Which 92 is the strongest?

[Grizz]

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My Big Horn Armory 89 is the 8-shot 'carbine' version - it is about the same length and heft as a Marlin Guide Gun, but throws a larger diameter bullet and has a shorter lever throw, being a 'pistol' cartridge. More steel in important places, so I think it is less likely to fail than the modified 336's stretched to the huge 45-70 case. Something over 4,000 ft-lbs with some of the loads, yet the stock design and recoil pad make it feel about like firing a 20 gauge shotgun. The nitride finish on stainless metal is a nice dull matte finish, and the stock is beautiful enough for a 'safe queen' but that would be cruel. I need to shoot it more, since it is kind of a 'do-all' levergun, really. Light loads of hard-cast don't destroy a rabbit but they will behead it.

Between the 500 S&W on the big end, and the 32-20 on the little end, you could almost 'get by' that way. Fill in the gaps as you please - with modern 45 Colt, 44 Mag, 41 Mag, or 357 Mag, or some more hyphenated cartridges. Add a pointy-bullet levergun or bolt-action for far-away stuff, and you have a LOT covered.

I do like the 16" Rossi 92's in 454 Casull (or any of the other cartridges), due to them being almost as handy as a large pistol, but if I really want to anchor something dangerous on the spot, I think I'd reach for the BHA 89.

I got it on a whim when I had a bit of a cash influx, and it remains the most expensive firearm I've ever bought, but I'd rather have it than three 'regular' leverguns, so I think it was worth it.

here's an interesting article comparing 500 S&W to 50 Beo . . .

https://www.americanhunter.org/content/ ... s-500-s-w/

I'm not suggesting that the AR as anywhere near as cool as your Big Horn, but both the ar15 rifle and pistol in 50Beo runs neck and neck with the 500 Smith at the business end.

But your gun has the cool factor nailed... plus it's beautiful, plus you don't have to look into the barrel to know which caliber you're shooting ! lol

[kaschi]

Forgot to add the other evening that BHA has a video series called "Off the Bench". One of the episodes tells how they developed the Model 89 action around the 500 S&W cartridge. It also shows how a block of steel is machined into a functioning action. Pretty impressive company.

[LeverGunner]

My buddy likes his Big Horn better than his Winchester 1886 from Turnbull. That's saying something.

[wvfarrier]

I was planning to order a BH in 454 but they refused to thread the 22" barrel. For some reason they will only thread the 18". Seems absurd

[CowboyTutt]

Hi Gents, I've been largely absent for some time as Old Savage mentioned. Because of what he wrote on another thread, I read this one last night. I had to think long and hard to see if I had anything possibly to add to the thoughtful posts here. The only thing that comes to mind would be that Dick Casull made two IIRC Model 1886's that he chambered for his 454 Casull (neither of these is the "Buck Elliot" built P01 that I test fired years ago). They were built on what I am certain Miroku Browning/Winchester's from the 1980's but I will check with larger brains than me who were there for these visits. All that Dick did that I am aware of was heat treat the interior parts in his own shop, which was at least the size of a 4 car garage and probably more like a 6 car garage but I will ask Mic McPherson and see what he says about all of this. He was there for all but my first trip to Dick's home which led me on a crazy journey to connect said geniuses and just be a "fly on the wall" when they met. This is all well documented in Mic's books, so I'm not bragging, just saying I happened to be there on a good day, and it was a good day to be humble Andy Tuttle and see all this history unfold around me, as any of us here would have been grateful to be there.

So the fact that Dick probably only heat-treated the internal parts is quite the endorsement for the Miroku guns, that the basic metallurgy was sound enough, to just need a good heat-treating. When they originally tried out the 454 Casull in a Model '94, it destructed in short order. Our own Jim Taylor was there I believe when that happened. I am not sure of the manufacturer origin of those Model '94's however.

That would be a subject of interest to me now that I think about it. Maybe Jim T. has more information on that particular subject.

But yes, I would suggest that the Miroku-made guns have the best building blocks in terms of quality of steel if I had to guess. Dick apparently thought so. I'm laughably probably way too late for anyone to read this, but better late than never.

Humbly,

-Tutt

[Pat C]

The Miroku is Forged alloy steel that's all they would tell me but my guess they are made from 4140 or 4150 . Much stronger than the old steels Winchester used pre proof steel

I think arguably the Big Horn Armory 89 would probably be the strongest of the 92 pattern rifles because of the 17-4 PH Stainless and hard salt bath nitrided frame .Which is also beefed up around the front.

[Grizz]

The Miroku is Forged alloy steel that's all they would tell me but my guess they are made from 4140 or 4150 . Much stronger than the old steels Winchester used pre proof steel

I think arguably the Big Horn Armory 89 would probably be the strongest of the 92 pattern rifles because of the 17-4 PH Stainless and hard salt bath nitrided frame .Which is also beefed up around the front.

I agree about this. Super Steel => Super Performance

4140 is a steel that Condor https://condortk.com/ makes blades from . . .

also used as tubing for aircraft and motorcycle frames. oldie and goody