45 colt lever options

I have the Rossi 92 in .357mag./.38SPL. & .45Colt. They are both very well made & work great! Both are accurate and perfect for hunting around here where shots are not long. Great brush gun! I love mine.

Rossis are rough, but they are cheap, shoot fine, and handle very well. If it was my money, I'd get a 92 with a 16" barrel and the loop lever.

I'm also in agreement with Maine Coon - the Big Boys look great, but they're almost too nice to shoot.

I've got 2 357 rossis, a 44 magnum, & a 454 on order! I've also got a marlin in 30-30, which is very nice & reliable. I have been real impressed with the rossi's, & got the second 357 on trade, which had a broken ejector.. a typical problem with these. I ordered a new one, & need to smooth up the action a bit, but it works, now. I would have no problem recommending the rossi.. you might get a lemon, but the actions are easy to smooth up, & there is a lot of info on them.

If you can find an additional $200 or so, you can find you a Uberti replica of the 1873. This is a sweet rifle, and shoots especially well.

I have a Rossi 92 Stainless 45colt with 20" barrel. Great little rifle. It feeds perfectly with bullets up to about 330gr, although bullets in the 290 to 330 grain range need to have a wide meplat (which keeps the over all length a bit shorter).

I shoot Ruger-only loads thru the Rossi and it has given me no problem. Admittedly, the fit and finish are nowhere near that of a Winchester or Uberti, but for the $500 I paid for it I am not concerned about taking it on some pretty rough outings. There is no other rifle, in my opinion, that carries as nicely as a 92, and the 20" barrel gives me a bit more velocity an sight radius without making this a long rifle.

Killing woodchucks out to 75 to 100 yards is not a problem, and they are about the size of a deer's kill-zone. I won't scope the thing, it would ruin it in my opinion. Consequently, I limit my shots at game to 100 yards. It would work fine out to greater distances with lighter, faster loads, and someone with younger eyes than mine.

I hear getting a good Rossi is sort or a crap shoot. Can't speak to that, but I could not be happier with mine. Well, actually, I would like to get a synthetic stock and forend for it, and replace the rear sight with a Skinner or similar peep sight. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing. I carry it in the woods with me, and it rides behind the seat in my pick-up the rest of the time. Now I need one in 357mag for my wife.

I posted this in the redhawk 45colt/45acp thread, but it could go here, too.

I picked up the 454 rossi today, & stopped by the range on the way home. I had loaded some test loads of 454, & they certainly do pack a punch. I even decided to put a slip on butt pad to help with recoil. You wouldn't need it for hunting.. a shot or 2 with the built in pad would be fine. But many rounds at the range, & the additional pad makes it more comfortable. I fired a few out to ~200 yds, & they were pretty flat shooting. I didn't have to adjust much for elevation. This is a lot of power. 300 grains of 45 caliber going ~ 1600fps packs a wallop. Even though it is a small carbine, it would handle any big game in north america.



I also shot some low & high power 45 colt loads through it. No need for the additional pad at all, & they still are very accurate, though the cowboy loads drop quite a bit past 100 yds. And of course, the Ruger redhawk had to get a few rounds through it, too. Some 45acp & both powers of 45 colt. I'm really liking the accuracy of this gun, especially with hot 45 colt loads. All in all, i'm pretty happy with this combo.. it gives me a lot of versatility in a pistol & rifle in the same caliber.

Very versatile rifle, nice.


Cat

+1 on the 92. If you are worried about getting a rough one, buy from a Cowboy Action smith who has already slicked it up.

1892 is the way to go imho.
I own two Miroku build winchesters, they are great but you'de have to save up a little bit extra

vaupet said:

1892 is the way to go imho.
I own two Miroku build winchesters, they are great but you'de have to save up a little bit extra

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I have to tell you that I have owned a couple 92 Mirokuchesters in .45 Colt.
Yes, you can ramp up the loads you put through these guns but for some reason neither of the rifles made me all warm and fuzzy.
Quite the opposite with my 86 extra lightweight .45/70 Mirokuchester.
It's a keeper.
Anyway.
I once owned a Rossi 92 in .44/40.
That rifle was hands down the most ACCURATE of any pistol caliber lever action I have ever owned and I have had a bunch slip through my fingers over the years.
One of those rifles that goes away and one later wonders why they let that happen....