R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarms?

The Rossi Model R92, a lightweight carbine for Cowboy Action, hunting, or plinking! Includes Rossi manufactured Interarms, Navy Arms, and Puma trade names.
bczrx
Posts: 12
Joined: 27 Aug 2021 21:46
Location: CA
Been thanked: 2 times

R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarms?

Post by bczrx »

Hello,

I've read about the mystery wood used in the Rossi R92 rifles, and the theory that it is rubberwood.

I've read a bunch of threads about refinishing them, with great results.

I have an Interarms era R92 in .357, made around 1980. The finish isn't damaged but looks like a thick layer of stain with a sheen over it.

When I pulled the stock, I could see wood that did look kind of like maple or some other blonde wood. [I grew up working in my parents myrtlewood factory on the oregon coast, so am familiar with maple, walnut, oak, myrtlewood, redwood, pine and fir- but not other types of wood.]

My question is: Does anyone know if Rossi changed their wood for stocks between 1980 and 2020?

I have no idea of the date of manufacture of most of the R92s that had their stocks refinished. For all I know, they could all be braztech, and Rossi used a different wood in the 70s and 80s.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you for any insight you can share.
1980 Rossi 92 SRC, Rossi 951, and a few non-Rossi firearms.
Reese-Mo
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 468
Joined: 07 Apr 2021 13:08
Location: Florida Swampland
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 97 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by Reese-Mo »

They probably have not used rubberwood. Rubberwood is usually from Southeast Asia. There may be some in Brazil, but South America is not noted to be a source of it. There are so many available hardwoods in Brazil. That pretty much means they might have used whatever was available at the time at a good price. Someplace on the internet all pictures of a Rossi with a mahogany stock!

In the USA we tend to like Walnut stocks. Maple and Beech are quite common in Europe. I once had a SMLE mkII with a beech stock. It wasn't very pretty but could double as a baseball bat. Damn near indestructible.

If you want to darken the wood on a Rossi use an alcohol based dye, not "stain". Mohawk makes really good dyes for wood.
bczrx
Posts: 12
Joined: 27 Aug 2021 21:46
Location: CA
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by bczrx »

Thanks Reese-Mo,

I have heard of the dyes for wood, but have had good luck with the Herters' filler/stain, in French Red, when working on other stocks [Garand, Marlin 39A, Winchester model 12, Ithaca 37 and a few others].

Then, when done, I've topped with either Tru-Oil or CHEM-PAK - GUN SAV'R CUSTOM OIL GUNSTOCK FINISH from Brownells.

So far, I've been happy with the results, but- I've generally been working with walnut. I think in one case it was beech, but in general it was walnut I believe.
1980 Rossi 92 SRC, Rossi 951, and a few non-Rossi firearms.
Reese-Mo
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 468
Joined: 07 Apr 2021 13:08
Location: Florida Swampland
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 97 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by Reese-Mo »

Boiled linseed and japan dry does it for me. Takes a buncha coats tho.

The wood on recent Rossi 92s doesn't drink up stain all that well, but stains do work.
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2745
Joined: 02 Nov 2015 19:54
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 310 times
Been thanked: 451 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by GasGuzzler »

I have one from the same era and it is as you describe. Someone here suggested mine was refinished before I got it but I could tell it had not been. It's much darker than the water-based paint used on the Braztech rifles and there is what seems to be a thin layer of sheen.

I do not know what species the wood is or even how it takes stains and dyes as mine is in too good of condition to refinish.

Image

I did refinish a newer (than my .357) Puma .454 Casull a couple months ago and it was different. It did not have the thin water'-based non-penetrating paint either but the stain was tinted more red and lighter and there was no layer of sheen. Here are before and after pics of it.

ImageImage

I took it down to white wood and stained it with Fiebing's leather dye in a color I custom mixed and cut thinner to not hide grain.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.
Reese-Mo
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 468
Joined: 07 Apr 2021 13:08
Location: Florida Swampland
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 97 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by Reese-Mo »

Nice!
bczrx
Posts: 12
Joined: 27 Aug 2021 21:46
Location: CA
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by bczrx »

Hello All,

Good tips, again.

GasGuzzler- My finish is in really good shape. I just can see enough to know that there is a stain and then a shellac/lacquer type covering over it, but the stain on mine doesn't look all that great.

Also, the steel buttplate sits 'proud' of the wood on the sides.

I figured this might be a good winter project some time- to refinish the wood, blend the steel to the stock and refinish the steel.

However, there is absolutely no functional reason to do this at the finish isn't even marred.

My FIRST project is going to be to tear it apart and slick up the action. I honestly wonder how much this was shot since it was bought around 1980. I wouldn't be surprised if it has seen less than 50 rounds through it throughout its' life. It looks so 'clean' that the people at the gunshop assumed it had been refinished also.


GasGuzzler, since yours is from the same era, has any of your 'blued' steel turned shade to more bronze or purple colors?

My barrel band, holding the stock in place, is a different shade from the rest of the rifle.

I've run into this with some firearms as they used different grades of steel for different parts, and the bluing changed hue over time.

The change in color there, the depth of color everywhere, the thickness/sheen of the stock finish, and the fact the buttplate is wider than the stock by a fingernail [like some sanded the stock too narrow before finishing] all led them to think it was refinished.

The lack of apparent wear marks inside the action [in the steel- not wear of finish but smoothening of surfaces from use] lead me to think it is original.
1980 Rossi 92 SRC, Rossi 951, and a few non-Rossi firearms.
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2745
Joined: 02 Nov 2015 19:54
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 310 times
Been thanked: 451 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by GasGuzzler »

Sounds like you basically have the same rifle as mine. I did an entire topic on mine when I went through it. It was a few years ago so it'll take me a while to find it. I showed how I fixed the butt plate fitment and smoothing the action.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2745
Joined: 02 Nov 2015 19:54
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 310 times
Been thanked: 451 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by GasGuzzler »

__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.
bczrx
Posts: 12
Joined: 27 Aug 2021 21:46
Location: CA
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: R92 wood- Do modern Rossi's use the same as the Interarm

Post by bczrx »

GasGuzzler wrote:Sounds like you basically have the same rifle as mine. I did an entire topic on mine when I went through it. It was a few years ago so it'll take me a while to find it. I showed how I fixed the butt plate fitment and smoothing the action.
Hello,

Thanks for the link!

I haven't read all of it yet, but have bookmarked it.

You are right- ours were from the same 18 month period. Mine is a K0225xx.

From talking to a Brazilian who I believe is a LEO, or maybe military [his references to the reference books and manuals he has, and his 'when I get off duty' comments], I have a few baselines on date- and mine was about july/aug 1980.

From his records he found this: "January, 1981. In this month the unit K 024276 was made"

"The first Model 67 [note: in brazil- model 67. Here, model 92] made was made in the end of December, 1976 (serial number K 00001), and released in January, 1977. These data tell us that are produced about 6000 units per year of Rossi 92/Puma 67 between 1977-1980. A quick calculation put your gun between July and August, 1980."

With the same date, it would seem yours was most likely made between January 1980 and January 1982.

Thanks for sharing the link- that is going to be VERY helpful this winter, when I have time to work on it!
1980 Rossi 92 SRC, Rossi 951, and a few non-Rossi firearms.
Post Reply