I have two 2009 Rossi 357mags I bought new. A 24" octagon bbl rifle and a 20" round bbl carbine. I went through both using Steve Young's $58 slick up kit and DvD, replacing the plastic mag follower and way too strong ejector spring as well as trimming the mag spring (to allow loading of extra rounds), lightening the trigger and loading gate springs and slicking up the internal rough edges. While I was at it, I also got his $19 bolt plug to remove the stupid bolt safety Rossi's lairs/lawyers talked them into using some years back.
Both have well over 3.5K rds through them now and both feed and cycle slick as snot as well as having nice, smooth triggers. Besides being fun as heck to shoot, they are both accurate as heck with my 158grn handloads as I added a tang sight, folding rear, and globe front sight to the rifle and shoot it at steel targets at 300yds. Off the bench, 8" steel plates at 200yds are dead every time with both the rifle and carbine.
Both mine feed both 38spl and 357mag well as long as the 38spl loads have an OAL close to 1.500" (normal 38spl OAL is 1.460" and 357mag is 1.580") as, like all leverguns, they are a bit sensitive to cartridge OAL. That's not an issue anymore as I've traded/sold all my 38spl brass and now shoot 357mag brass exclusively because it's easier to just cycle one size of brass rather than keep track of both types.
As I reload for all my calibers, I do for my Rossis too. I find that 357mag components are relatively cheap and plentiful and my plated 158grn bullet loads actually cost me less to make than buying bulk rate, cheap 22mag ammo so shooting costs are low and practice time is plentiful. Further, the 357mag round is very versatile out of a levergun as I can make light charge 357mag plinking/small varmint loads with 125grn bullets at 1000-1200fps all the way up to heavy, 180grn high velocity hunting loads. A popular deer hunting load is a 158grn bullet at 2150fps out of an 18" bbl levergun. That's enough for all but the largest deer at moderate ranges under 100yds.
All in all, my Rossis are favorites of mine and all those I take out shooting with me. They're light, compact, low recoil, accurate, and with both a carbine and a rifle, everyone finds one that fits them well. They are both a blast to shoot and great walking around pieces, especially with a pocket full of extra ammo to play with.
Both have well over 3.5K rds through them now and both feed and cycle slick as snot as well as having nice, smooth triggers. Besides being fun as heck to shoot, they are both accurate as heck with my 158grn handloads as I added a tang sight, folding rear, and globe front sight to the rifle and shoot it at steel targets at 300yds. Off the bench, 8" steel plates at 200yds are dead every time with both the rifle and carbine.
Both mine feed both 38spl and 357mag well as long as the 38spl loads have an OAL close to 1.500" (normal 38spl OAL is 1.460" and 357mag is 1.580") as, like all leverguns, they are a bit sensitive to cartridge OAL. That's not an issue anymore as I've traded/sold all my 38spl brass and now shoot 357mag brass exclusively because it's easier to just cycle one size of brass rather than keep track of both types.
As I reload for all my calibers, I do for my Rossis too. I find that 357mag components are relatively cheap and plentiful and my plated 158grn bullet loads actually cost me less to make than buying bulk rate, cheap 22mag ammo so shooting costs are low and practice time is plentiful. Further, the 357mag round is very versatile out of a levergun as I can make light charge 357mag plinking/small varmint loads with 125grn bullets at 1000-1200fps all the way up to heavy, 180grn high velocity hunting loads. A popular deer hunting load is a 158grn bullet at 2150fps out of an 18" bbl levergun. That's enough for all but the largest deer at moderate ranges under 100yds.
All in all, my Rossis are favorites of mine and all those I take out shooting with me. They're light, compact, low recoil, accurate, and with both a carbine and a rifle, everyone finds one that fits them well. They are both a blast to shoot and great walking around pieces, especially with a pocket full of extra ammo to play with.
