Rossi/Puma short rifles

[aragornelessar86]

Am I going crazy or did Rossi/Puma used to make a "short rifle" version of their 92s? They haven't been listed on Rossi's site for the better part of a decade now, but I can't even find any kind of reference to them or classified/gunbroker/gunsamerica listings. Maybe I'm just going senile.

[Lassiter]

They did! I had one back around 2002. It had an octagon barrel in 45 Colt. I think it had an 18" barrel but it might have been 20"

[.45colt]

We have one here, 20" hex barrel, .357 mag. a lot of weight but it hangs really well offhand. I bought online it from a place in Kentucky prolly 20 years ago.$325.00. It must have been worked over for SASS because it is smooth and slick and a great shooter. My Daughter keeps it for a home defense Gun now.

[aragornelessar86]

Ah, so I'm not losing my mind. I sure wish I could get my hands on a stainless one in .45LC. Maybe if anyone gets a line on on they can let me know.

We have one here, 20" hex barrel, .357 mag. a lot of weight but it hangs really well offhand. I bought online it from a place in Kentucky prolly 20 years ago.$325.00. It must have been worked over for SASS because it is smooth and slick and a great shooter. My Daughter keeps it for a home defense Gun now.

I've got a 24" rifle in .357mag, and a 20" carbine in .45LC. While the carbine is nice and light, I really miss the forward weight of the octagon barrel. Also, I far prefer the crescent butt to the carbine version.

[Old Savage]

I have a 16” 357.

[zoner]

I have a 357 magnum Rossi with 16" barrel also

[348win]

What the deal w these modern Rossi 92's in Stainless....

How durable is the Stainless to the elements

For the price, I'm wondering if they are just the ticket for a truck/farm gun that's going to see rain, bad weather...on the regular.

Or are they cheap, rough, and gritty.

Haven't had a chance to hold one or cycle action.

[JimT]

Stainless steel will corrode or rust if it is abused and not cleaned. I have seen stainless black powder guns that were pitted because of not being cleaned and I have cleaned up stainless steel guns that were rusty. It can hold up longer than blued steel but it is not "unrustable."

As for Rossi's, they are a decent levergun for the price. I had one that I worked over and shot in Cowboy Action for some years. It is slick and accurate. One of the levergunners on this Forum now owns it and says it is as slick as ever.

The only Rossi levergun I have now is the one that Paco gave me. It has a heavy octagon barrel and good wood. It was looooong barreled but I did not care for it and cut it back to 18" for a handy length.

BEFORE

1-BEFORE.JPG

AFTER

12-Finished.JPG

[348win]

Thanks for sharing Jim

You are right that stainless is not unrustable.

I see different grades are more durable.

I know blued guns don't like being caught in the rain, not one bit.

I read somewhere S&W double action pistols on fishing boats in Alaska subject to saltwater out in the open on the boat spot of rust formed, wiped right off.
I got to agree w that cuz I never seen a 1980's, 90's S&W stainless Revolver w rust/pitting.

Ruger SS handguns hold up well too.

I read somewhere Ruger Hawkeye SS Rifles low grade SS and rust easily.

These comparisons are what I am implying.


The cowboy guys would know who have been stuck in the rain w Rossi 92 Stainless, how the fared.
I'm talking these late model CBC manufactured.

I'd like to be able to go out when its drizzling, gun able to get wet, and not be paranoid its gonna go to he** by the time I get in at dark to dry it by the fire overnight.
Blue guns I don't want to risk that if I don't have to.

[Grizz]

What the deal w these modern Rossi 92's in Stainless....

How durable is the Stainless to the elements

For the price, I'm wondering if they are just the ticket for a truck/farm gun that's going to see rain, bad weather...on the regular.

Or are they cheap, rough, and gritty.

Haven't had a chance to hold one or cycle action.

I saw a stainless ruger blackhawk that had been left on a bunk on an unheated boat over a Juneau winter that was completely scarred, marred, and pitted.

I have a Smith 66 that's lived on my boats in the same conditions with no problems. It shows no signs corrosion. And i don't oil it.

I have a stainless guide gun that rides in the skiff thwart in salt spray, at night it gets wiped dry, WD 40'd down the barrel and thru the action, and leaned up against the oil stove to warm it up. So far no corrosion.

When I was living on salt water my guns are stainless. I hunted with a blued SBH and one time, on one long day in the wet woods, a spot pitted on the outside of the trigger guard where it contacted leather. Its relief revolver is a stainless redhawk.

My experiences incline me toward stainless. they will get transported like chainsaws and pick axes and hatchets and splitting mauls and tubs of fishing gear. not a place for prima-donnas . . .

[Pat C]

The stainless used on most firearms is 416 series it is not corrosion proof. I've seen some nasty bores on muzzle loaders that were shot and loaded in field and forgot about .Needless to say bores nearly ruined.

17-4 is what Big Horn Armory uses it's much more resistant to corrosion.

[Grizz]

The stainless used on most firearms is 416 series it is not corrosion proof. I've seen some nasty bores on muzzle loaders that were shot and loaded in field and forgot about .Needless to say bores nearly ruined.

17-4 is what Big Horn Armory uses it's much more resistant to corrosion.

do you know what stainless Smith used on their revolvers? my 38 and the 357 both seem impervious to the air that kisses the ocean. .

[Pat C]

No I'm not sure , I'll see if I can find out.

[Pisgah]

Anyone who might have questions about Rossi levergun quality can take this for what it's worth. I just got a 16" R92 .45 Colt this week. By any mass-produced standard today, they are superb. Mine, the blued version, has a metal finish to rival any, at any time.The wood they use is a mystery, but it looks great with the old-style-Winchester-looking stain. Buckhorn sights aren't the greatest thing at age 72, but my first three bench rested shots at 25 yards using my warmish rifle handload made one ragged hole. My ONLY "complaint" -- the front sight is high enough that it requires the rear to be raised quite a bit. Of course, when the peepsight-bolt safety replacement arrives from Steve's Guns, that complaint will vanish...

[Pat C]

The stainless used on most firearms is 416 series it is not corrosion proof. I've seen some nasty bores on muzzle loaders that were shot and loaded in field and forgot about .Needless to say bores nearly ruined.

17-4 is what Big Horn Armory uses it's much more resistant to corrosion.

do you know what stainless Smith used on their revolvers? my 38 and the 357 both seem impervious to the air that kisses the ocean. .

It is 416 stainless steel .

[348win]

Are the dovetails cut; American/Standard/Imperial or Metric???

I suspect the front sight being high to be an annoyance, but at least it has a gold bead. Hopefully not too fat.

I haven't got to inspect one of these rifles in person yet.

[Grizz]

The stainless used on most firearms is 416 series it is not corrosion proof. I've seen some nasty bores on muzzle loaders that were shot and loaded in field and forgot about .Needless to say bores nearly ruined.

17-4 is what Big Horn Armory uses it's much more resistant to corrosion.

do you know what stainless Smith used on their revolvers? my 38 and the 357 both seem impervious to the air that kisses the ocean. .

It is 416 stainless steel .

thank you

[oldebear1950]

I have a 16 inch 38/357 stainless, but I still clean it after shooting, like someone else said , just cause is stainless doesn't mean you don't have to clean it up now and then

[Griff]

I have one I bought for my son in 2005, imported by EMF. 20" bbl, pretty stout chuck of steel for an octagon bbl!.

1892.JPG

[Poohgyrr]

If I remember right, didn’t the old Rossi make the EMF Hartford and Navy branded 92s? It’s been a while…
This EMF Hartford 92 started as a 20” 44-40 short rifle, and is now a 16” 44Special.

[AJMD429]

.
If by 'short rifle' you mean the 16" barrel with barrel band vs end-cap, they sure made a bunch of those, because our family has a bunch. Between us we have (I think still) an example of 16" round, 20" round, and 24" octagonal barrel, in 357 Mag, 44 Mag, and 45 Colt. I personally have a 454 Casull in 16" and 20" round barrel configuration. Most of our guns are stainless. My daughter's 45 Colt octagonal is deep-blued and has FANCY wood and brass furniture. Really nice. My 454's and one 44 Mab 20" blued one I have all have the 'tube loading' feature in addition to the side-loading gate.

So they made a big variety of them.

My favorites are the 16" ones due to being so light and handy. A 'saddle-ring' on them is the equivalent of a modern-day 'single-point sling' and is as 'tactical' as it gets. A quick loop setup on the sling to grab a second point and you can sling it up for chores yet have it rapidly available if a coyote or 2-leg predator is suddenly there. Accuracy in my hands for a non-rested shot isn't much different with barrel length changes, and the Marbles Bullseye sights I put on all my 'shortys' are as fast or faster than any red-dot and super-durable. Best for home protection, chores, and/or a 'truck gun'.

For the 20" I use a Williams FP rear (the side-mount kind you do have to drill/tap for) and usually a fiberoptic front sight in green or yellow (orange is really too bright for me). These sights allow for precision sighting in and when aperture is removed the accuracy remains but speed increases. Best for hunting.

For the 24" barreled leverguns, to me they are not practical for hunting - no advantage in accuracy for me, and the increased capacity (usually #8 for 16", #10 for 20", and #12 for 24") is not important when hunting, but I do love the 'antique' feel of an octagonal 24" levergun with a tang sight on the rear and a Lyman Globe sight up front. Best for clanging distant gongs at the range.

[Griff]

"

If by 'short rifle' you mean the 16" barrel with barrel band vs end-cap

Short Rifle" generally refers to a rifle with a nose cap vs two barrel bands, which are usually defined as carbines.

If I remember right, didn’t the old Rossi make the EMF Hartford and Navy branded 92s? It’s been a while…
This EMF Hartford 92 started as a 20” 44-40 short rifle, and is now a 16” 44Special.

Yes, the EMF Hartford was a Rossi imported by EMF. I'm not sure about the ones imported by Navy Arms. The one I pictured is an EMF Hartford in 45 Colt.

[mickbr]

What the deal w these modern Rossi 92's in Stainless....

How durable is the Stainless to the elements

For the price, I'm wondering if they are just the ticket for a truck/farm gun that's going to see rain, bad weather...on the regular.

Or are they cheap, rough, and gritty.

Haven't had a chance to hold one or cycle action.

Ive owned several stainless and blued. Generally the action is very solid, one of the strongest but being 3rd world production you can get a rough one. Two of mine needed smoothing out to run well. A smooth rossi in my opinion is as good as new Winchester 92's which are twice the price. All but one fed both shorter and longer cases ( 357/38 special and 44mag/44 special) - one of my 44's never liked 44 special. Running specials I could get an extra 2 in the mag in a 20" barrel version, 12 vs 10.

My go to gun these days is a 44 mag stainless with the 20" barrel and under barrel flashlight with remote switch- day, night, boat, truck, Atv. I've used both blued and stainless in all weather but I clean after every use.

Just a note that the current octagonal offerings in 24" are somewhat muzzle heavy, Rossi doesnt taper the barrels like the originals. its not so bad in the 44 as the bigger hole takes some of the weight away but the 357 24" was an iron girder to carry about. Either calibre in 20 or 16 " round barrels are the lightest guns out there

[Bill in Oregon]

Agree on the 24-inch untapered octagon barrels taking the fun out of handling and carrying a Rossi.

[Paladin]

I have a couple of the 16-inch Rossis in .357 set up for walking the dogs at night in AZ on the mountain. My daughter took one, then I got the second one already threaded for the suppressor and cerakoted OD Green, then I painted it.

Rossi 357 painted.jpg

The one my daughter took.

Rossi Alicia.jpg