Rossi M92 Lever rifle - a fun gun in more ways than one.

[flightsimmer]

I just recently bought a Rossi 20" blue round barrel in 38/357. I turned down a 16" stainless with a large loop lever in 38/357. They have all become hard to find and you can find various reasons like CAS (Cowboy Action Shooting) and SASS (Single Action Shooters Society) and such on the web by doing a Google search.

I already had a 20" blue, round barrel in 45 Colt but I also recently purchased a cherry, S&W model 66-1 and I love it. So I wanted a rifle to go with it and decided on another Rossi.

It was hard finding one but I searched the web and I called all around untill I did and it looked completely new at a used price.

Now I love to tinker and I like to work on my own guns and I've had a great time getting to know both of my Rossi's. They are real easy to work on with just a few common hand tools.

I searched the web and learned all I could about disassembly/assembly and tuning and slicking one up, lots out there.

The Rossi is less costly I believe, because they don't seem to spend a lot of time fitting and polishing. That's where I come in, I love to do that sort of thing. They seem to make good parts and all and most of the time it works great but some times they just need a little TLC. I've rarely seen two rifles with the same needs. My 45 Colt was pretty much OK, all it needed was some lighter springs and smoothing a few rough or sharp spots.

The 357 on the other hand was very hard to load but the fix was easy and didn't take long to do, I also cut off two inches from the magazine spring. The trigger was a bit heavy for my likeing, that only took a few seconds to fix. It threw the ejected cartridges/brass a country mile as they say so I installed a little weaker ejector spring (.40 cents at Sears), did the 45 Colt too, and now it's just fine. I lightened the hammer spring by three coils (doesn't take much) and it's easier to cock. The extractor hook was cutting the cartridge rims and I discovered that it was jammed into the bolt and couldn't spring out over the rim. I had to use a wooden hammer butt to drive it out (after removing the retainer pin). I then de-burred and thinned it down so it could move freely and put it back together and it works fine now. I measured the cartridge guide clearence at .385, just right for the 38/357. I de-burred the hammer/trigger with a fine stone and put it all back together.

From hammer down, with 12 cartidges in the magazine and one in the barrel, I can cycle the lever with one finger and empty it in about 4-5 seconds now. All this with a 3-1/2# trigger pull.

Yes, the Rossi's were well worth the money I've got in them and I throughly enjoyed working on them and getting to know them. To bad they don't make it in 10mm (38-40).

[pshort]

Howdy Flight,
Welcome aboard... Good write-up on your '92...

Paul

[AJMD429]

WELCOME to leverguns (or 'levergunscommunity' as the web-site goes)...

You pretty much nailed down the Rossi - my sentiments exactly. A time-proven design, made affordable by letting you the customer do the 'final hand-fitting'. Maybe they'd knock a few more bucks off and provide inletted but not fully fitted stocks, so we could improve on that factor; a few of mine have some gullies and canyons between wood and metal. No matter, though, I shoot mine, so before long they have nicks and scratches that distract the eyes from any minor fitting issues. . . I consider it 'character'.

Once you get one brand, you just have to get some others, well, for perspective (at least that was my excuse ).



My favorite is actually the Ruger 96, as far as practicality, but the Marlins are wonderfully easy to work on, and the Ross-chesters are probably the slickest...

[O.S.O.K.]

To bad they don't make it in 10mm.

+1

I think it'd make the perfect companion to one of the several handguns that are available.

The 10mm out of a carbine is a good deer cartridge out to 150 yards or so and you could fit quite a few in the mag...

[1894c]

Welcome flightsimmer glad you joined the herd -- I really enjoyed your 1st post, I just got into Rossi 92's, their fun, their cheap when compared to an ancient original 92 or a new Winchester 92 made in the far east. I like working on them too, both of mine have good actions and shoot well...what more could I ask for... :)

[J Miller]

flightsimmer,

Welcome to the forum. You've got lots of company here from IN. So you got off to a great start, now we want range reports and lots of pics.

Joe

[Griff]

To bad they don't make it in 10mm.

+1
I think it'd make the perfect companion to one of the several handguns that are available.
The 10mm out of a carbine is a good deer cartridge out to 150 yards or so and you could fit quite a few in the mag...

Same problem as other rimless cartridges in a gun designed to headspace on the rim. Can be done... but, as with many other deserving calibers, is the real market out there to justify the investment in tooling and inventory.

[flightsimmer]

Long guns are harder to photograph well than are shorter handguns but here is a picture I took for insurance and record keeping reasons of my Rossi model 92's.
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo10 ... bottom.jpg

It's often better to take several close-up pictures of different parts of a long gun and then put them in a "collage" so that you can display more close-up detail like this one.
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo10 ... rearms.jpg

[Griff]

I like the collage... great detail... but I often just give the insurance guy several pics of each gun... along with some group shots... and share them here... (note 1)

I was remiss in my initial post... and Welcome to The Forum.

I have 3 of the Rossi M92s... 2 of them in .357 from Interarms, and one EMF "Short Rifle". I bought the first one to use in CAS back in 1986... it, after a little smoothin' work became my wife's match rifle... after I finally found an 1873... We shared that little '92 carbine for several months.


The following year it was joined by another mdl 92 for my son; who quickly tired of sharin' his Mom's rifle... or was that she tired of sharin' her rifle with him? Centered in this group is the little "Puma"!


Several years passed before I got this .45 Colt Short Rifle for my son. He'd finally acquired a pair of .45Colt handguns and wanted a rifle to match... We're considering turning the barrel down to a ½-round/½-octagon to lighten it up a bit. I'm not aware that Rossi has offered that option in a '92. I think it'd be a slick little shooter.


(note 1): If you resize your photobucket pic to 1,000x1,000 pixels you can use the "" to have them display directly in your post.

[flightsimmer]

Quote - (note 1): If you resize your photobucket pic to 1,000x1,000 pixels you can use the "[img]and[/img]" to have them display directly in your post.

So I discovered. The other forums I'm on automaticley resize the photos and the photos I posted were from Photobucket and could not be resized unless deleted and reposted in a smaller size. I didn't want to fool with it so I just posted the link.

[olyinaz]

Welcome!

Yep, you said it regarding the Rossis - they are a bit rough but they shine up like an old penny. Real nice!

And I'd LOVE to see a lever gun in 10mm! The ballistics out of a rifle tube would be pretty impressive I think.

Oly

[FatJackDurham]

I have an interarms blue 357 Rossi 92 as well, and I loveit. I slicked it up per the video and it shoots pretty good. I ordered a receiver mount rail and scope and I am about to get into reloading for it.

What was that .385 measuerment?

[flightsimmer]

Quote: What was that .385 measuerment?

Well I read in another post on the net where the cartridge guide rails should be spaced between .382" and .388" for the 38/357 Magnum for best operation and shimmed up from the right side if need be. You measure that with a pair of inside calipers from the top of the receiver with the bolt retracted. Mine happened to be about ideal.

[FatJackDurham]

Interesting. I'll have to check mine.

[gak]

To bad they don't make it in 10mm.

+1
I think it'd make the perfect companion to one of the several handguns that are available.
The 10mm out of a carbine is a good deer cartridge out to 150 yards or so and you could fit quite a few in the mag...

Same problem as other rimless cartridges in a gun designed to headspace on the rim. Can be done... but, as with many other deserving calibers, is the real market out there to justify the investment in tooling and inventory.

Good points. Just as an intellectual exercise, the .357 would seem to suffice for most of the hypothetical 10mm lever demand, but for those it doesn't--wanting a next-step bigger hole-- wouldn't a .41 Mag lever be even closer to the idea, rendering a 10mm offering somewhast redundant (I'm saying if there were more .41 Mags--but they"re more doable, if someone wants to customize, regardless because of that rim)-? Just wondering. I've got .357 92s and .44 92s...now y'all got me thinking I "need" a .41 Mag 92 Whaddya say, Rossi?!

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

To bad they don't make it in 10mm.

+1
I think it'd make the perfect companion to one of the several handguns that are available.
The 10mm out of a carbine is a good deer cartridge out to 150 yards or so and you could fit quite a few in the mag...

Same problem as other rimless cartridges in a gun designed to headspace on the rim. Can be done... but, as with many other deserving calibers, is the real market out there to justify the investment in tooling and inventory.

Good points. Just as an intellectual exercise, the .357 would seem to suffice for most of the hypothetical 10mm lever demand, but for those it doesn't--wanting a next-step bigger hole-- wouldn't a .41 Mag lever be even closer to the idea, rendering a 10mm offering somewhast redundant (I'm saying if there were more .41 Mags--but they"re more doable, if someone wants to customize, regardless because of that rim)-? Just wondering. I've got .357 92s and .44 92s...now y'all got me thinking I "need" a .41 Mag 92 Whaddya say, Rossi?!

Rossi made at lest one in 41 mag. It was a prototype and belongs to one of the LSI employee's. He sent it here for action work, sight upgrades and my Bolt mounted peep sight.

The other option is the original 40 cal. the 38-40. I have a 20" octagon 44mag Rossi here now that I relined/retimed to 38-40. I still have to side mount a Malcolm Scope to it.

[Pete44ru]

[The other option is the original 40 cal. the 38-40. I have a 20" octagon 44mag Rossi here now that I relined/retimed to 38-40. I still have to side mount a Malcolm Scope to it.]

Now, THAT sounds VERY interestink...........

.

[flightsimmer]

I almost forgot. "THIS POST IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICTURES" so here it is.



10mm, when you care enough to send the very best.

[AJMD429]

To bad they don't make it in 10mm.

+1
I think it'd make the perfect companion to one of the several handguns that are available.
The 10mm out of a carbine is a good deer cartridge out to 150 yards or so and you could fit quite a few in the mag...

Same problem as other rimless cartridges in a gun designed to headspace on the rim. Can be done... but, as with many other deserving calibers, is the real market out there to justify the investment in tooling and inventory.

Good points. Just as an intellectual exercise, the .357 would seem to suffice for most of the hypothetical 10mm lever demand, but for those it doesn't--wanting a next-step bigger hole-- wouldn't a .41 Mag lever be even closer to the idea, rendering a 10mm offering somewhast redundant (I'm saying if there were more .41 Mags--but they"re more doable, if someone wants to customize, regardless because of that rim)-? Just wondering. I've got .357 92s and .44 92s...now y'all got me thinking I "need" a .41 Mag 92 Whaddya say, Rossi?!

Like NKJ said - how about a .38-40. . . in a modern-steel gun, you've got your 10mm levergun...!

[BenT]

A metric levergun!! What's the world coming too! Leverguns are suppose to shoot cartridges with a dash in the name or magnum or colt. Definately not any type of mm. I need to go sit down and have a beer to digest this whole notion.

[flightsimmer]

Quote: Like NKJ said - how about a .38-40. . . in a modern-steel gun, you've got your 10mm levergun...!

38-40 in a model '92 would work great I would think as far as feeding into the chamber although a somewhat weaker cartridge case (so I've heard) it has been chambered in single action pistols of the past and would make a good duel rifle/handgun cartridge however there are others that are more popular so it's not really needed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38-40_Winchester

I myself have become fond of the 38/357 and/or 44spl/Mag in a good (slicked up) S&W double action revolver along with the Rossi lever action rifle. A tough combo to beat I think.
45 Colt works and I have one but good double action handguns are a bit scarce I believe.
The only auto carbines I've handled were heaaaaaveeey but there may be some lighter ones out there that I've not seen yet.

[pricedo]

I have an interarms blue 357 Rossi 92 as well, and I loveit. I slicked it up per the video and it shoots pretty good. I ordered a receiver mount rail and scope and I am about to get into reloading for it.

What was that .385 measuerment?

The clone model 92 leverguns Amadeo Rossi made for Navy Arms seem to be a cut or two above the LSI Pumas with real walnut instead of Brazilian mystery wood furniture and were not as rough of the box.

[COSteve]

I have an interarms blue 357 Rossi 92 as well, and I loveit. I slicked it up per the video and it shoots pretty good. I ordered a receiver mount rail and scope and I am about to get into reloading for it.

What was that .385 measuerment?

The clone model 92 leverguns Amadeo Rossi made for Navy Arms seem to be a cut or two above the LSI Pumas with real walnut instead of Brazilian mystery wood furniture and were not as rough of the box.

That was their hook and the reason that they cost more too. I'd love to have found a NIB one without that stupid bolt safety and some great wood but alas, I only had the Rossi's available at the time.

ETA: However, with a bit of TLC, you can get your Rossi to look pretty good.

[jlchucker]

A 38-40 Rossi? You guys that are proposing this are geniuses! I want one. This should be really easy for Rossi since the engineering and design work on a Model 92 in that caliber has existed for over 100 years now. A nice little carbine or short rifle in 38-40, and a bucketful of cast bullet ammo would make for a pleasant day at the range. A nice little carbine or short rifle in 38-40, with a pocketful of cast bullet ammo could make for a pleasant day deer hunting on a fall day, alone, at the edge of a New England swamp (if you can find one that's not posted, overpopulated by tourists, or located in an area polluted by second-home development. Let's get'r done, Rossi!

[pricedo]

I'd love to have found a NIB one without that stupid bolt safety and some great wood but alas, I only had the Rossi's available at the time.

I got 3 of the LSI Rossi Puma 92s that were made by Amadeo Rossi SA before Taurus got into the picture WITHOUT the safety including an exceedingly scarce 20" Rossi Puma in .454 Casull with the improved double threaded tube magazine with the tube loading slot & NO stupid safety.
The .454 92s that have the magazine improvements without the safety are few & far between.
The wood on my guns is Brazilian jungle mystery hardwood but is just fine with none of the acidity & rusting problems associated with some of the softer pithier woods I have seen on some Rossi leverguns.
I lucked out.
My guns are tack drivers & after a little work with files, emery paper & polishing stones are slick & fast cycling as greased lightning.

[flightsimmer]

I understand the "Purist" (I'm the same way) who don't care for the bolt safety. It's the same for S&W fans who don't care for the safety that has been forced upon them also. The good news is you can do something about it in either case.
The manufacture had to do it to sell guns under existing laws, that's unfortunately the way it is in our poiticly correct society. In fact, if you remove or disable one (safety) you could be in trouble if you ever had to go to court, and there is the rub, if you didn't have one, you don't have to explain it (in court). But, I find it useful at times. Other times I just drop the lever, like if I'm in a gunshop with it, just to make others around me feel more comfortable.

Now I'm curious, what is this about a double threaded magazine tube improvement? I know that if I don't push a cartridge into the tube just right, it wants to hang sometimes. I just haven't bothered to find out why. I do like the idea of using a piece of wood dowl to assist in loading the tube especially on the last round.

[pricedo]

I understand the "Purist" (I'm the same way) who don't care for the bolt safety. It's the same for S&W fans who don't care for the safety that has been forced upon them also. The good news is you can do something about it in either case.
The manufacture had to do it to sell guns under existing laws, that's unfortunately the way it is in our poiticly correct society. In fact, if you remove or disable one (safety) you could be in trouble if you ever had to go to court, and there is the rub, if you didn't have one, you don't have to explain it (in court). But, I find it useful at times. Other times I just drop the lever, like if I'm in a gunshop with it, just to make others around me feel more comfortable.

Now I'm curious, what is this about a double threaded magazine tube improvement? I know that if I don't push a cartridge into the tube just right, it wants to hang sometimes. I just haven't bothered to find out why. I do like the idea of using a piece of wood dowl to assist in loading the tube especially on the last round.

The safety IS functional.
During the unloading cycle for a regular model 92 there is a time when you are "hammer over" a live round ..........it's a short time but it does exist and if the trigger is engaged or jolted for whatever reason during that time the rifle could fire. The bolt safety prevents the gun from firing during that critical time.

Also, as a hand loader I like to test my ammo in the gun it is intended for before I box it for hunting. The safety prevents the gun from firing while I'm test cycling freshly reloaded ammo through it.

In earlier model Rossi 92s in .454 Casull the tube magazine used to shake itself loose under recoil. To solve this problem Rossi redesigned the tube magazine of the .454 Casull models to a configuration that consisted on an inner concentric tubular push-rod that housed the magazine follower and coil spring within a fixed outer tube shell. The outer tube shell was threaded into the guns receiver and the push-rod was held in place by a cap that was threaded into the inside of the mouth of the outer magazine tube shell. Rossi took advantage of the opportunity to add a loading port in the bottom of the outer tube shell of the magazine to facilitate the feeding of ammo into the magazine similar to a Henry rifle or a Marlin 39A as an alternative to using the normal ammo feeding port in the guns receiver. This configuration also made it possible to unload the gun without cycling ammo through the action.

The problem of ammo hanging up in the magazine tube is possibly due to dents and dings in the outer tube &/or too aggressive tightening of those sling swivel clamps used to attach carrying straps to the gun. If the tube gets bent then the ammo &/or the ammo push-rod will bind against the inside walls of the outer tube shell. A bent or bulged push-rod will also cause hang-ups.

[O.S.O.K.]

I just want to say that Marlin has been making leverguns for a rimless cartridge for a long time with no troubles at all - 35 Remington... so I don't see why a 10mm M94 would be any big trick for them.

I think they'd be shocked by the interst in them - maybe we need to start lobbying Lipsey's.. they've been very open to doing special runs with Ruger in the past.

Maybe a note to Brian Pearce (another 10mm fan).

I'd be very happy with a Rossi 92 in 10mm too...

Love my 44 Mag:

[olyinaz]

Nice pix Steve!

Oly

[Laputan]

Great writeup on the Rossi. I just purchased the 20" round barrel 38/357 Rossi. Shots and cycles with no problem, but I am having a loading problem. Without a wood dowel or screw driver to push down the loading port, I can't get more than 3 rounds loaded. You mentioned that you were able to fix your loading problem. Could you explain how you fixed it.
Thanks and great shooting.