one (mine is a round barrel carbine version). He was shooting 125 Gn popgun loads in 38SPecial cases. He asked me for a shot, I gave him the rifle and a box of ammo, 245Gn SWCs chock full of 296! One shot and the gamer was whining about the recoil and gave me the rifle back. He thinks I'm mad and told me so. I said, your probably right, but you're a sook!' :D

[mattbowen]

I have a buddy that has a Rossi in 45 Lc like mine and he says that he is reloading 454 cases and is seating the bullet a little deeper (not much just above the crimp line) and shooting them.
I believe he said that he is using 20gr of 2400.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have more big guns than I can poke a stick at, but a man ought to buy one of those. So much power in a small inexpensive package!

They take 45Colt cases as well don't they. I was thinking that most of my plinking and practice would use these cases as I have bucket fulls of 45Colt cases.

[robertbank]

I have more big guns than I can poke a stick at, but a man ought to buy one of those. So much power in a small inexpensive package!

They take 45Colt cases as well don't they. I was thinking that most of my plinking and practice would use these cases as I have bucket fulls of 45Colt cases.

Yes you can use .45COlt in the .454 rifles. I plan to get a 16" .45Colt later this spring. I think the .454 is just more than I want in a light rifle for bush carry.

Take Care

Bob

[Four Fingers of Death]

Yes you can use .45COlt in the .454 rifles. I plan to get a 16" .45Colt later this spring. I think the .454 is just more than I want in a light rifle for bush carry.

Take Care

Bob

Like owning a high powered car or motorcycle, you don't need or use the power most of the time, but boy it is good to have it!

[Jeff H]

There's a B-Square side mount that works but looks terrible in my opinion.

The pistol scope on the barrel would seem the best option.

I'd mount it on the barrel with a Picatinney rail and those removable (return to zero) Warne rings so it can be easily removed when not wanted........

You might look under your rear sight. I was pleasantly surprised to find D/T'd holes in my .357's barrel for a base. I ordered the cheapest version (what was available), expecting no base, but the holes were a nice surprise. They didn't waste any money on plug screws though. I have not removed the sight to try to measure the threads either.

Someone else here did some detective work and found t he base with screws:
http://www.amazon.com/Rossi-Braztech-Piece-Base-Blue/dp/B0035M1FAY

[pricedo]

My .357 Mag Puma is the 16" model that has the front sight sitting on top of the front barrel band.

I found that if I completely removed the elevation ramp from the rear sight of my 16"bbl Rossi Puma in .357 Mag and let the sight leaf bottom out on the barrel the rifle places 158 rain SP bullets from the American Eagle factory ammo right in the bulls-eye at 25 yards.

That little gun in my humble opinion is the best pick-up gun ever built and carries and shoots like a dream.

[Te Hopo]

Nice, I've been looking at getting a Rossi in 454 as a bush hunting sledgehammer after playing with my mates very modified .357.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/262636_1812768600251_1271125736_31540596_4802005_n .jpg

Forward scope mount with a 2-6x scope, magazine shortened to hold 4 or 5 rounds and an over barrel suppressor.
With cast boolit 38spl going subsonic you only hear the hammer strike and then the hit while full house 357mag sounds not much more than a high velocity .22lr.:bigsmyl2:

[gandydancer]

Four fingers is right. l@@k up steves Gunz he is on here some were he also sells and installs or you can do it your self a peep sight to replace that ugly damn safty on the top of your reciver and works well. GD

[gandydancer]

Almost on topic, I bought a 44MagRossi and I was at teh range at Cessnock and there was one guy who also shot cowboy. He saw the Rossi and showed me his long Octangular barreled one (mine is a round barrel carbine version). He was shooting 125 Gn popgun loads in 38SPecial cases. He asked me for a shot, I gave him the rifle and a box of ammo, 245Gn SWCs chock full of 296! One shot and the gamer was whining about the recoil and gave me the rifle back. He thinks I'm mad and told me so. I said, your probably right, but you're a sook!' :D
OK! whats a sook?

[pricedo]

Nice, I've been looking at getting a Rossi in 454 as a bush hunting sledgehammer after playing with my mates very modified .357.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/262636_1812768600251_1271125736_31540596_4802005_n .jpg

Forward scope mount with a 2-6x scope, magazine shortened to hold 4 or 5 rounds and an over barrel suppressor.
With cast boolit 38spl going subsonic you only hear the hammer strike and then the hit while full house 357mag sounds not much more than a high velocity .22lr.:bigsmyl2:

The cost of a suppressor + the $200 BATFE tax stamp would be missing the concept of "cheap rifle" that most people have in mind when buying a Rossi by a mile. :guntootsmiley:

[Te Hopo]

The cost of a suppressor + the $200 BATFE tax stamp would be missing the concept of "cheap rifle" that most people have in mind when buying a Rossi by a mile. :guntootsmiley:

Thats the great thing about Kiwiland, we have no silly laws regarding suppressors so no $200 tax.
So they're very common on hunting rifles here and quite cheap.

The Rossi runs about $800, the Suppressor was about $250, a few hundred in gunsmithing and thats about it.

[pricedo]

Thats the great thing about Kiwiland, we have no silly laws regarding suppressors so no $200 tax.
So they're very common on hunting rifles here and quite cheap.

The Rossi runs about $800, the Suppressor was about $250, a few hundred in gunsmithing and thats about it.

$800 for a Rossi 92!

I got mine for $425 and change new.

I don't know the exchange rate for Kiwi $ and American $.

If it's approximately 1:1 $800 is not a good price for a Rossi 92. I'd pay that for a Browning B-92 if I could get one but definitely not for a Rossi 92.

[Coltpax]

$800 for a Rossi 92!

I got mine for $425 and change new.

I don't know the exchange rate for Kiwi $ and American $.

If it's approximately 1:1 $800 is not a good price for a Rossi 92. I'd pay that for a Browning B-92 if I could get one but definitely not for a Rossi 92.

+1

I paid $450 for my .44 mag m92 (stainless 16" barrel) and it was brand new, price included tax, gun, and 70rds of ammo (50 Pmc 180gr and 20 Hornady XTP 300gr)

But the silenced lever gun sure is cool

[Four Fingers of Death]

Guns are generally expensive in Australia and even more so in NZ. I paid $585 for a new stainless 44Mag about five years ago and the aussie dollar is way stronger now. American guns are generall cheaper now than they were then (apart from T/C Encore, they just rise and rise!), but teh Rossis are much dearer now, close to a thousand bucks.

[Coltpax]

Guns are generally expensive in Australia and even more so in NZ. I paid $585 for a new stainless 44Mag about five years ago and the aussie dollar is way stronger now. American guns are generall cheaper now than they were then (apart from T/C Encore, they just rise and rise!), but teh Rossis are much dearer now, close to a thousand bucks.


Glad I don't live in either of those countries, but I'll take them over most of Europe.

As to the T/Cs... Seems like the price just goes up no matter where you're at.

[Te Hopo]

$800 for a Rossi 92!

I got mine for $425 and change new.

I don't know the exchange rate for Kiwi $ and American $.

If it's approximately 1:1 $800 is not a good price for a Rossi 92. I'd pay that for a Browning B-92 if I could get one but definitely not for a Rossi 92.
NZ$800 at the current rate is about US$610.
Yep well it's not bad when an old Winnie 94 in 30-30 of any age or condition fetches around $1000 and up. :groner:

Our firearms prices are high, but it's the ammo costs that kill us, a box of 357 will run us $60 to $80 a box of 50.
Hence a lot of us handload, my mate is loading his 357 for about 50c a round using cast boolits and I load my .270 for about a $1.60 a round using Nosler ETips.

Yet another reason I like the idea of the Rossi 454, I could roll low power 45 colts for plinking and then full house 454 loads for hunting.
I found the finish and action on the 357 to be pretty good, the wood is average but I am well capable of making some better fitting walnut furniture for it.

[Coltpax]

NZ$800 at the current rate is about US$610.
Yep well it's not bad when an old Winnie 94 in 30-30 of any age or condition fetches around $1000 and up. :groner:

Our firearms prices are high, but it's the ammo costs that kill us, a box of 357 will run us $60 to $80 a box of 50.
Hence a lot of us handload, my mate is loading his 357 for about 50c a round using cast boolits and I load my .270 for about a $1.60 a round using Nosler ETips.

Yet another reason I like the idea of the Rossi 454, I could roll low power 45 colts for plinking and then full house 454 loads for hunting.
I found the finish and action on the 357 to be pretty good, the wood is average but I am well capable of making some better fitting walnut furniture for it.

Makes sense

The wood on the Rossi lever guns does leave some to be desired, but they do sand easily and take to stain really well. I wouldn't bother making a whole new stock, just sand and buff. Only problem I have with it is the big pain removing the forend. I'm not a fan of removing the front sight to get the wood off.

[pricedo]

NZ$800 at the current rate is about US$610.
Yep well it's not bad when an old Winnie 94 in 30-30 of any age or condition fetches around $1000 and up. :groner:

Our firearms prices are high, but it's the ammo costs that kill us, a box of 357 will run us $60 to $80 a box of 50.
Hence a lot of us handload, my mate is loading his 357 for about 50c a round using cast boolits and I load my .270 for about a $1.60 a round using Nosler ETips.

Yet another reason I like the idea of the Rossi 454, I could roll low power 45 colts for plinking and then full house 454 loads for hunting.
I found the finish and action on the 357 to be pretty good, the wood is average but I am well capable of making some better fitting walnut furniture for it.

I'd pay premium money for a Browning B-92 in good shape .

The discontinued in the 1980s Browning B-92 made by Miroku of Japan was the best 92 ever made.

They are even harder to get than the old Winchesters.

The new Japchesters marketed under the Winchester name that go for about $1300 a pop have a bunch of "Nannystatish" parts an original Winchester 92 and the Browning B-92 didn't have including a tang safety.

Wouldn't touch em with a 10' pole.

**I find the attitude that some manufacturers apparently have that shooters are so dumb they need 10 safeties on a gun to keep from shooting each other and themselves quite frankly insulting.

I won't touch the new Braztech R92s with their sandbox safety switch on the receiver for that reason.

Treat gun owners like responsible adults or the guns will stay on the shelves is my motto.

$60 - $80 a box for .357s ! :groner:

That's scandalous !

I'll bet those cartridges are being bought wholesale from the US for about $20 Kiwi a box.

Someone in the government (tax), wholesaler, retailer chain is soaking up $40 - $60. :mad:

Those ammo prices are nuts even considering that the Kiwi dollar is about 75 cents US!

I bought boxes of 50 American Eagle brand 158 grain soft points recently for less than $20 a box on sale.

I'd be hand loading cases until they were so thin you could see through them at those prices.

[pricedo]

NZ$800 at the current rate is about US$610.
Yep well it's not bad when an old Winnie 94 in 30-30 of any age or condition fetches around $1000 and up. :groner:

I took my first real made in the USA Winchester 94 in .32 Winchester Special home brand new in the box for less than $100.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The Win 94s only bring $350-$600 here. Most are a bit rough externally. but most I have seen have pretty good bores.

I bought a pre 64 94 last year for $750. It had an excellent bore and was extrernally good apart from a few spots with no blue (drops of blood probably, no rust, just no blue on those spots.