How does the 92 action compare

[Chas.]

Just tonight, I finished putting my first Rossi (Puma) M92 back together after making the mods to the action as outlined in Nate's CD. It's taken me about 2 weeks, one of which was mostly spent helping my wife (Her mom died suddenly about 2 weeks ago). I ran into a snag that occupied most of my working time - getting the lever back in and properly meshed with the bolt. I worked HOURS on that and was about to give up. Finally, mostly in desparation, I turned the rifle right-side up. I had been working on it with it laying on it's side, or upside down as it was more convenient that way. When I turned it right side up, the lever promptly slid into place.

I've dis-assembled and re-assembled lots of stuff, but this is only my 3rd gun. My first 2 were single-actions and were pretty simple. For those of you who regularly work on guns, on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being the easiest), how does the '92 rate in difficulty? Tell me what guns are more difficult so I can stay away from them.

[J Miller]

Chas.

My condolences to your wife. I know how it feels to loose parents.


I've been taking my guns apart for over 40 years. Got 'em back together too. But that Rossi 92 I had drove me bonkers. I'd rate it about 6 on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the hardest to work with. I'm sure there are harder ones, but I've yet to mess with one.

The easiest Winchester lever gun to work with is the Mdl 1894 / 94. I'd rate it a 2 on the scale. The flat out easiest is the Marlins. Those are so simple it's disgusting. They are an easy 1 on the scale.

I've never done an 1886 but I've read they have some quirks that make them even harder than the 92s.

So now that you've done the 92, your all set to try something harder. Let us know what you choose

Joe

[Chuck 100 yd]

Another tough one (for me) is the Browning auto five shotgun. And to think John B. did all that in his head before ever cutting steel.... WOW!!

[RDB]

First time any of the can be troublesome. '92 is maybe an 7 or 8. '86 a little more effort.
But the CD's and Internet directions are a big help. 30 years ago and cold turkey any of them could be a real handful. Ya done good. Congrads!

When I was 18 I took a S&W 59 to a gun smith in a box....never had to again. But then it helped that my next auto was a 1911.

J.M. Browning designs always have some little part in the design that I look at and ask myself where did "that" come from. I figure Browning was no Mormon but an alien in disquise. Thinking up those particular parts..that make everything work together...in your head is almost unbelieveable for us mere mortals.

[Tycer]

8

Hope your wife heals well after her loss.

[CJM]

Remington's Nylon 66 22LR rifle is one that everyone says to NEVER take apart as most gunsmiths won't even try to put them back together for you.

[Buffboy]

A Nylon 66? really? It's been quite a while, but I don't remember them being particularly difficult. Have someone hand you a pre-81 BLR as a barreled action and box of parts (because he just HAD to clean it from the breach) for you to put back together if you want a challenge. Took me three days, off and on.

[Hawkeye2]

Remington's Nylon 66 22LR rifle is one that everyone says to NEVER take apart as most gunsmiths won't even try to put them back together for you.

I shot one for a few years till it started to give me problems then decided to take it apart for a thourough cleaning. I learned 2 things: the 66 is full of parts that don't look like anything that belongs in a gun and NOBODY recomends taking one apart. This was in the early 70's and in the early 90's I took the pieces to a gunsmith in a plastic bag. $10 later I found this was one of the smarter decisions in my life and I am quite mechanicly inclined.

[Hobie]

Please express our condolences to your wife. As many here know, we lost my mother (the last of that generation of parents) this past January.

[Griff]

My condolences on your wife's loss. I've yet to carry that burden, and hopefully will avoid it for some time yet.

I disassembled my 1st Rossi 92 back in '88 with just the NRA Winchester 1892 guide as a help. I didn't find it or the 1886 Browning particularily difficult; but then my wife sez that scowl is my natural expression!

[Pete44ru]

Please accept my deepest condolences, for you, your wife, and her family.

For me, a Model 92 rates about 4-5, and I've found the Ruger #1 & Browning B78 & 1885 single shots a bit harder - an 8 or 9, for sure.

As more than a few folks have found out, it's a lot easier to take them apart, than it is to get them back together properly....................

Many gunsmiths have made their bones & money on disassembled "cardboard box" guns, that customers bring them.

.

[geobru]

Prayers of comfort to your family.

The first lever I took apart was an original 1886. After figuring out the quirks in that one, the 92 was a piece of cake except for the barrel band. I had a dickens of a time getting the screw to engage the threads. (That can be a problem with any rifle with a barrel band based on my limited experience!)

I haven't gotten up enough courage to disassemble the BLR yet. I'm going to follow the old adage with that one, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" I once saw a BLR that someone had taken apart and customized in who nows what ways. I wouldn't touch it because the barrel band pin was sticking out one side. Whoever did the work couldn't get it back in. I didn't trust the integrity of the gun, not knowing what bubba had done to it.

[Chas.]

So now that you've done the 92, your all set to try something harder. Let us know what you choose

Joe, I have another 44 mag '92 to do. I have 2 of them - one for each of my grandsons eventually. I also have a '92 in 357 to do. That one falls in the "cold dead hands" category. I'm not giving that one up. Course, these grandkids have a way to work on ya' when they want something.

[AJMD429]

I figured out the ACTION of the 92, but it's the FOREND that gives me fits - it's almost as if they put them together with the wood shrunk in a kiln, then let it swell a bit. Add to that their not-the-best-in-the-world screws with marginal threading, and I swear more putting one of them back together the first time than any other part. After I do a bit of hand-fitting they are better from then on.

[kimwcook]

I'm sorry to hear about your wife's mother. My condolences.

My Browning 53 didn't seem too hard, but then I've been twisting wrenches for years. Plus, I know just how to hold my toungue (in my mouth and civilly ).

[COSteve]

The Rossi M92 can be a bear to re-assemble if you don't figure out a few tricks, however, once you do it's a breeze.

Installing the bolt - Nate's (Steve) DVD shows you the simple way to do this.

Lever and Breechbolt Pin - Getting the pin in through both the lever tangs and the bolt can be a bear unless you line up the hole and then insert a smaller drift pin from the right. That way you can wiggle it a bit as you push in the breechbolt from the left.

Hammer Screw - Sliding in the lower tang while positioning the hammer so that you can insert the hammer screw is a learned method. I've found that holding the hammer up and pressing the trigger back while you slide in the tang can work as long as you keep the trigger from rotating forward. Once things are lined up, a drift pin from the right side can be use to help insert the hammer screw from the left.

I'm sure that Nate has a better way to explain how to avoid issues and he'll surely be along shortly.

[Chas.]

Installing the bolt - Nate's (Steve) DVD shows you the simple way to do this.

Had no problem with that.

Lever and Breechbolt Pin - Getting the pin in through both the lever tangs and the bolt can be a bear unless you line up the hole and then insert a smaller drift pin from the right. That way you can wiggle it a bit as you push in the breechbolt from the left.

That's were I messed up. I didn't follow the DVD and kept trying to do that with the rifle laying on it's side. Once I turned it right side up, it all fell into place.

Hammer Screw - Sliding in the lower tang while positioning the hammer so that you can insert the hammer screw is a learned method. I've found that holding the hammer up and pressing the trigger back while you slide in the tang can work as long as you keep the trigger from rotating forward. Once things are lined up, a drift pin from the right side can be use to help insert the hammer screw from the left.

That's exactly how I did that. The DVD was a big help here. Heck, the DVD was a big help in all this (if I'd just follow it). That job would have been impossible for me without it. Kudos to Steve for producing it and making it available. I can't thank him enough.

[MrMurphy]

Taking apart an M240 machine gun takes seconds and no tools. It's in service with 80 countries plus for 40+ yrs for a reason.


Getting the bolt back into the receiver, at least for me, should be a "drop in" thing, but i can never seem to get the bolt group lined back up (it looks correct but won't go in right) without a considerable amount of swearing and at least six or seven attempts.

It's a conspiracy, i tell ya....

Haven't had to do it in a few years, but that's up there in the "should be simple but isn't" category.

[retmech]

On a difficulty scale of 1-10 with 10 being the toughest for a first time disassemble reassemble I would rate the 92 as maybe a 4 or 5, the 94 Winchester as a 3 and the Browning Auto 5 as a 5. The toughest gun for me to put back together was a Rossi single shot .357 that I did a trigger job on, I'd rate it a 7. I had to make an assembly pin to hold the trigger parts together for the installation and it was still a bear the first time. First time took about 3 hours, now I can do it in about 15 mins but I sure said some bad words on the first one!