new Rossi 92 357 carbine

[a357lever]

just wondering if this is a good carbine, I have a 45-70 xlr marlin for big jobs w/1.5-4x trophy scope but it is big and heavy. what i'd like to know is the rossi 16in 357 any good i read posts but most of them say puma, i have a rossi with the taurus safety i plan on shooting only factory 357 158gr or bigger. Any thoughts or suggestions

[pokey]

welcome aboard.

just wait, you may get a reply..... or 2

[KirbyAUS]

Howdy,
my wife has a Rossi Puma 16" in .357Magnum. It's her favorite little levergun.
She carries the shorty on our ATV in handlebar mounts. It's so short that it never gets hit by brush etc.
Very fast little rifle to get into action.
Gotta be carefull, it gulps ammo at an amazing rate!

I had our local gunsmith D&T the receiver so as to mount a "Williams" peep sight.
It handles like our old M1 Carbines...

You're going to love it.

Kirby.

[Griff]

just wondering if this is a good carbine, I have a 45-70 xlr marlin for big jobs w/1.5-4x trophy scope but it is big and heavy. what i'd like to know is the rossi 16in 357 any good i read posts but most of them say puma, i have a rossi with the taurus safety i plan on shooting only factory 357 158gr or bigger. Any thoughts or suggestions

1st, Welcome to the Forum!

Rossi makes the Puma for import (formerly) thru LSI, and before that it was Interarms International, IIRC; now I believe that's being done thru EMF.

I believe they are great little carbines. In fact, I like the little 1892 Winchester copy better than the Marlin .45-70. So maybe I'm prejudiced.
I have 2 Puma carbines in .38/.357 and one EMF Short Rifle in .45 Colt.

Some will be found in from the factory with rough machining marks and heavy stiff actions. To some that doesn't matter, they will "wear 'em in"... I however, find that I like a lighter action than any of the 3 I own came from the factory with. As with most leverguns, they can also be picky as to cartridge OAL. Neither problem is insurmountable.

Check out Steve's Guns for the most convenient method of getting a slicked up and fully dependable Rossi '92... he ain't just whistlin' dixie with that "Rossi '92 Expert" moniker! He can get you one ready to race, or instructions for DYI via his DVD.

Another good source of instructions for the DYI crowd: Marauder's Rifle & Pistol Hints.

For what it's worth... I sure wish these two gents had been around when I did my 1st two Rossis... my trial and error was minimal, but... I coulda used their guidance!

[gamekeeper]

I had a Rossi .357 in S/S with a 20" barrel, never had a problem, it just got better the more I used it!

Welcome to the fire.

[Jacko]

My .357 mag Rossi is not a carbine but has a long octagonal barrel , I love the thing really sweet little rifle . I bought it in January the trigger was scatchy and the action stiff but the trigger has worn in beatifully now , does not need any work and the action has slicked up fine . If I was interested in shooting quickly I would fit it with a short lever throw kit but it's fine for hunting . The buckhorn sights and I did not get along and I fitted a set of Skinner dovetail mounted peep sights , shoots better than I can .

regards Jacko

[Old Ironsights]

welcome aboard.

just wait, you may get a reply..... or 2...

Dozen...

Neatest gun ever.

Mine is a 20" stainless.

I shoot factory 158s when I have to, but mostly shoot 158gr cast keiths at putt-putti speeds or my 180gr handloads (1500-1800 fps depending).

[Fairshake]

Neat guns to own and shoot. I had three and just sold one. Wish I would have kept it. Buy the DVD by Steve Young if you plan on doing any work or cleaning yourself. Later David

[rjohns94]

I have one in .357, 20 inch two tone with a receiver sight, sling swivels and action job by Steve's Guns. My favorite rifle EVER. cycles .38's and .357 with no problems. Shoots where I point it and functions all the time. It is my truck gun, my plinking gun and last season, my deer rifle. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as i like mine.

[a357lever]

thanks for the input guys, the puma is like 150$ more than the brazil rossi just was wondering but gun has liftime replacment warrenty from davidsons thanks guys........

[Old Ironsights]

thanks for the input guys, the puma is like 150$ more than the brazil rossi just was wondering but gun has liftime replacment warrenty from davidsons thanks guys........

The Puma IS a "brazil rossi"...

Other than Browning ($$$$$) and Charles Daley/(Uberti?) All modern production Win 92 clones are made by Rossi in Brazil.

[a357lever]

cool ok i read in some post that the puma is made in spain, has anyone seen the "rifleman" by puma limited edition list 1250$...thanks again....

[Old Ironsights]

cool ok i read in some post that the puma is made in spain, has anyone seen the "rifleman" by puma limited edition list 1250$...thanks again....

Not if it is relatvely new... Can't speak for early production models.

[TedH]

I've got a 20" Rossi, but I am tempted to cut it down to 16". Kind of waiting for another one to come along so I can have one of each.

[a357lever]

had a 44m 16" win tapper sold it it was sweeeeeet.... man i wish i had that one back...

[Hagler]

Gents,

Rossi started making copies of the Winchester '92 back in 1976. Interarms imported them and slapped the "Puma" label on them. EMF, Navy Arms, and the successor to Interarms, Legacy Sports International, were importing them, too. LSI uses the Puma name. Over the past few years, Taurus has gobbled up Rossi. Taurus is going to sell Rossi 92s. Taurus & LSI did not get together on this new arrangement, so LSI switched to importing Armi Sport-made 92s. Navy Arms does not show any 92 clones its site. EMF still sells the Taurus/ Rossi 92. LSI owns the Puma name, and are now selling a .22LR Tommygun pretender as a Puma, as well as, the Armi Sport/ Chiappa 92.

I have an EMF/ Rossi 92, .357 Magnum, with a 16" barrel:



It is a great little rifle.

Shawn

[Topside]

Howdy Everybody, weighing in with my first post. Glad to be here. Bought a Puma carbine last wk. in .357 (16" bbl). I'd been looking hard for a lever .357 for quite a while. The little carbine was sitting there out of the blue at a local shop. It was sure not to be there long so I grabbed it used for $349. Not braggin on the price, but it looks like new except for one little ding on the bottom edge of the stock.

Been loading some 125 gr. JHP for it with 2400. Very much looking forward to trying it out early next wk. Please suggest your favorite site if you have one, where loads for this rifle and .357 loads in general are discussed. I realize there are tons of forums and sites to check out for this info, but I'd still welcome your suggestions as to a "best one" you really like. I'm particularly interested in learning about lead bullets and loads that I can shoot economically but won't create too much leading. THANKS. RW
sodbuster@comcast.net

[Old Ironsights]

...Please suggest your favorite site if you have one, where loads for this rifle and .357 loads in general are discussed. I realize there are tons of forums and sites to check out for this info, but I'd still welcome your suggestions as to a "best one" you really like. I'm particularly interested in learning about lead bullets and loads that I can shoot economically but won't create too much leading. THANKS. RW
sodbuster@comcast.net

Best one? Here.
Cast bullet loading? http://castboolits.gunloads.com/index.php
Heavy/hunting .357? http://castbullet.com/shooting/rossi-s3.htm

[Topside]

Many thanks OI.

[Enoch]

Great post by Old Ironsights ! I find 158 grain Gold Dots to be the real deal for my '92 Rossi/Interarms. It dropped my last years Buck right in his tracks with one shot to the back of his neck. You got a GREAT PRICE on your rifle. Can you clue me in on where you bought it ? They are going for $ 350.00 used in my neck of the woods and I've only seen one in nearly 2 years ! If you got a lifetime warranty it sure beats Rossi's 1-year. I've had to send mine out for repair numerous times for ejector problems. I second the advise of Steve's Gunz. Steve will put a slick action job on your rifle that will cause you to fall in love with it for sure.
Enoch.

[a357lever]

THANKS FOR ALL THE INPUT IM' PICIN IT UP SATURDAY, RANK REPORT TO FOLLOW

[greenacres]

I have 2 Puma carbines in .38/.357

Do these rifles cycle 38 special ammo through the action ok?
I didn't think they would.

[a357lever]

i don't see why they wouldn't shoot 38 spec. I havent tried mine yet but i think they may be a little finiky with .38 wadcutters and such.

[Old Ironsights]

Mine feeds them fine... Steve NKJ can say more, but IIRC SOME of the guns can be a little finicky about COAL. If the .38 is too short it will choke or somthing.

[tman]

i'm in the market for trapper in .357. these are great guns. the .357 may be the most versatile cartridge ever.

[SmokeEater2]

Perfect timing. I had been thinking about a .357 lever gun lately and had wondered about the Puma's/Rossi's I think this thread may have sent me over the edge.

[Old Ironsights]

Perfect timing. I had been thinking about a .357 lever gun lately and had wondered about the Puma's/Rossi's I think this thread may have sent me over the edge.

Let me add an anvil to help you on the way down...

I shoot full size steel rams at 200m with mine using iron sights and 180gr bullets loaded to 1800fps.

Proper shot placement WILL put them down every time.

[a357lever]

u can get lifime warrenty at any dealer that is on davidsons.com

[a357lever]

got my rossi 92 have not shot it yet but let me say this, action is smooth, trigger good, wood fair, blueing good, feeding smooth no problems,extraction perfect. Will shoot soon but i must say after all the posts about the action and trigger of these carbines i say iam pleasenly surprised so far knocing on wood

[timkelley]

Super little carbine, I have a 20 incher in 45 colt and a 24 inch rifle in .357. I surely wish the .357 was a 16 inch carbine.

[a357lever]

I have shot my rossi, and i like it it is a very handy light carbine seams well built and finished with a decent action and trigger its as smooth as my m94 win 30-30.

[Mutt]

My Rossi thru EMF is a fine shooting , smooth, sweet handling carbine right out of the box.
Haven't had to do anything to it so far.It's blue with case coloring on the receiver . Beautiful. I use only SJSFP Mag Tec 158 gr. But now I have a friend that does some loading for me and loads as close to the Mag Tec as we can . EMF folks were very good to deal with through my favorite gun shop.
I traded a Winchester ( that was near new but wouldn't eject properly no matter what I did or had done to it. ) Besides , I hated that fug-ugly dip for the safety . and the rebounding hammer. After a lot of research , I made to deal to swap. Didn't get a great bargin money wise, but have one I can depend on today. The best place to get one now is Steve's . You will come out with the best of the best '92s . I didn't know about Steve's magic before , but just lucky this time as mine turned out great .

Mutt

[gak]

As one of the posters said, LSI (which initially brought us the infamous little safety atop the receiver...then EMF had to follow) is now importing the Italian 92 clone still under the "Puma" moniker. 99.9% of the new LSI "Pumas" you see on Gunbroker, etc., are still the Brazilian/Rossi variety--and probably will be for awhile until the distributors run out of them. Cimarron and Taylor's also are importing the Armi Sport/Chiappa model. Cimarron finally added the 20" saddle ring carbine about 9 months ago and within the past 3 or 4 months finally added the .44 Mag (which I believe LSI also carries but Taylors does not)--which it had previously only supplied in the long barreled rifles, short-rifle octagonal, and recently octagonal trapper...amazing how much details matter in this biz, eh? Oddly, the Armi Sport "trapper" - at least as marketed by Cimarron - is just a shortened (16") short-rifle (octagonal), and not the traditional 16" round-barrel we've come to think of--and which I prefer for the reduced weight. Best of all worlds for your purposes, especially for the price, look for a pre-safety Interarms/Rossi trapper .357.

[jazman]

Always like digging out this pic of my Trapper, done by Steve Young. I flat love this gun! Leather sleeve by Lever at Lever Gun Leather is also a favorite.