CavalierLeif
Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2017
- Messages
- 77
Recently acquired a Rossi R92 16" in .357 Magnum. Years ago, I started into reloading .38 Special and .357 mag for my S&W 686+ and I've been nagged by the temptation of a lever rifle in the same caliber. Finally pulled the trigger, so to speak - I've read about the issues with fit & finish and quality control for Rossi but so far this seems to be a good one. I've only run about 150 rounds of assorted .38 spl and .357 mag, but so far all have functioned well.
It's a ton of fun. Everyone who's shot this rifle wants one. The satisfaction that comes from working one of John Moses Browning's most interesting rifle actions - the 1892 Winchester - and experiencing the intricacies of the top slide with the solid locking lugs sliding up as the lever is closed, is great. The rifle is designed for pistol calibers - my 16" model is very handy. "Petite," even. You feel like John Wayne holding it in one hand, and I can imagine it'll fill a great role as a brush gun or camping gun. .38 spl is very light on the recoil, and .357 mag isn't much greater. Painting targets or pinging steel at 50 yards is a pleasure. The crescent moon butt sits on the bicep, rather than the shoulder, allowing for greater flexibility when working the lever and distributing the surface area.
There seems to be a big community for the R92 and modifications. It's not a Miroku Winchester or a Uberti, and it won't be, but from what I've seen it's popular in CAS (those with the 10 round tubes) and folks have ways of slicking them up a bit. I trimmed about 2.5" off the magazine tube spring and ordered a lighter ejector spring which should ease the action and no longer send empties into orbit (having a top ejector is a LOT of fun, though). Ordered a safety delete button (Rossi added a safety to the slide; I find this unnecessary on a lever rifle) and a brass magazine follower to replace the plastic stock one. As a side note: anyone know of additional work that could be useful, outside of shooting it a ton?
Written while watching 'Hondo' and working the action
It's a ton of fun. Everyone who's shot this rifle wants one. The satisfaction that comes from working one of John Moses Browning's most interesting rifle actions - the 1892 Winchester - and experiencing the intricacies of the top slide with the solid locking lugs sliding up as the lever is closed, is great. The rifle is designed for pistol calibers - my 16" model is very handy. "Petite," even. You feel like John Wayne holding it in one hand, and I can imagine it'll fill a great role as a brush gun or camping gun. .38 spl is very light on the recoil, and .357 mag isn't much greater. Painting targets or pinging steel at 50 yards is a pleasure. The crescent moon butt sits on the bicep, rather than the shoulder, allowing for greater flexibility when working the lever and distributing the surface area.
There seems to be a big community for the R92 and modifications. It's not a Miroku Winchester or a Uberti, and it won't be, but from what I've seen it's popular in CAS (those with the 10 round tubes) and folks have ways of slicking them up a bit. I trimmed about 2.5" off the magazine tube spring and ordered a lighter ejector spring which should ease the action and no longer send empties into orbit (having a top ejector is a LOT of fun, though). Ordered a safety delete button (Rossi added a safety to the slide; I find this unnecessary on a lever rifle) and a brass magazine follower to replace the plastic stock one. As a side note: anyone know of additional work that could be useful, outside of shooting it a ton?
Written while watching 'Hondo' and working the action
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