Tell me about the Rossi M92

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twofocused

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I'm looking for a complimentary long gun to my flattop Bisley in 44 Special. Winchester is a bit much, I'm scared of newer Marlins even though I probably shouldn't be, and the way a Henry feeds is a turn off.

Now I haven't settled on the Rossi but, it seems to have everything I want and a few things I don't. I'm looking at the 24 inch octagon barrel 44 magnum.

Please tell me if its a huge mistake or is it a decent rifle that will serve me well for years to come.
 
They have a break in period, like a S&W revo. I prefer part tolerances to be tight, and wear in to each other.

In 50 years, those factory smooth Henry lever guns will be sloppy as heck.
 
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MurphyLong said:
If the factory can't put out a finished product, I buy from someone who can.
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Funny you say that, I actually prefer to break in some tools myself.

When you buy a new car, and the owners manual describes how to drive it during its break in period, that rules it out as potential purchase?
 
I can't speak on the .44 but I have two of their 20" round barreled 92's, one in .357 and one in .45 Colt. Both of them felt a little gritty when I first got them but the actions have smoothed up nicely (enough for me anyways) after about 300 rounds each.
 
I've had 2 Rossi 92's. A 24" octogon barreled 357, and a 16" round barrel that I still own. Both excellent, neither gave me a minute's trouble.

If you're handloading, the Rossi's do tend to like their cartridges close to factory length, so if you're shooting flat wadcutters, you might have some feeding issues.

The actions in both my Rossi's started out tight, but got buttery smooth with some use. Also, the model 92 action is tricky to assemble. I don't recommend doing a full disassembly unless you have someone with an extra hand about. This shouldn't be an issue, as cleaning doesn't require a full teardown.

I've never owned a Rossi in 44 (I have a marlin 1895 in 44) but I am looking to purchase one in 45LC in the nearish future.
 
Ok, now if I can find a 24 inch barreled 44. They seem to be very hard to get hands on right now.
 
I've got the 24" 357 and I'm not sure how you could ask for more out of it...especially for what they cost. So far it eats everything I give it in 38 or 357, it's accurate and it's fun to shoot. It's a little nose heavy but what do you expect?
My dad has an older 44 Mag Rossi but I want to say it's a 20"...I haven't shot it yet though.
 
Twofocused, I have the same revolver and it's great. I see they are offering it in stainless now.

I am a cowboy action shooter; we use pistol caliber lever action (and pump action) rifles in our game. The Rossi '92 is the most affordable rifle out there so we see them mostly in the hands of new shooters. Legend has it that the '92 replicas were widely used in the early years of cowboy action. The Marlin 1894 was the top dog because it had a shorter stroke than any of the Winchesters. Later on the gunsmiths figured out a way to alter the geometry of the mechanically simpler 1866 and 1873 replicas coming in from Italy and those became the top rifle. A tuned '66 or '73 will also set you back about $1400; for a beginning shooter who also has to kit up with two revolvers, leather and a shotgun this can be an issue.

The Marlin used to be a great choice, priced under $800 and not as expensive to make "match ready". When Remington bought Marlin and moved production to New York they had some well publicized problems with the lever action rifles. I have not seen any of the octagon barreled 1894 Cowboy variants since then although Marlin has shown them at the SHOT Show. They have been producing a round barreled 1894 in .44 Magnum, and the fit and finish on the ones I have seen is OK. Don't think they have a 24" version. I bought and later resold .357 1984C Carbine; it fed my .38 Special cowboy ammo but jammed on .357 ammo. A friend of mine bought it and fixed it. I might take a chance on a .44 Magnum Marlin especially if I bought it from a dealer who would support it if I had a problem.

The Rossi '92s, like too many guns these days, are rough out of the box. I know some folks who are capable of slicking up their own guns but I would want help. One option is to order one from Nate Kiowa Jones at www.stevesgunz.com; he probably knows these rifles better than anyone. The .44 and .45 rifles seem to be a little less finicky than the .357 versions. Steve will also sell aftermarket parts for the '92.

One last anecdote; I have a friend who bought a .357 rifle with a 24" octagonal barrel before he started shooting cowboy action. He used to have issues with the rifle ejecting live rounds but it got him in the game. He's since had it worked on a little and it runs just fine if you feed it ammo that it likes.
 
Thanks Crunchy, I did see them in stainless but, I'm a blued revolver kinda guy. I'd love to put my hands on another.
 
When I buy a vintage levergun, it's a Marlin.
When I buy a new levergun, it's a Henry.
Without question, Henry makes the best current product among levergun manufacturers.
I just got this'n, a Frontier Long Barrel .22... gonna try it with a tall ladder sight, an' see if'n I can hit anything at 500 yards. ;)
Henry Quigley b.jpg


I have a very old Rossi Puma 92 in 45 Colt, with crescent buttstock and 24" half-octagon barrel. It's a keeper!
Puma 92 45 Colt.jpg


The only 44 magnum levergun I ever bought was a 1990 Marlin 94 that I took from the seller's place directly to the gunsmith to be converted to a 41 magnum Trapper.
It's a real nice little thumper!
trio of 41 mag b.jpg
 
A few forum members have really told me to swallow my one dislike about Henry and go fondle a few. Well I have and I may be changing directions. Thanks for all the insight though.

PS, one can never have too many lever guns. I'm still on the hunt for that unicorn 24 inch barreled Rossi!
 
I bought a Rossi M92 in 357mag and don't regret it. Yes, it was rough. Yes, it is getting better as I use it.

I'm not into cowboy action shooting, but if I was I would want something smoother. But for the plinking I do, I love mine.

I'm still working up my own loads for it, I'm up to about 1700fps w/ 158gn bullets and I am still 1.5gn charge away from listed max for the powder I am using (300-MP). I added a Marbles tang peep sight to it, still trying to get used to it, but it is a lot better than the buckhorn rear sight.
 
I had a pre-InterArms 20"er in .357. Liked it a bunch & pretty accurate. My eyes don't agree with old-style buckhorn sights anymore & it launched brass into a low-earth orbit. Fun gun, but moved down the road a while ago.

My preferred flavor of levergun is Marlin & as a .41Mag guy, I've been pining for a 1894 in .41, but they've gotten crazy expensive. I've heard nothing but good things about Henry & got to look at a couple of the Big Boy steels at the Greensboro gun show. Pretty sure the 16.5" .41Mag carbine is "next".
 
Although I am first and foremost a pre-safety Marlin fan, I have both Henry and Rossi rifles.

Like Carl and some other folks, I prefer the older Rossi guns.
I have a 16" .357 that is probably 30 years old or older, and it is wonderful.

I personally like the way the Henry loads. The biggest complaint I hear about tube fed is that it might slow you down on the reload in a gunfight. Or that they might not feel comfortable "topping it off" during the fight.
And I don't have much to say about that sentiment that won't offend folks, so I'll stop right there.
 
thrillhill said:
Although I am first and foremost a pre-safety Marlin fan, I have both Henry and Rossi rifles.

Like Carl and some other folks, I prefer the older Rossi guns.
I have a 16" .357 that is probably 30 years old or older, and it is wonderful.

I personally like the way the Henry loads. The biggest complaint I hear about tube fed is that it might slow you down on the reload in a gunfight. Or that they might not feel comfortable "topping it off" during the fight.
And I don't have much to say about that sentiment that won't offend folks, so I'll stop right there.
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I miss my Rossi, but I also love my FR8...[emoji6]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J120AZ using Tapatalk
 
I've slicked up quite a few Rossis now and I couldn't be happier. Sold all of my desirable, hard to find Marlins because they weren't near as smooth or accurate, and were too pretty to take into the woods. It's a really easy process to take them apart and tune a few pieces.
 
Having said that, I've no issue with the Henry loading method. Loading through the mag tube is less fiddly and unloading (for whatever reason one might do that) is easier as well.

Also having said all of that, my IMI Timberwolf is still more fun.
 
Toprudder said:
I'm not into cowboy action shooting, but if I was I would want something smoother.
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premise said:
I've slicked up quite a few Rossis now and I couldn't be happier. ...It's a really easy process to take them apart and tune a few pieces.
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It's easy fer Marlins and not difficult fer Rossis, and well worth it!

premise said:
Sold all of my desirable, hard to find Marlins because they weren't near as smooth or accurate, and were too pretty to take into the woods.
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Too valuable, mebbe, but I don' believe the not as smooth nor accurate part. ;)
 
premise said:
Having said that, I've no issue with the Henry loading method. Loading through the mag tube is less fiddly and unloading (for whatever reason one might do that) is easier as well.

Also having said all of that, my IMI Timberwolf is still more fun.
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Pics of the Timberwolf.
It's been on my list for years.
 
Toprudder said:
I'm still working up my own loads for it, I'm up to about 1700fps w/ 158gn bullets and I am still 1.5gn charge away from listed max for the powder I am using (300-MP). I added a Marbles tang peep sight to it, still trying to get used to it, but it is a lot better than the buckhorn rear sight.
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Just an FYI update, I'm up to 1800fps with 158gn FP/XTP bullets, about 0.5gn below max published load data. Also the best group yet from that Rossi, 1.5" @ 50 yards, with peep sight.
 
Do yourself a favor, find a pre-Remington Marlin and call it a day. I've owned the Rossi's and I have NEVER had a good one, they ALWAYS seem to be an issue. I've got one now I bought LIGHTLY used, looked like it had never been fired! I took a chance on it and it never worked(it jams every single time when you load more than 2 rounds in the mag)....so, sent it back to Rossi, they say that it is "out of warranty" (they only warranty their firearms for 1 year) and they have had it for 4 months now.
Stay clear of them, I've had failed Rossi/Taurus firearms in wheelguns, auto's, doesnt' seem to matter.
 
mazer said:
Do yourself a favor, find a pre-Remington Marlin and call it a day. I've owned the Rossi's and I have NEVER had a good one, they ALWAYS seem to be an issue. I've got one now I bought LIGHTLY used, looked like it had never been fired! I took a chance on it and it never worked(it jams every single time when you load more than 2 rounds in the mag)....so, sent it back to Rossi, they say that it is "out of warranty" (they only warranty their firearms for 1 year) and they have had it for 4 months now.
Stay clear of them, I've had failed Rossi/Taurus firearms in wheelguns, auto's, doesnt' seem to matter.
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Just curious, are you shooting factory ammo? 38spl wants a certain coal or it won't feed.
I'm suprised to hear you had so many issues with multiple Rossi leverguns.
I know quite a few folks who love theirs, myself included. Just odd.
Based on my experience with them, I'd buy a used one without even shooting it.

Fwiw, I have a pre safety 1894 357 marlin and I like the stainless Rossi better.
It's more accurate and handles much nicer, plus I'm not scared to scratch it!
It goes with me on the ranch, unlike the Marlin that is now worth much more than it should.
M92_Rossi.jpg
 
A while back, before Taurus, Rossi was the world's best at pistol caliber leverguns. (Now it's Henry.) I'm also surprised to hear of problems with Rossi rifles, unless they are Taurus Rossi rifles.
 
Rossi was bought by Taurus years ago, there will always be the "exception" to the rule, but I have had such a bad taste with Rossi/Taurus that I will never own another, the fact that they only warranty their firearms says volumes. Slacker, if your 1894 Marlin is pre Remington check the barrel band and make sure the magtube isn't pinched against the barrel, there is an easy fix that will usually fix your "accuracy" issue! Pre Remington Marlins are ALL going up in price because they don't make them anymore! And Remington is flushing them down the hopper....maybe if everyone is lucky, someone will buy Marlin from Remington and they will be made right!
 
Yep, sorry, 1 year warranty is my issue, I have one i'm going to be paying for to get it fixed. I guess I am spoiled with dealing with companies like S&W, Ruger, Magnum Research, CZ, Beretta, Rock River Arms, etc, etc.. All of these i've done business with, have had issue's with used guns...old ones in most cases....and NEVER had to pay even shipping!!!! All issues repaired for free, even when I didn't expect to get any free repairs!!!
 
MacEntyre said:
Yah, 1 yr warranty on a new firearm sucks...
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I am not a big fan of Taurus, but the 1 yr warranty sounds odd to me. I copied this off their website. @mazer
Is this not what they offered to you?

"This warranty does not cover grips, sights, accessories, cosmetic defects after one year, or damage caused by customer abuse at any time. Taurus will not be responsible for these items."

The Taurus Unlimited Lifetime Repair Policy™ is just that. The lifetime of the gun...not the buyer. This is the first warranty of its type in the industry. No other manufacturer has the confidence to extend this kind of offer. Except us.
We know how good our guns are, and we are not afraid to stand behind them... for a lifetime.

Simply put, our unprecedented repair policy stands firmly behind every firearm imported or manufactured by Taurus International. The full terms are we will repair your Taurus firearm FREE OF CHARGE for the lifetime of the firearm

We at Taurus are totally committed to the very highest standards of quality, dependability, and most of all, customer satisfaction. Our Unlimited Lifetime Repair Policy assures you of that commitment. Should you need to take advantage of our repair policy, please follow the directions on the shipping instruction link and our work order form, which you can print out and send in with your firearm. We don't expect you to need it, but in the rare instance that you do, it's all right here for you.

Our Unlimited Lifetime Repair Policy extends to all Taurus firearms imported or manufactured by Taurus International Manufacturing, Inc.

This warranty does not cover grips, sights, accessories, cosmetic defects after one year, or damage caused by customer abuse at any time. Taurus will not be responsible for these items.
 
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That is Taurus, evidently it depends if it is their original product, or select Rossi firearms, the Rossi Revolver (which does have a lifetime warranty by the way) BUT here is what they have for the Rossi Lever Action Rifle:
ROSSI REPAIR POLICY
Rossi Long Gun* Repair Policy

What does this warranty cover?
This warranty covers any service and repair needed by any product manufactured by Rossi, and imported by Braztech International L.C. or manufactured in the United States by Braztech International L.C.
How long does coverage last?
This policy is in effect for one year from the date of original purchase.

What will we do?
BrazTech will service and/or repair all covered products free of charge.

What does this warranty not cover?
This warranty does not cover grips, sights, accessories, or cosmetic defects after one year, or damage caused by customer abuse at any time. This express limited warranty is the only warranty on this product. This product is sold as is and has no implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. There are no warranties which extend beyond the description on the face hereof.

*Includes the Circuit Judge.

Far as I am concerned, you can keep'em I will not be buying anymore of these!
 
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No, you just will pay for it! Remember, Taurus/Rossi does not distribute spare parts for their rifles (even my gunsmith couldn't get parts). Eventually if something happens to it you will have to send it back.
 
Got an answer from The Rossi 92 Specialist about when me new Large Loop SRC was made...

Those were the very first batch of stainless Rossi 92’s. They came out in about 97-98

Thanks,

Steve Young aka Nate Kiowa Jones Sass# 6765
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