Info On Rossi Lever Actions Needed

Single Six

New member
What with my own bad experience with my Marlin 1894SS, plus all the negative stuff I'm seeing on "Remlins", I'm looking at the Rossi lever actions for the first time. I'd really like a stainless .44 Magnum or .454, but I need to hear from anyone who has experience with these rifles first. Specifically: Are they reliable with JHPs? Do the .44 Mag models function okay with .44 Specials? Will the .454 models reliably function with .45 Colt ammo? Lastly, what, if any, problems have you had with these rifles? Any and all help appreciated.
 
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I can't speak for the 45's and 454's but my 357 magnum is a simply fantastic little rifle. I bought it used about a year ago and it has cycled everything I've fed it with without a single hiccup. It cycles 180gr Buffalo Bore, JSP, JHP, and an assortment of semiwadcutter and roundnose 38 special reloads.

If you're lucky enough to get a rifle as good as mine you won't regret it. Unfortunately I've seen some bad reviews here lately. I'd take a chance on buying another. I'd kinda like a 44-40 with a large loop. . . .think Chuck Connors. . .:D
 
We bought a Ruger 44 magnum semi-auto Carbine for use by my wife for Hogs and Deer. She has been doing a lot (for her) of practice shooting of the 240 gr loads and is getting 2-3" groups at 100 yards pretty quickly these days. I don't know if you are limiting your shopping to a lever gun, but you may want to check out a Ruger Carbine...bolt, lever (rare), and semi-auto. Pricing about the same as a new Lever gun in the same calibers. The Ruger Lever 96/44 may be hard to find...not many around.

Sorry for the crappy photo- but here it is.
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I've got an older Rossi 44-40. It needed a little slicking up but nothing some lithium grease and working the action didn't cure.
 
I've had very good luck with my seven or eight or so over 30+ years or so. .44 Mags, .44-40s and .357s. On the .44s, one was OAL sensitive (re .44 special rounds) two not, and the same with the .357..

I recently made a negative comment about a trio (IIRC) of new Rossi 92s at a LGS....that cosmetically at least they left something to be desired - reflecting cost-cutting, IMO. Blue'ing that appears more "black-black" (think early post 64 Win 94s) than my viscerally higher-quality finished earlier Rossis,...and to me awfully basic, unfinished (ie, stained but zero gloss as in any "final" finish, even poly'd satin would be more welcome...Anyway, I'm not a high gloss fan, but like to see a bit more life in the wood/finish). Also, the "far" end of the forearm wood--ahead of the rear barrel band--seems as or more abruptly cut than ever--ie, no nuance of a smoothly transitioned/finished end, versus early Rossi examples - which have comprised the majority of mine...which were closer to the original smoothed/rounded Wins, and per the very early Interarms Rossis as well)...another sign to me of recent (year/s) cost cutting and perhaps the effects of the larger "new" corporate (Taurus) influence.

The above are heartfelt observations. However, all that said, I would guess the basic (good) Rossi interpretation of the Win 92 design remains sound and have not heard overly negative remarks regarding internal function (but admit I may have not read all lately so may have missed...). I'm just saddened that the first impressions have deteriorated.
I'd look for a nice used Rossi if in the market now, especially relatively scarce EMFs ("Hartfords") or even older first gen Interarms models, but also "even" including (and more likely volume-wise) one of the Legacy Sport (LSI) "Puma" guns which predominated Rossi sales from the late 90s to the late 00s when LSI left Rossi and went Italian (Chiappa), whereupon they kept the "Puma" marketing name btw (in case you see an $800 "Puma"..it'll be the Italian one). I say "even" LSI as it still cooks my goose LSI was first to bring us the ambiguous and to me unneeded safety atop the receiver...while the smaller "other" distributor those years (EMF) held off for several years before also succumbing, and EMF sported better sights and nicer wood as well. But, hey, those are my problems :) ...
However, comparatively, I think those LSIs were a full cut above the Rossi-labeled ones of late. AFAIK, Rossi itself, under the "new" (five years now?) Taurus-Braztech ownership, is the only current importer/distributor of its own guns. Early Rossi examples soon after LSI left (or was dismissed?) seemed closer to the "better" LSI/Rossi guns than more recent guns I've seen.

Re JHP, mine have fed fine, though most shot through mine have been cast/RNFP or jacketed-but-soft point types. Re .38s, yes some Rossis are OAL sensitive. My solution was shooting mostly .357 as it's a mild recoiler even with warm loads, and it seems the ammo cost gap has lessened between the two ...so for me, .38s aren't needed (they do add one extra capacity FWIW = 11 in otherwise 10 shot in a standard 20" carbine or short rifle). However, for CAS shooters, .38s are popular, so that may be a consideration.

Sum up. Great guns overall, light, handy, fast strong annd smooth actions. Look for a nice used one--or increasingly scarce NOS/LNIB older one.
My .03.
 
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