local dealer trying to talk me out of buying a Rossi Lever for entry level cowboy...
- Thread starter Magnum Wheel Man
- Start date
torquewrench
New member
I got a Rossi 44 mag lever action last year. It hits about a foot high at 100 yards with rear sight set to minimum elevation. Front sight is fixed/welded on. So, it makes a nice bang stick.. That's about it. Low quality..
Snakedriver
New member
I've had a Rossi M92 SRC in .357 Mag. since the early 80's and it has been a great rifle. Light, accurate and 100% reliable. I haven't experienced any feeding failures in mine, it seems to handle .38's and .357 Mag's with the same good performance. I would recommend it to anyone and I don't consider it an entry level gun.
Jbar4Ranch
New member
I started with a Rossi Puma 1892 .45 Colt, then went to toggle links, and now am on a Marlin and Spencer kick. My daughter has won her category at the Montana state championship two years running with a .357 Rossi SRC just like the one pictured above. She shoots 125 grain .38's through it and has never had a hiccup.
That's weird - my buddy and I got our Rossis last year - mine is a .357 and his is .44 mag. Both of ours have dovetailed front sights. Not the greatest sights - we both added Lyman tang sights, so I keep telling myself that I need to get some kind of a front bead sight.
Quality-wise, we're very happy with ours. We shoot pistol cartridge metallic silhouettes with them once a week, plus two weekends a month. Complete reliability - and before I put the tang sight on, the only problem that I had with 100 yard turkeys was that my tired old eyes couldn't see that doggone far!
A little late chimin' in on this, but.....
I have a '92 Rossi in 38/357 (carbine) that I (and my daughter) use for SASS. I am friends with Steve of Steves' Gunz and the rifle was worked on by him long before I bought it. Best of his records show that it was one of his "early works" sometime in the early '90's. His work on this particular variety of rifle is unsurpassed, IMHO. It operates very smoothly....it will not outrun one of those short-stroked, aluminum carrier, etc. '73's or '66's....but as long as I do my part, they (the really fast shooters) won't hit their 10 targets more than 5 seconds or so faster than I do..... most of the time it's less than that. My rifle cost me $500 used....theirs....more like $1100 or more.
My '92 is OAL sensitive. I load .38's to a minimum of 1.50". I use truncated cone, flat point 125 gn bullets I buy from Missouri Bullet Company most of the time. I do need to operate the lever all the way -- meaning from stop to stop -- to get it to operate and feed reliably. If, for some reason, I "short stroke" it, then I may get a feed problem. This doesn't happen very often.
I've shot a Marlin and several 73's and 66's (with short strokes, etc.). If money wasn't an object, I'd probably do a 66 or 73 because I could get "that little bit faster" time, but I've been very pleased with the '92. It is very accurate as well. My 13 y/o won a side match recently for long-range rifle in pistol caliber at a annual match.....against ALL women (yep, I'm a proud Dad
) using this rifle. She hit the 25, 50, 75 and 100 yd target twice each in less than 12 seconds. That ain't bad shootin'.
Good Luck in your selection.
I have a '92 Rossi in 38/357 (carbine) that I (and my daughter) use for SASS. I am friends with Steve of Steves' Gunz and the rifle was worked on by him long before I bought it. Best of his records show that it was one of his "early works" sometime in the early '90's. His work on this particular variety of rifle is unsurpassed, IMHO. It operates very smoothly....it will not outrun one of those short-stroked, aluminum carrier, etc. '73's or '66's....but as long as I do my part, they (the really fast shooters) won't hit their 10 targets more than 5 seconds or so faster than I do..... most of the time it's less than that. My rifle cost me $500 used....theirs....more like $1100 or more.
My '92 is OAL sensitive. I load .38's to a minimum of 1.50". I use truncated cone, flat point 125 gn bullets I buy from Missouri Bullet Company most of the time. I do need to operate the lever all the way -- meaning from stop to stop -- to get it to operate and feed reliably. If, for some reason, I "short stroke" it, then I may get a feed problem. This doesn't happen very often.
I've shot a Marlin and several 73's and 66's (with short strokes, etc.). If money wasn't an object, I'd probably do a 66 or 73 because I could get "that little bit faster" time, but I've been very pleased with the '92. It is very accurate as well. My 13 y/o won a side match recently for long-range rifle in pistol caliber at a annual match.....against ALL women (yep, I'm a proud Dad
) using this rifle. She hit the 25, 50, 75 and 100 yd target twice each in less than 12 seconds. That ain't bad shootin'.Good Luck in your selection.
torquewrench
New member
Rossi finally agreed to fix the rifle. I called them multiple times and get phone agents telling me that they don't warranty the sights. 10 phone calls later and they are sending FedEx to pick it up. Guess I got the right agent.
Torquewrench,
My Newer SS Rossi 92 shoots high too so I ended up just removing the elevation ramp for the rear sight and it shoots dead on. If you need to lower the POI more you could put a nail across the barrel under the sight (ramp removed) and bend the sight down a little and remove the nail. That would put the rear sight right on the deck for its lowest setting possible.
My Newer SS Rossi 92 shoots high too so I ended up just removing the elevation ramp for the rear sight and it shoots dead on. If you need to lower the POI more you could put a nail across the barrel under the sight (ramp removed) and bend the sight down a little and remove the nail. That would put the rear sight right on the deck for its lowest setting possible.
I swear, I need a vacation. I took a quick look at the title of this thread, and really, really, thought it said, "Local drug dealer trying..." 
Which of course, immediately got my attention.
Sticking with the thread though, those are some mighty nice looking guns.
The Doc is out now
(and of course, heading to court later on today)
Which of course, immediately got my attention.
Sticking with the thread though, those are some mighty nice looking guns.
The Doc is out now
(and of course, heading to court later on today)ursavus.elemensis
New member
If you want the REAL thing, instead of a copy, Winchester is now selling the model 1892 in short rifle and carbine configurations, and the new ones are available in .357 magnum and .44 magnum.
Last edited:
A genuine Winchester costs two, or three times as much as a Rossi.
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=117322
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=022C&mid=534177
Not everyone can throw $1000 + at a rifle. Winchester is now a Japanese company (owned by Miroko, I believe) so they're just "copies" of "REAL" Winchesters too. Tell me, what will a $1000+ "Miroko-chester" do that a $400+ Rossi won't?
http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=117322
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=022C&mid=534177
Not everyone can throw $1000 + at a rifle. Winchester is now a Japanese company (owned by Miroko, I believe) so they're just "copies" of "REAL" Winchesters too. Tell me, what will a $1000+ "Miroko-chester" do that a $400+ Rossi won't?
Last edited:
Winchester is owned by FN Herstal and you can get the 1894 that is now being made in Columbia, SC as a special commemorative (since last year). Up until 2006 they were made in New Haven, CT until the factory was shut down. They are pricey, but they are American made. FN Herstal had Miroku make some custom Model 95, 1885, and 92s though, and they still make many of the Browning rifles and shotguns.
Miroku is just a contract factory though, not the owner.
Your point on the price though is spot on.
Miroku is just a contract factory though, not the owner.
Your point on the price though is spot on.
ursavus.elemensis
New member
Winchester is offerring the model 1892 in carbine and they are offerring the model 1894 in carbine (collector grades) and in short rifle (not just for collectors). Prices at retail are well below what is on the Winchester web site.
Why would I make a judgement about what rifles others buy? Because I am alive and breathing. We all make judgements all day long about what we like, what we don't like, what we think of the judgements that others make, etc. And, this is a discussion forum. If you don't want to discuss other people's opinions and judgements, what are you doing here in the first place?
I stand by what I said before. I don't know why anyone would buy an Uberti or a Rossi when you can own the real thing, a genuine Winchester. But since you jumped on my opinion, I will tell you what I held back from typing last time: The Rossi model 1892's are a copy of a rifle that never existed in the Old West. The REAL Winchester model 1892 was a 44-40 and other black powder cartridge rifle, and was not made to fire .357 Magnum smokeless powder cartridges or .44 Magnum smokeless powder cartridges. So, if you buy a Rossi in those calibers you are buying a copy of a fake rifle. Suit yourself if that's what you want, but you are not holding a replica of anything that was ever used in the Old West. Winchester NOW makes the 1892's in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, more than a century after the Western frontier was closed. Nobody in the Old West used a .357 or a .44. As I said, suit yourself, or get a genuine Winchester.
Why would I make a judgement about what rifles others buy? Because I am alive and breathing. We all make judgements all day long about what we like, what we don't like, what we think of the judgements that others make, etc. And, this is a discussion forum. If you don't want to discuss other people's opinions and judgements, what are you doing here in the first place?
I stand by what I said before. I don't know why anyone would buy an Uberti or a Rossi when you can own the real thing, a genuine Winchester. But since you jumped on my opinion, I will tell you what I held back from typing last time: The Rossi model 1892's are a copy of a rifle that never existed in the Old West. The REAL Winchester model 1892 was a 44-40 and other black powder cartridge rifle, and was not made to fire .357 Magnum smokeless powder cartridges or .44 Magnum smokeless powder cartridges. So, if you buy a Rossi in those calibers you are buying a copy of a fake rifle. Suit yourself if that's what you want, but you are not holding a replica of anything that was ever used in the Old West. Winchester NOW makes the 1892's in .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum, more than a century after the Western frontier was closed. Nobody in the Old West used a .357 or a .44. As I said, suit yourself, or get a genuine Winchester.
Who gives a squirt if it's a "genuine copy" of anything if it's what the buyer wants. You're hung up on having "REAL" winchester, when it isn't what everyone wants. Some folks like marlins too. They aren't a "genuine copy" either, even though they were rivals to winchester in the "old west". Not everyone wants a .44-40 either, that's why rifles are offered in other chamberings. This was a thread about weather a Rossi was good for entry level "cowboy" shooting, not weather everyone should buy a "REAL" winchester for a lot more money. You're more than welcome to give your thoughts, but when you insult someone else's tastes in firearms, that aint "discussing" a subjest. It's being an ass.
Look, there's nothing wrong with preferring Winchester over anything else. Not everyone wants to spend an extra $500 for those ten little letters stamped on a barrel. What about those that want a 1866 model "Winchester" or a 1873 or 1876 model? Winchester doesn't offer those rifles. Uberti does. The point was, if a "REAL" Winchester is what turns your crank, great. Buy all of them you want, but to act like people are stupid if they like/want/buy something else aint going to get you too many warm replies. For a fella just getting into "cowboy" shooting, a Rossi, two Uberti revolvers, and a Stoger shotgun would run about $1600 give or take. Going by your train of thought, a "REAL" Winchester, and two "REAL" Colt revolvers alone would run $3000+ not to mention what shotgun you chose. A lot of folks can't afford that kind of money.