New (to me) Rossi M92 .357

[LoonWulf]

Just got this gun a couple weeks ago, but im already a real fan. Ive shot a couple hundred rounds thru it over the last two weeks and 100 and change in the first outing, only other gun Ive shot that much was the HiPoint i just got recently as well.
Im beginning to really have a soft spot for PCCs, this .357 and the Hipoint 9 are as much fun to plink with as any of my other guns and much cheaper to feed.

Anyway, about the 92.....

Its a newer model, i got it in trade as Nib, the only thing the previous owner did was polish the outside so it was nearly mirror bright. He really did a nice job with that, but it just didnt really do it for me.

The stock gun was rough around the edges and the exterior work looked good but the interior was rough enough to worry me i might get cut trying to stick my finger into the action. The operation, while stiff and snappy, was quite smooth tho. It looks like they took the time to polish the common contact points enough that it wasnt as bad as i had worried from just looking at it.

Ive at this point, bead blasted it matte, and done an action and trigger job on it (including replacing necessary springs). As well as refinished the stocks as the stupid stain/varnish crap that Rossi finished it with was melting off in my hand that first day out. Ive also just installed a bolt mounted peep sight, and while its a little wobbly (which i can fix to a degree think) i really like it.

These guns actually seemed pretty complicated to me before i got one, but now that ive tinkered with mine they are super easy to work on and modify, im very much enamored to the design. Only down sides are they do seem to be very COAL sensitive, just like everyone says, and the casting and machining are rough. When compared to the prices of the competition tho they seem like a real bargain.

If you dont have something similar, I HIGHLY recommend getting one just for a fun gun if nothing else.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I have a 16" stainless. I did a trigger job, changed the sights and refinished the wood as soon as I got it. Since then, I have out about 4k rounds thru it and haven't bothered to clean it.

 

[d'zaster]

I bought a new m92 a few years back. It turned out to be a lemon (I won't go into the gory details) and Rossi had it for 5 months. After waiting 4 months, I had to bug them quite a bit to get it back to find that they hardly touched it. About ready to give up, I got a tip from a member of THR to contact Steve Young in Texas. I bought his DVD and a few parts and started working on the gun. Now, it runs smooth, cycles great although it prefers truncated cone bullets in .357. I stained the furniture for a dark ebony finish and now refer to it as the "tactical lever camp gun". Although this turned out to be a great learning experience, it's the last Rossi I will ever buy.

 

[LoonWulf]

I could see them being a pain, mine would hang up on tmjs in .357.
It would feed any .38 special..... that the lifter didnt toss out of the action anyway.
Corrected that issue, and it does ok with hornady xtps in .357 cases, which is what i have on hand.

 

[Crowman]

Great carbine. I have a pair of 16-1/2" barrel Rossi R92 stainless carbines. One is chambered in .357 Mag, the second in .44 Mag. Both are delightful.

I replaced the rear barrel mounted sight with a Skinner barrel mount peep / ghost ring on both. Skinners are great on these carbines and are fast to acquire despite them having a forward mount. I was pleasantly surprised at how effective they are. You can convert to a ghost ring by simply unscrewing and removing the aperture.

http://www.skinnersights.com/rossi_firearms_23.html

I also put a leather lever loop wrap on both to pad my fingers when vigouriously cycling the action. I used different color leather and thread between the two carbines' lever loops so I can tell which is which at a glance.

https://rroldwest.com/product-category/lever-wraps/

The R92's are quick to bring into action, feel good in the hand and are light to carry. They are accurate and smooth out through use. Both will serve as a handy all weather woods carbine for hunting / protection.

 

[Janos Dracwlya]

I have a 20" carbine in .357 mag that I used to use for cowboy action shooting. Other than not liking most brands of SWC bullets (except Zero brand, because they have a narrower shoulder), it has always worked well for me. The action was a bit gritty when I first got it, even though it was used, but it smoothed out quickly. One person in CAS thought I'd had the action slicked-up. The only mod I've done is to replace the magazine follower with a stainless one from Steve's Guns, though I never had any issues with the plastic one.

 

[Sistema1927]

I have one in .45 Colt, and after having Steve ( https://stevesgunz.com/ ) work on it the thing is slicker than snot.

 

[gotboostvr]

I've got it's twin in 44mag.

Mine's been perfectly reliable with specials and magnums, RN, HP, SWCs all feed well in it too.

I bought it new from Bud's a few years ago fully expecting a project gun that would need some work, but from the factory the action was surprisingly smooth and light. It was better than an old Marlin 336 I had. Trigger was deccent too. I decided to leave good enough alone, and it's only gotten better.

It shoots XTPs real real well and has put a couple deer in my freezer.

It's currently wearing a Bushnell TRS-25 on the factory scope mount. It's real handy to draw down on 20-50 yard moving targets which is the bread and butter of my hunting. Didn't see any benefit for a 45-70 or slug gun at those ranges and neither handles or carries as well as my little 44.

 

[boom boom]

I have mixed feelings about them. I was breaking in a new one for my FIL and got a jam. Let me tell you, be very careful clearing a jam as the inside of the loading gate is sharp as a razor. It removed neatly about half of my fingernail.

Other than that, it was accurate and fun with 158 gr. .357 mag ammo. Still wish I had bought a .357 Marlin 1894 though when I had the chance.

 

[adcoch1]

I have the stainless 20" 44mag and after a few hours with a diamond file smoothing every internal part, it is slick as anything! Only shot lasercast 200 grn lead out of it so far other than 20 Winchester white box 240 grn to test function when it first arrived. I had a broken loading gate that Rossi waranteed without issue, and it is a little sensitive on coal, but I love it. Been thinking about the bolt mounted peep myself... It's just an amazingly handy little rifle.

 

[Speedo66]

I bought a new .357 20" in blue a couple of years ago, great gun. Working the action several hundred times smoothed it out, I have no function problems with any shaped bullet, .357 or .38Spl.

I burnished the ejector port edges with the back of a drill bit to take the sharpness off of them, changed to a lighter ejector spring to stop losing empties, and made a homemade magazine follower from empty cartridges that works well. I also refinished the stock with many coats to fill the pores, looks great.

It carries a Weaver scout scope and is quite accurate. Excellent overall rifle, one of the best '92 clones regardless of cost. None of the changes I performed had to be done, the rifle functioned fine out of the box, just made it more to my liking.

An alternative source for parts and springs with cheap shipping is The Smith Shop in RI, here's a link: http://www.thesmithshop.com/

 

[cpt-t]

I have had a SS Rossi 92 with a 20inch round barrel in 45LC for many years. I bought it to Cowboy Shoot with and it is such a great and handy little rifle, I find myself using it for just about everything. Cowboy Action Shooting, Steel Silhouette`s, HD, SD, Plinking, Walk Around Rifle. I have even killed a couple of deer and several pigs with it. I have never had any problems with my rifle. I shoot mostly 250gr or 255gr hard cast LRNFP bullets for my reloads, very few if any factory ammo. I shoot my rifle a lot and the action is as smooth as glass.
ken

 

[swampcrawler]

One of those has been on my "to get list" for quite a while. Looks like a really fun little Carbine.

 

[Mycin]

I bought a M92 in .357 like Loonwulf's in November, 2015, only mine is blued and was factory new. I guess I lucked out, because it cycles everything I've tried through it in both 38 Spcl. and .357 Mag, from 110gr 38 JHPs through 180gr HCFN .357. I haven't tried full wadcutters, but that's about it. The action wasn't buttery smooth out of the box, but I thought it wasn't bad (maybe I'm just easier to please than some or maybe I lucked out again -- I don't know). It's smoothed out more with use.

The only problem I had with it was the front sight was loose in its dovetail cut when I bought it -- fell off in my hand a few days after bringing it home. I simply bought a replacement sight from Steve's Guns for about $25, which fit perfectly.

My only complaint is that every time I shoot it, my face gets sore.

From grinning so much.

 

[LoonWulf]

Took some pictures of the gun with its peep installed.


And the set screw i added to the base of the front sight so i could adjust it more easily.

 

[Water-Man]

LSI/PUMA M92 20" Octagon Color Case 38/357 2008

 

[rondog]

I have a Rossi 24" rifle in .45 Colt and love it! It's worked great since day 1, but I still need to take it apart for detail cleaning and slicking up. It works good enough as-is that it took down a doe for me at 250 yards, so I can't complain.

Also have a 16" Winchester Trapper in .44 magnum that's great if you have fat enough bullets (it likes .4315). Don't have a .357 carbine yet but the hankerin' for one is growing.....

 

[LoonWulf]

Thats a long shot for a .45 lever gun and open sights well done!


I like the look of those longer rifles, i may have to try find a .45 in rifle length.

Im thinking ill probably get a set of gray laminate stocks from boyds for this gun, the carbine length stock are too short for me.

 

[Mycin]

Thats a long shot for a .45 lever gun and open sights well done!

You can say that again!

Impressive! Most impressive!

 

[hemiram]

I was very impressed with the two 16" .357 R92's that friends of mine bought recently. Both shot fine out of the box, and needed no real work. One of them now has the loading gate area all smoothed up, so it doesn't cut your fingers anymore. I'm looking for one now for myself.

 

[bluzman]

Very nice. Appears as if a new Rossi in .357/.38 has become something of a Unicorn recently. Not sure why.

 

[sean m]

Very nice. I remember wondering why my Dad bought one of those years ago,. up to the moment I got to shoot it. I ended up with a Marlin 1984 in 357, but I would be content with a Rossi any day of the week

 

[Water-Man]

^^^We all make mistakes.^^^

 

[LoonWulf]

Took the gun out again today, still tosses the occasional round out with the empty, i need to shim the right cartridge guide a little more. With the bolt mounted peep, hitting pop can size.rocks at 100yds is surprisingly easy. I really dislike the big round bead tho, probably change that before the stocks. Stocks length is an issue for me but still a mighty fun gun!

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I didn't see any stock at Boyd's but walnut. Do you have a link?