My new Rossi '92 in 45C

QuarterHorse

New member
So I have been waiting and waiting for my Rossi to become available again since the beginning of the year. I got a more than fair deal when a somewhat local shop ordered me in a 20" SS/Walnut Rossi in 45 Colt.

I had done a TON of reading/research on the gun, mostly positive with some negative. Let's not get it twisted on what I want it for, a hunting rifle to sister to my SBH Hunter in 45C and a possible CAS gun to sister up with my NM Vaquero in 45C. It's not a "wall hanger" to be pretty, although I can fit the stock and refinish it to do so. I'm going to be using this gun for pig hunting trips as well as deer down south just for fun.

I received the gun and took it home. Coated in that thick nasty oil I cleaned 'er up and worked the action. A little stiff sure, but not awful. I wasn't until I started running dummy rounds though it that I was worried. I thought to myself all the horror stories are true. I did read a lot of "you have to shoot it" comments as well. In my head I'm thinking, "Right, shooting it will fix this failure to feed concern I have". I had it in my gun vise and worked the snot out of the action, and that helped a little when cycling rounds, enough so I thought I'd take it to the range.

Chambered the first round, a little sticky with my 255gr RNFP in front of 8.7gr of Unique (loads for my NM Vaquero) and fired. R/L were dead center but about 3 inches high @ 25 yards. The second round chambered a lot better but not great, and more of the same for shot placement. Chambered the next round and it was like a different gun! This thing is shooting slick!!!!!

The short version is 60 rounds later and shooting 1-2" low at 100 yards I can't WAIT to get my 315gr LNFP rounds in front of 24gr of H110 to see where she's hitting!

Because no thread is complete without pics, here we go!

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Oh I never even ran the LEVEREvolution ammo though it.
 
Fill the action with white lithium grease and work it for an hour or three. It will be nice and slick when you're done.
 
I also have a Rossi 92 in 45 Colt. Like any machine with moving parts it's not unusual for a lever gun to be tight when new.

I went with a more traditional approach on mine.


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Very nice! I got the SS to match my Ruger NM Vaquero.
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Next will be to get some matching grip panels to the Rossi after I pull the furniture off to refinish it.

I later got my SBH Hunter in 45 Colt as it's just too fun a caliber to reload for!
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Maybe I could get the furniture to match on all three.....hmmmmmm
 
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A drop-in bolt peep sight from www.stevesgunz.com would quickly replace that bolt-top lawyer safety (and the rear sight replaced with a slot filler, of course), if that baby was mine !


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Steves also has a metal magazine follower if you cannot stand yellow plastic. The Rossi lever is greatly improved since being acquired by Taurus.
 
I bought one in 44 magnum last November. After 12 rounds (44 special and 44 mag factory loads) it stopped ejecting. Sent it to factory, repaired. Got it back put 15 rounds (same loads) and the mag tube walked out 2 inches. Sent it to factory, repaired. Got it back put 15 rounds (same rounds) thru it and lo and behold, the mag tube is sticking out of the end again. Stevesguns doesn't have a part to repair it. I sent it back and told them to either send me my money back or send me a rio grand in 30-30. VERY disappointing. I have one of their large loop 92 in 357 that shoots like a champ. I think the 44 round is just too much for the frame. I hoping they'll do me right.
 
Sorry to hear that. I will have some "45 magnum" loads pushing a 315 gr bullet close to 1700fps out of her. I'm told she'll hold fine but we'll see I guess.
 
They chamber this same gun in 454 Casull, right?

Not sure why the .44 Mag loads were punishing it so hard. Too bad.
 
44 mag

Got my Rossi 92 in 44 mag and have put about 200 rounds through her in about a month, does seem to shoot high under 75 yrds but I think the sights might be set for 100 yrds! Not any issues with mine and I'm loving it so far
 
I know of the follower in the tube being an issue and I have parts on the way. I don't understand why a 44 mag could cause damage to a 92 if hot rodded 45 colt and 454 loads aren't.
 
So then how do you account for post after post easily found online specifically describing the mag tube problem on the 44 mag?
I've been on probably a dozen different shooting forums over the last 15yrs, including Leverguns.com and have never heard of this issue. Although I do have a link to a very nice article about loads in the 45-50,000psi range in 1892 .45Colt's. If a magazine tube walks out, that's an issue with an individual rifle and shouldn't be very difficult to fix.
 
So, I checked today and they have replaced the barrel and magazine tube and have shipped the rifle back. I'd hoped for a complete change but I guess I'll have to see how it goes. I'll be taking it directly to the range. I hope this clears up the magazine tube problem. If it'll just work reliably I'll be getting stevegunz slick up deal. It is a great looking rifle, I've just been so disappointed with the constant failures.
 
I have a Win 92 in 25-20.
I have a Win 94 in 45 Colt.

So I feel like I have a Rossi 92 in 45 Colt, sorta.

I have been shooing 24 gr H110 250 gr XTP @1500 fps ~~ 22,000 psi.

That kicks so hard it can loosen fillings:)

The answer was a large unground Limbsaver.

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I bought my first Rossi last year when I saw the ad for the Ranch Hand (sold as a pistol).
I grant you this is a toy and not the hunting gun you bought but my experience was like yours.
Action was not very smooth and required a lot of force to get the loading gate to bring the next round up for the bolt.
I had cleaned it and lubed it before shooting but after one range session I completely dissembled it. I don’t know what kind of grease they use but the inside of mine was full of it like that old saying “If a little is good then a whole bunch is a lot better”
After cleaning and proper lubing with lithium grease and watching a movie and working the action for two hours I am VERY impressed with this little Rossi.
 
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