Making a good gun great!

The Rossi Model R92, a lightweight carbine for Cowboy Action, hunting, or plinking! Includes Rossi manufactured Interarms, Navy Arms, and Puma trade names.
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WV338
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Making a good gun great!

Post by WV338 »

I just purchased my first Rossi 92 in a 44 mag. It was a two year old but the guy said he never shot it. I have to believe him because I’ve never seen an action or barrel so clean except one just out of the box. Before I purchased it I did some extensive research on the various forums to find out about all the good, bad, and ugly of the Rossi 92. I felt one of the first things I needed to do after buy it was to get Steve Gunz’s video and parts. The gun I purchased was very rough through its cycle and would jam every time if I tried to cycle a cartridge slowly. So after reviewing the video I began the teardown. I not a machinist by any means but I am a tinkerer. Following the video by memory was very simple and things came apart just like Steve said it would. One of the biggest problems I see from the Rossi manufacturing is the lack of polishing on the internal parts of the gun. They only grind them and the parts are very rough. This accounted for all the cycling problems I was incurring with the gun. I followed most of Steve’s recommendations and added a few of my own. I polished the carrier and cartridge guide which was tearing up the brass and contributing to the jamming problem. Reassembly went just as easy as the teardown. Remember… don’t force the parts together. One problem I did discover was that the L&B Pin Hole Plug Screw threads catch on the Breech Bolt. That is why people have left it loose and then later lost them. I found the threads were too long so I filed off the last thread and the problem was solved. With everything back together I couldn’t believe just how smooth the action works now. And the best part is that I can cycle it as slow as I want and the cartridge feeds perfect every time. This has made a good gun great. Don’t be afraid to open them up and tinker.
Good luck and good shooting…
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Re: Making a good gun great!

Post by Ranch Dog »

Thanks for the report WV338 and encouraging others to do the work via the SG video. Nothing to it really with a few simple tools and time.
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Rossi owners motto: "Have toolbox will travel"

Post by pricedo »

Rossi owners motto: "Have toolbox will travel" :D

With many brands of gun you grab the scissors and open the box when it arrives and if anything needs attention then you go get the tool box.
When Rossi guns arrive you grab the tool box FIRST and THEN the scissors cause you just know you need to do your "Rossi stuff" (stripping down, cleaning, grinding & polishing, install SG kit & steel follower, reassembly) before you get the smooth as silk levergun most of them will become.
Rossi leverguns are uncut diamonds.

I go one better..............I check the Rossi gun out thoroughly at the store before it comes home with me. That way I always get the "pick of the litter". :mrgreen:
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Re: Making a good gun great!

Post by dagger dog »

pricedo wrote:Rossi owners motto: "Have toolbox will travel" :D

With many brands of gun you grab the scissors and open the box when it arrives and if anything needs attention then you go get the tool box.
When Rossi guns arrive you grab the tool box FIRST and THEN the scissors cause you just know you need to do your "Rossi stuff" (stripping down, cleaning, grinding & polishing, install SG kit & steel follower, reassembly) before you get the smooth as silk levergun most of them will become.
Rossi leverguns are uncut diamonds.

I go one better..............I check the Rossi gun out thoroughly at the store before it comes home with me. That way I always get the "pick of the litter". :mrgreen:

Good luck on finding a gunshop that has ONE let alone mutiple Rossi 92's( in the caliber of your choice ) to try out !

I ordered Steve's kit and video the same day I placed the order for my 92.

I bought a six pack of A-Zoom 45 Colt snap caps and darn near wore them out cycling them through the 92's action 6 at a time for several evening sitting in front of the tube. Then when I did the detail strip clean and tune up with Steves kit, I could see the areas that needed stoning by the "wear marks".

Once done with the "tune up" I loaded Lee 255 gr RNFP, RCBS 452-255 gr SWC and Lee 252gr SWC on top of my favorite TraillBoss load, grabbed 10 rnds of Winchester 45 Colt Home Defense factory ammo and went outside to see what the Rossi coud do. Well it fed ,cycled, shot an ejected every bullet combo without one bobble, I even mixed a tube full of each !

Not bad for a cheap copy of a Winchester 1892. Rough ? Yeah it can be pretty rough on what ever is on the the smoking end of the barrel :mrgreen:
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Re: Making a good gun great!

Post by pricedo »

They're great guns but you gotta do your "Rossi stuff" to bring the "diamond in the rough" to gem quality.
I wouldn't sell any of my Rossi gems cause there's a little bit of me invested in each one.
Pedersolis and Turnbulls are relatively boring cause all you get to do is pull em outa the box and shoot em. ;)
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Re: Making a good gun great!

Post by pricedo »

Contrary to popular opinion Rossi does have a quality control inspector and fitter, finisher and polisher on staff.
If you want to meet him face to face go look in the mirror. :mrgreen:
That's why you're getting a $1500 gun for $400. :idea:
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Re: Making a good gun great!

Post by pricedo »

dagger dog wrote:Good luck on finding a gunshop that has ONE let alone mutiple Rossi 92's( in the caliber of your choice ) to try out !
There are a few standard Rossi 92s (.45 LC. .44 Mag) and standard Chiappa or 2 around but no .454s or .480s that I could find.
If I found one in .480 Ruger I would be on my way to pick it up now. :mrgreen:
Chiappa has got a 1886 carbine on the market now that I have read about in gun magazines but I don't know of anybody that has one.
I hear a couple of the offerings will be .444 Marlin & .45-70 Gvt.
I'll be up for 1 in .444 Marlin if I spot one on a rack but I have enough .45-70s.
I like Chiappas 1886 Kodiak SS rifle in .45-70 too.............trying to find one "in the flesh" is like looking for a 2 pound emerald........an exercise in futility.
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Re: Making a good gun great!

Post by dagger dog »

I really got the hots for a 45-70, would love to see Braztec-Rossi jump into the fray and do a 1886, maybe a rendition of the Sharps or Highwall and give those Italian boys a little competition ! :mrgreen:
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I've got a lookin gun & now I need a huntin gun

Post by pricedo »

dagger dog wrote:I really got the hots for a 45-70, would love to see Braztec-Rossi jump into the fray and do a 1886, maybe a rendition of the Sharps or Highwall and give those Italian boys a little competition ! :mrgreen:
I like the idea of a Rossi 1886/71 with .45-70 Gvt., .348 Win & .444 Marlin as options.
I already have a Pedersoli model 71 Premier grade in .45-70 Gvt. so a 1886 in .444 Marlin would be nice.
I think I'll put the Pedersoli 71 on the wall & hunt with the Rossi 1886 when I get it cause I'm so intent on keeping the branches from scratching the Pedersolis gorgeous furniture that I'm covered with scrapes & bruises from falls and running into trees. :lol:
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