Rossi Rifles

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I just got a Model 92 carbine in .357. All I can say is that it's made of steel and it works. It has it's rough edges that I'm hoping will smooth out over time. I took it out yesterday and got hung up a few time when shooting factory JHP ammo. It was getting hung up on the neck of the brass. I had no problems shooting my LSWC .357 reloads that were roll crimped. I did have trouble with it feeding .38 LSWCs though. .38 round nose with a roll crimp were no problem. The action also isn't nearly as slick as my marlin and henry .22 lever guns. I'm not just talking amount of effort needed to crank it, but the smoothness just wasn't there.

I'm thinking of trying to find someone that works on these and sending it to him to work the kinks out. I bought mine because as far as I know, Rossi is the only place to get a 16" .357, super handy, 4 and 1/2 pound lever gun.
 
I have the 20" octagonal 45 Colt. I like it a lot. I did upgrade the sights. My action is smooth, but not as smooth as my buddy's Henry. The '92 is super strong if you like to go hot. My shoulder likes medium to mild. I hope to kill a deer with it this year.
 
I bought a NIB Model 92 .357, 20" round barrel last week. I was expecting a rough action that I could spend some time working on learning how to "smooth" an action. After a detail strip, thorough cleaning and a generous lube, this thing is SLICK. I didn't do anything other than clean and lube.

It feeds my hand load .38 SWC with no troubles, feeds factory .357 with no troubles.
 
Rossi 92 Puma .357 from 1979 or 80

Hi there Gunners,

Bought a 92 in '79 or '80. I think they were a new item then. I've been looking at more recent ones. My good friend bought one on my recommendation. He has had problems. That aside, my old 92 looks (to me) to be better made. Like, my wood is not sharp edged, and my action seems to have slicked itself up over recent days. The receiver on my Rossi is sort of plum color blue and the barrel is really blue. His is different.

Reason I'm posting is I wonder if Rossi production has gotten rougher, or did I just get lucky. My buddy's Puma (don't know when it was made) is less well finished than mine and it has a dumb-assed Puma head on it's side), which I am very glad was not on my copy.

Be glad for some feedback out you guy and ladies (hopefully, not an offensive term).

Really like the 92 since I finally got around to shooting it, this last year.



Al W
 
I've got a round barreled 44 that's about three years old, and no problems so far. I got it for about $350 on sale. Accuracy is about what you'd expect for buckhorns and a lever action, good but not great. No overly sloppy machine work, but there is that stupid safety. I saw somewhere on here about a peep sight that replaces the safety and I'll probably go that way.

Overall, I would buy the rifle again.
 
Rossi 92 Puma .357

I bought mine in the 80s before the SASS craze swept the market. You could get them back then at a good price ($200 range) and I wanted a rifle in the same caliber as my revolver. I have been well served with this rifle over the years and have had no issues at all.
 
Regarding the sights - the dovetail is a non-standard size and shape (not 3/8") so changing sights is problematic.

An idea (not yet attempted) - remove the Rossi/Taurus/Braztech dovetail from the rifle, remove the rivet which attaches the sight shank to the dovetail, drill and tap the dovetail to accept a screw, and then fit a shank and leaf from a different rear with the screw.

I am considering this as method to fit a Marbles Folding Rear Sight (so that a tang peep sight may be fitted).

Thoughts?

gd
 
I have a rossi in .357.

It's about 11 years old, and it doesn't have the safety catch.

They are good when they work, but they are a PITA to strip down if you need to replace parts.

And in rapid fire, unless you change the ejector spring, you will be showered in hot brass :D
Roodles
 
I recently purchased a new 24" octagon in .38/.357 through Budsgunshop. My experience has been the same as WNC Seabee's. I did work the action a lot by holding down the trigger and working the lever. This really smoothed up the action considerably. When I did take it out, it worked flawlessly and was right on target. I believe I read somewhere that the current Rossi's have standard sized dovetails, so that may no longer be an issue. I'm very happy with mine and wouldn't hesitate to buy another.
rossi_Ru2.jpg
 
My experience has been the same as WNC Seabee's. I did work the action a lot by holding down the trigger and working the lever. This really smoothed up the action considerably. When I did take it out, it worked flawlessly and was right on target. I believe I read somewhere that the current Rossi's have standard sized dovetails, so that may no longer be an issue. I'm very happy with mine and wouldn't hesitate to buy another.
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+1
Mine is pretty smooth after cleaning, oiling and cycling the action a bunch. I did take a coil off of the main spring to lighten the action a bit more and the ejector spring so my brass wasn't shot into the next county.

When you oil the gun, put a little grease on teh locking blocks, it helps.
 
I have the '92 trappers model in .44mag which I've used for SASS and popping brush in South Texas.. Works great...great medicine for hogs and Javalina. That steel butt plate takes it's toll on your shoulder after a bit with full power loads but SASS loads are a breeze. I got it back in the late 90's and have had no issue's with it other than the loading port sometimes sticking open after feeding a round into it.
 
Mine in fine!

Got this Puma .357 in '79 or '80. Never shot it much. always liked it's looks and finish. Lately been shooting it more. Used to be stiff; now it's what I would expect out of a working frontier rifle. More recent examples (30 years!), seem a little less well machined. I love the thing.

Got an EMP Bisley .357 (circa 1987) which gave me some heartburn until the EMF people put me onto a guy who works on Italian single actions. It is very well made...case hardened receiver, etc. If the frontier ever comes back I'll be really well equipped.

Anyway, I do believe that Rossi, now Braztech, turns out good stuff for a very reasonable price.

AAW
 
Ala Dan said:
Does Rossi [Braztech] still make a rifle chambered for the 454 Casull
cartridge? I have a customer that would like too know- many thanks~!
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Nope.

When I heard they were going to stop making them, I bought every last one I could find from my distributors. Only "new" gun I've ever been able to make money on.

Brett Parks
Columbia Arms
 
Rossi Rifles
What do you think of the quality of these rifles. Jerry B
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I have seen a lot of them in action by Cowboy Action Shooters including myself. Around 80% of the ones I have been around ran flawless and had excellent accuracy. The other 20% had some issues with the rifle dumping a live round when working the lever. Most were fixable by a good gunsmith. I never did get mine fixed completely and replaced it with a Winchester 73 copy by Uberti.
 
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