Rossi Rifleman

I'm about to take delivery of a stainless 20" Rossi 92 carbine in .44 mag. It is a new (Braztech) firearm, and if I find purchase-ending defects BEFORE I transfer I can return it to the online seller for a full refund.

I understand that Rossi has significantly improved its quality control as of late, and the handful of other 92s (wrong caliber, material, barrel length, etc.) I've handled all seem fine. Still, I don't have much experience with these guns and I don't want to buy a lemon. So can we compile a list of common problems with the Rossi 92/Rossi specific inspection procedures into one thread to make sure we all can get a good gun, vs. something that will lead to trips back to the factory?

Fit/Finish

• -Wood to metal fit between stock and tang
  -Wood to metal fit between forearm and magazine tube/barrel
  -Check front sight to ensure barrel is not canted
  -Check both front and rear sights to ensure that they have been properly installed, not damaged, or bent₁
  -No damaged screws
  -Inspect bore, chamber, action with bore light (note that preservative may be present)

Function

• -Cycle dummy ammo (if allowed) to check feeding (do this both quickly and slowly)
  • -Chamber dummy round thru open action to check for extraction
    -Load and cycle dummy round thru loading gate and cycle out of action
    -Load 3x dummy round and cycle thru action
  -Cycle action to check for smoothness
  -Dry fire to check trigger quality (if allowed)

Condition

• -No cracks in wood
  -Check for rust near stocks
  -Check for bent front sight

Updated with items from elsewhere in the forum.

DIY92

Nobody?

I was hoping that those of you who've handled many of these rifles could shed some light on common problems encountered. I don't have a lot of experience with lever actions and could use the help.

Thanks!

You pretty much have covered all aspects for the list nothing I can think of to check.

Your list has pretty much covered it.

OK, just wanted to check. I've read every 92 related post on this forum, and I just want to make sure I know what I'm looking at.

It seems like most of the feed issues are with the .357 rifles. Is this less of an issue with the .4X caliber 92s?

weconway wrote:It seems like most of the feed issues are with the .357 rifles. Is this less of an issue with the .4X caliber 92s?

This seems to be so. I have two 357 Mags and did not have issues with either. I pretty sure my 454 Casull is going to need some work in this regard but will wait to work on it after I'm finished with the stock work. Doing a TruOil finish this week.

I posted a reply just after you posted this, and it's gone! WTHeck?

Anyway, what I said was that you had it covered, but not to worry too much about feeding. I bought my M92 44mag about a month ago and it wouldn't feed anything at all. After searching & posting here I took the easiest approach first: removed the buttstock (just to keep it from getting stained) and flushed the dickens out of the action with brake cleaner. After it dried I sprayed my lube-du-jour (Ballistol, but you can use whatever you prefer) just as liberally, shook it out & let it drain for 24 hours. After cleaning up the excess, wiping it down and cycling the action umpteen times it feeds Sierra 240 JHCs & Hornady 200 XTPs without a hiccup. I couldn't believe simple cleaning fixed it, but it surely did. I think it's a pretty solid little carbine and well worth the money - even a bargain. I am looking for a 357 in the near future: got the bug Good luck with yours & have fun!
Cheers,
George J.

i have a 45 colt carbine with a bent sight from the factory.
i bought it used cheap because of this [i don't think it was even fired]
i have found that if the metal to wood fit is bad then generally the rest of the rifle is sloppily built too.
if you listen as you work the lever you can hear the internals working with that distinctive schliiick schllaack of the carrier moving up and down and locking into place.
if it isn't clear then the internals are probably full of gunk.
work the hammer and trigger too you can feel them grabbing or rubbing.
look the the firing pin hole and the extractor/ejector over real well.
i have seen burrs on the extractor.
and the ejector spring can be too strong or too weak right out of the box.
i have one that's so strong it dent's the case mouths on my brass before it's even ejected from the rifle.

weconway wrote:Nobody?

I was hoping that those of you who've handled many of these rifles could shed some light on common problems encountered. I don't have a lot of experience with lever actions and could use the help.

Thanks!

I've heard of a couple that had problems loading 38 spl in the 357 Rossi cycling. I did with my 45 Colt model but it was repaired and returned by the factory in 5 business days for the day the received it all done on their dime. Mine was bought 3 years ago and they seem to have improved their checking procedures better since.

So the new 16" 44mag arrived at my local FFL today (jail for 10 days ). When I got there the guys at the shop already had it unboxed and played with. They all said they had never seen one before and thought they we're hard to get. Such a huge diff in weight between the 24" Oct and the 16" round. It seems just as small and lite as the little Henry I bought my son for Christmas a few months ago.

I can't wait to shoot it. This will be the one I learn on taking apart and slicking up here at home.