Stainless 357 Rifles: Ruger 77/357 vs. Rossi M92 Carbine?

[Macchina]

I'm looking to buy a lightweight, compact .357 rifle to take on small game and small deer hunts where I hike in and spend a while in a tent (we do this every few years or so).

I am going back and forth on these two guns:

Ruger M77/357


Rossi M92 .357


There are benifits to each:

Ruger M77/357:
Made in USA
Completely Weatherproof (Synthetic Stock)
Magazine Fed
Less-Complicated bolt action
Nicer iron sights
Better Fit and Finish

Rossi M92 .357:
A little more compact (2.5" less barrel)
Faster Action
3 more rounds in magazine
$160 cheaper

I almost bought the Ruger but I've read a decent amount about problems with the rotary magazines... I LOVE the idea of the Ruger, but I think the quickness of a lever action may be more appropriate to a brush gun. Of course, the gun will be used on the range most of time and a bolt action 357 just seems cool. I don't plan on mounting a scope and will probably upgrade the rear sight on each to a peep. I currently have a Marlin .44 1894 and really like it but I'm looking for something in stainless and just a bit more compact/light. Both of these guns weigh under 6 pounds and both seems to exhibit about the same okay accuracy (2-3" at 100 yards).

Please give me any recommendations you may have. Pictures are most welcome and experience with either gun would be very nice.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

You didn't ask this question but I am going to answer it anyway. Buy a pre-Remlin Marlin 1894C lever gun in .357. You will not regret it. I put a Williams receiver sight in mine and a nice sling, you can carry it all day and shoot the eye out of a jackrabbit at 50 yards. it holds 9 rounds in the tube magazine and never fails.....

 

[Macchina]

You didn't ask this question but I am going to answer it anyway. Buy a pre-Remlin Marlin 1873C lever gun in .357. You will not regret it. I put a Williams receiver sight in mine and a nice sling, you can carry it all day and shoot the eye out of a jackrabbit at 50 yards. it holds 9 rounds in the tube magazine and never fails.....

These are going for $1200 to $2000 (USED) and are very rare in stainless. I don't think I'd take a gun like that on a trip where it will exposed to constant moisture for a week...

 

[Glockula]

I have a blued Rossi 92 and here is the good and the bad. It is the 16" trapper and the gun is fun, light and the action is smooth. The sights are ok at best which is a big minus to me and the fit and finish on the wood are poor. That's ok to me because I don't mind refinishing the stock.

I have looked at the Rugers and if the mag works then I think it would be worth the extra money for the accuracy potential and better fit/finish. The ability to put a scout scope is nice as well. Just my 2 cents

 

[sappyg]

Well, since I'm not a big fan of the 92 action, and especially Rossi's presentation, the Ruger would win by default. But, since Ruger insists on chasing a rotary magazine whenever possible, that really only works well in the 10/22, I can't choose that one either.
That said, I would pick a Used Marlin 94 in 357 and know that I had a superior carbine for the intended purpose.

 

[Macchina]

Why don't you like the 92 action?

 

[sappyg]

Lock up is very strong and positive but it's not as 'smooth' as I would prefer and others might lead you to believe. I have used (owned) a Browning B92 in 44 mag and a Rossi in 45 Colt. I was not impressed with either of them.
Handy yes. Quick no.

 

[Janos Dracwlya]

I have no experience with the Ruger, but I have owned one of the Rossi's for about 15 years. I used it in CAS for several years. The only problem I've ever had was that it didn't like most brands of semi-wadcutters (Zero brand was the exception). I've been nothing but happy with it, and another shooter who shared it during a match when his Winchester broke commented on how smooth the action was; he wanted to know who I had had 'smith it.

 

[exdetsgt]

I have a blue Rossi M92 in .357. One of my favorite rifles. As a leftie I much prefer lever action rifles to bolt action rifles for obvious reasons. It's probably not as fast as a semi-auto, but I'm not in that much of a hurry anyway. I really am quite satisfied with the very smooth action. I've never tried wad cutters. However, I have some and I will try them.

 

[FSJeeper]

I own and enjoy the Rossi 92 in .45 Colt. Super handy rifle. Fit and finish on mine are nice, action is stiff but is loosening up with time. Rear sight is OK, I am going with a tang peep soon. Great hog gun out of the box and very usable.

I would take a rifle much more serviceable than the Rossi 92 on a backpacking trip for any length of time and certainly if I were in a situation where my life depended on it.

Fieldstripping and cleaning the 92, if for some reason it got gunked up or wet, would be much more difficult than the Ruger. You also run the risk of loosing small parts and springs if you do not have the right tools and a proper place to service it.

 

[greyling22]

neither rossi or the marlin action is very smooth out of the box. they need work, but once it is done they slick up nicely. In my experience the 92 is actually a little nicer, but lots harder to do. Both rossi and marlin (it's an 1894, not an 1873) can be fitted with peep sights, or the marlin with a scope. stevezguns makes a safety replacement peep that looks a lot better than a tang peep to me.

have you considered a 30/30 as a levergun? they are much cheaper. much.

 

[Macchina]

have you considered a 30/30 as a levergun? they are much cheaper. much.

I already load for .357 and have several revolvers in that caliber. 357 is dirt cheap for me to load and since I load with XTPs over H110 for my Rugers I already should have a round setup for a rifle.

Also, 30-30 rifles tend to be a bit bigger and heavier than .357 rifles.

 

[DammitBoy]

I have the Rossi puma legacy in stainless in 454 casull. Fit and finish is excellent and the action is slick. It has the hi-vis fiber optic sights which my old worn out eyes appreciate considerably.

My understanding is its a crapshoot with Rossi and fit and finish.

 

[WestKentucky]

A local shop keeps the ruger in stock. I have already decided that if they do away with rotary, I will buy. It wouldn't be hard to cut and gut the rotary to a small mag like on a marlin 62 Levermatic, but until it happens or I walk up on a used one, I will continue to pass. I had a win 94 .357 for a while but it was too nice to use so it went to a collector. Was very smooth though, had the angled ejection so it didn't burn the nose and screw up a second shot.

 

[splithoof]

I have shot both, and like the Ruger better, likely because I like bolt actions. The only issue I could envision with a tubular magazine firearm would be one of potential legislation in regards to magazine capacity. Perhaps not in a free state, but in places such as California, New Jersey, et. all it may easily come to pass. Twenty years ago I would have laughed at that notion, but today I'm not laughing.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I don't have experience with either but I have considered a Ruger for awhile now. I may still buy one. I just purchased an Inland carbine for cheap and may re-barrel that for my hiking/camping rifle. I may still buy a 77/357. Did I say that already?

 

[CaliCoastie]

Fyi getting one load to work good for your rifle and pistol could be very challenging. Took a lot of work to get my 44mag Lever and pistol to work with the same load.

 

[greyling22]

I already load for .357 and have several revolvers in that caliber. 357 is dirt cheap for me to load and since I load with XTPs over H110 for my Rugers I already should have a round setup for a rifle.

Also, 30-30 rifles tend to be a bit bigger and heavier than .357 rifles.

I was referring to the cost of the gun, not the ammo. You can pick up a used marlin 336 for under 300, while a used rossi is closer to 500 and a used marlin 800 plus. The ruger is 600 plus. Dies and a mold aren't that expensive, which cuts down cost and recoil, and if you shop for the right model, you can get replacement ramline synthetic stocks for about $50 to cut down on weight. Like I said, just a thought. I like my 357 better than my 30/30, but that was back when I got it for 300. At 800+ they are just too steep.

 

[M1key]

Owned the Marlin. It was accurate and fun. Concerns over longer term durability of my loading finger got me more interested in the Ruger. Sold the Marlin for $450 :banghead: then bought the Ruger.

Very happy with it's bolt action accuracy (equal or better than the Marlin), ability to mount a scope, and the rotary mags (bought 2 extra). The only problem I've found with the mags is when I carelessly insert the top round with the rim behind the bottom one and get a case of rimlock. It's simple enough to clear...

Overall I am pleased with the decision to dump the Marlin in favor of the Ruger (though I could have bought two of them if I had waited to sell the levergun. )

Handloads of 14.0gr of 2400 (15.0 max) behind 158 XTPs (~1700fps) are quiet, recoil mildly and one my wife shoots with finesse..

Maybe you could try something a bit heavier like 180 XTPs for deer (or not).

Good luck

M

 

[R.W.Dale]

I've owned em all ruger, marlin and Rossi. I now have the ruger that I will never part with the others are all gone.

The Rossi is nowhere near on the same level of quality as the ruger or marlin. Think of them as a "you finish it" kit gun. New expect the action operation to range from rough as heck to completely unserviceable. Hence the cottage industry that's sprung up just making these things work.

Benefits to the ruger for hunting include

A safety that's not an afterthought.

A much more optic friendly stock profile

Doesn't scatter your ammunition far and wide on unloading (usually in the dark)

Extremely light

Very fast and easy on the fingers to load n unload

 

[FSJeeper]

If they make one in .45 Colt, I am a buyer.

 

[Saleen322]

If they make one in .45 Colt, I am a buyer.

I am in the same camp. I have a Marlin Cowboy in 45 Colt and it is smooth, accurate, and has more power if you want it. You can shoot Cowboy loads and you are on par with the 357 or you can shoot a heavy Buffalo Bore load and gets you good hunting power in a pistol cartridge that a 357 can't match.

 

[Eb1]

Loving the 77/44. I should add that it is built like a tank. Bought it for m daughter to deer hunt with . I figured it was safer the the 30-30s I had that she could use. Simple three day safety, detachable magazine, and a good round for the task at hand to 125 yards. Plus I load a lot for my Super Black hawk.

I'd say the Ruger would be a good rifle for you if you like it.

 

[eastbank]

i like my eary 44/77 SS in 44 mag.this six group was fired as fast as i could fire three shots twicest in safety at 100yds. the load was a heavy loaded 240 gr bullet. its my hunting load. the only thing i did to the rifle was to replace the trigger spring and polish the trigger parts, i never had any magizine problems,but it is hard to get out with cold fingers. i have killed two deer with this rifle, both double lung shots. eastbank.

 

[jlucke69]

What is your need? The Rossi is a cheap alternative that will take abuse without worry of depreciation of value. It also comes in a 16" barrel to reduce weight and length even further. A good camp gun with quick follow up shots.
The Ruger is better built, but more expensive. It will take abuse without concern and is easy to mount a scope on.
If money was not a concern, I would choose the Ruger (I already own the Rossi.)