Rossi R 92s

[oldebear1950]

I have two of these guns, both stainless, one is 38/357 with 16 inch barrel, the other is 454 casull/45 colt with 20 inch barrel.
When I received them changed the rear sight, removed the safety and replaced with a pin from Steves gunz, and replaced the magazine follower with a stainless steel follower,
That 16 inch is a joy to tote, and will handel just about anything here in south Alabama i run across.
About the only thing I would change would be the magazine tube on the 454. Rossi told me they build two versions , one with the removeable tube like the Henry's have and one without for cowboy action shooting.
The only one I could find was the one for cowboy action shooting without the removeable tube.
How do ya'll like the Rossi guns? I have heard a lot of good and bad, but can only say have had good luck with mine

[AJMD429]

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Mine have been kind of typical for new-production, non-premium, guns - functioned fine, a bit rough at first, with minor fitting issues, and requiring a bit of polishing (or just lots of shooting) if you want them to be 'slick'. Seems to be the way nearly all guns are these days other than the plastic ones and the custom-priced ones.

I also replaced the magazine followers, even though I've not really had trouble with any plastic ones.

For sights, I do four things:

>> 24" guns get a rear tang and front globe sight - for best accuracy and range fun, even though they are a big fragile

>> 20" guns get a Williams FP rear (aperture removed once sighted-in) and a gold bead or fiberoptic front - for hunting practicality

>> 16" guns get a Marbles Bullseye rear and a fiberoptic front - for fast snap-shooting ability in home protection mode, but allowing accuracy if used slowly

>> A couple got the 'Night Scout' treatment* - Burris Fastfire-2, compact laser, and light - because we actually use our leverguns at night to protect livestock

*People make fun of 'tacticool' leverguns, and most of the commercial ones do look kind of silly, but if I have to go out to see what is eating the goats or chickens, and it's raining and dark, my preference will be a stainless levergun with an aluminum stock and sights capable of actually hitting a coyote or raccoon at 75 yards in the dark. Not something the 'pretty' leverguns are very good at.

[Griff]

I have two Rossi R92s, both .38/.357 "K" series serial numbers and Interarms era from the 1980s. I purchased the first in early 1987 for my wife, the 2nd in 1988 for my son's 10th birthday. I then proceeded to slick them both up in accordance with how I'd been told by fellow shooters... The first method makes NKJ cringe, as it involved valve grinding compound and repetitious cycling! However, in my defense, I didn't over do it... The majority of the slicking up involved stoning the locking lugs... a couple of coils removed from the ejector spring and a thorough cleaning. Headspace is still tight, and action is light and crisp, not at all sloppy as I've seen some others done in this fashion. The 2nd was done by simply stoning of all mating surfaces of the bolt, receiver & locking lugs and the same couple of coils off the ejector spring. Both rifles had the carrier, detent & both guide slots polished. Both were used by their respective owners in CAS for many years. My son winning the Jr. Category @ EOT in 1990 & if IRC, 4 years running at the OWSA National Shootout in Raton, @ the Whittington Center, 1990-93. And my wife winning our annual match in 1995.

[FLINT]

I have a 16" stainless 357 and really like it. I love the short LOP and short overall length. It's the same length as a henry youth .22 lever.

mine was super hard to load at first. Like painfully hard actually. Like, cuts your fingers hard. I've shortened the magazine spring and got some snap caps and run those through a bunch, which has all helped.

I plan to get the steves guns kit with the magazine follower and different ejector spring as my gun launches empties with almost dangerous force. I've heard them zing by my face and I think catching one in the eye would not be fun.

Great gun and I'm looking forward to shooting it more.

[zoner]

I have a 16" 357 and it too was very difficult to load. I thinned the loading gate spring some and while the gate was out stoned the inside edge of the loading port. Those edges were sharp as a razor and combined with the overly strong gate spring would grab the brass case like a vice. There was also a rough spot where the left side of the reciever narrows into the mag tube.....it was actually catching the nose of the bullet as it was trying to transition into the mag tube. I fixed that with a felt polishing bob with a little polishing compound in a dremel polishing just enough to facilitate loading. And yes it was all worth it given the end result which is it loads slicker than snot now

[wolfdog]

I have had several and all worked well. Mine have all been 44 mag except the 1 454 I had. The only one still have is fairly new one that had the silly safety but now has a bolt peep. 16 inch barrel and stainless and currently has a rail and Sig Romeo 5. Very handy rifle when riding and checking hog trap.

[348win]

Just seen a R92 stainless in 44 mag advertised, how great it was and full function,

Then check picture and mag tube has worked forward, proud of end of barrel by what looks like 1", and witness mark through the band of galling during slide forward

Buyer beware of design flaw!!!!

Interesting and nice that the 454 Casull and 480 Ruger guns received a threaded into reciever mag tube to eliminate this issue.

[Griff]

Buyer beware of design flaw!!!!

You can call it a design flaw, but I'd say someone neglected to maintain their gun properly. On a carbine there's a slot cut in the mag tube that should engage eath band screw, plus a mag plug screw that engages a hole in the underside of the barrel. Yes, a steady diet of hot loads, a failure to check properly alignment or fitment of parts may overcome said retention features, but to me that screams "ABUSE" or neglect, not design flaw.

[348win]

The screw in photo is either worked its way out, or sheared/broken

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns- ... =103126753

[Griff]

The screw in photo is either worked its way out, or sheared/broken
https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns- ... =103126753

My point exactly. In the view from the right side, the mag cap screw can be seen, either as result of poor manufacturing, improper assembly, abuse or all three!

[mickbr]

I've owned 3 X 357, 2x 44mag and now a 454 casull. Rossis can be rough out of the box but also rough diamonds. Smoothed up and tweaked you have one iof the lightest strongest lever actions and they tend to shoot well. One of mine was very rough, mag tube had a bevel in it, sharp load gate was scratching heck out of brass and my thumb and the extractor was nicking rims. Once smoothed up it ended up my best shooter. All of mine managed to feed full length and their shorter special rounds too(38 and 44 special) except for one of the 44's which did not like 44 specials. I moved it on as I like my guns to handle all COAL.

[Paladin]

I have two older ones, rebuilt by STEVE, a .45 and my wife's .357. Then are about 2.357 with 16-inch barrels and a .44 Mag 20-inch threaded for attachments.

[OldWin]

I only have one. It's an Interarms 20" .357, likely the same vintage as Griffs. It belonged to my late friend. He had installed an old steel 66 Lyman on it. It's a great shooter. It has a steel magazine follower, but I couldn't tell you if it came with it or was replaced. I did slick the action up a little, but it was pretty good when I got it.
I keep it in a surplus breachers scabbard either in my Jeep or my truck.