New '92, first bang

[calan]

Just got back from the first range trip with my new '92 38/357, and just.... wow. That may have been the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on.

I picked the gun up Saturday morning, and spent the rest of the weekend and Monday reading, inspecting, and tweaking on it. (more info here: http://www.rossi-rifleman.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=1704). My initial plans for tonight were to just run a few rounds of 38 and 357 through it, to make sure it functioned properly. Yeah well, that went out the window after the first 10-shot group. I ended up blowing through all the 38 and 357 ammo I had with me, which included:

1). 357 - 158gr plated SWC over 15gr H110
2). 357 - 158gr plated RNFP over 15gr H110
3). 357 - 158gr plated SWC over 4gr E3
4). 357 - 125gr plated TC over 15gr H110
5). 357 - 125gr plated TC over 4gr E3
6). 38sp - 158gr plated SWC over 3.5gr E3
7). 38sp - 158gr LSWC over 3.0gr E3
8). 38sp - 158gr plated RNFP over 3.5gr E3
9). 38sp - 125gr plated TC over 3.5gr E3

All in all I shot about 220 rounds, and the only real issue I had was 3 or 4 non-fires due to some CCI primers that didn't light, even with a deep pin strike on a couple of them. (FWIW, I saw the same problem in my GP100 the other day, so I think I got hold of a box of dud primers). Other than that and one or two tight ejections once the barrel was too hot to touch, it ate everything I threw at it, put it into a 2-4 inch hole, and begged for more. A few rounds weren't as smooth as they could have been, but it wasn't enough to cause a real problem...especially considering how varied they were.

Here is the icing on the cake. Before loading the very first rounds in the gun, I clipped up a target and took it as far back as the track would take it, which is about 33 yards (gotta start big right? ). I shot the first two groups of 7 rounds (38sp) into a 3-1/2" hole through the factory sights (the rear sight is ground flat, flush with the notch), with elbows resting on the cross shelf. Next I loaded up 10 rounds of full house 357, and put all of them into a 3 inch circle while standing unsupported. I later went back and added 20 more full house loads into about the same spot as the first 10, making a big ragged hole. Although it was short range for a rifle, based on my age/eyes and the untweaked sights...this may be the most inherently accurate short/mid-range rifle I've ever owned. I can't wait to see what it will do at distance with good sights and an optimized load.

With all of that said, I still have a few tweaks I want to do. The wood will be coming off for some fit and finish work, and I want to massage the lower chamber lip slightly and maybe do some very light honing in the chamber itself. And one way or another, I WILL find a way to make it load faster and with less effort/cussing.

As I sit here typing this, I'm starting to think that the little lady may have to sleep on the couch tonight so my '92 will have a better place to rest.

[Xshot]

Congrats on your new 92. I think the light weight, slimness and good balance makes them so much fun. You have to be 50+ to fully appreciate the nostalgia kick.

[Ranch Dog]

As I sit here typing this, I'm starting to think that the little lady may have to sleep on the couch tonight so my '92 will have a better place to rest.

Haah, you better keep her from it one way or the other! You are going to be lucky if she doesn't start her own relationship with that sweet little thang! I've let a couple of gals pull the trigger on my R92 357 and they will forget your name real quick as it is love at first trigger squeeze!

[donhuff]

LOL, yeah 200 rounds is enough to warm up with, then you need another 300 or so to make the shooting session last more than an hour. When I got my first 92 I wondered " how can it be as fun as they say" Now I own 6 lever guns. 4 92s and 2 rios.

I ground down the rear sight on my 357 also. And then I took that silly little brass bead off of the front sight too. Then I had to take a file to the front to get it nice and square/sharp, then painted it black. Sure did make a difference in the sight picture.

Lap the chamber? Glad to hear of someone else doing that. I did it to my 357 so that I could chamber cartridges loaded with my cast bullets that were sized to .359, so I did not have to have separate bullets for it and my blackhawk ruger. Chamber only needed to be opener up about a half to one .000. 358 bullets never touched and 359 worked most of the time except when loaded in thicker brass. They would still chamber, but were a little stiff going in.

Trim down the loading gate spring, like an hour glass with a long skinny section.I used a chain saw file, it'll make a big difference. And I take the magazine tube plug out of the end and let the spring stick out. I then cut it off about 2 1/2" from the end of the tube. There's still plenty of pressure to feed the last round. I also use a cratex wheel on a dremel tool and go through the mag tube hole in the receiver, and round off the corners of everything that the bullet might touch on the way in.

[calan]

Trim down the loading gate spring, like an hour glass with a long skinny section.I used a chain saw file, it'll make a big difference. And I take the magazine tube plug out of the end and let the spring stick out. I then cut it off about 2 1/2" from the end of the tube. There's still plenty of pressure to feed the last round. I also use a cratex wheel on a dremel tool and go through the mag tube hole in the receiver, and round off the corners of everything that the bullet might touch on the way in.

I've cut the mag spring, lightened the gate, and cleaned up the port and cover. The problem is that with the lighter gate, there is nothing to hold a bullet in place after about the 6th one, and if you aren't careful a round will get launched backwards while you are reaching for the next round. And if you push them all the way in (hard to do with a fat thumb), the gate will sometimes hang up on the previous round and not want to open, unless you work the lever until just before the carrier rises.

I think that last issue is due to the lever not having enough meat on the front edge, where it holds the round forward of the gate when the bolt is closed. I may look into that, but it won't be an issue if I can get the rounds to stay semi-loaded in the gate...and I think I have a fix for that as well.

Right now I'm in the middle of furniture refinishing and waiting on some odds and ends (Skinner sight, etc). I'm going to address the chamber and gate when I take it back down in a couple of days.

Removing the crap that Rossi smeared on the wood couldn't be easier. I used RD's method of just soaking them in hot water, but added some bleach to the process. The wood came out very light and clean, so I have something to work with now...just not sure what I want to do with it yet.



That ^ is what they look like straight out of the sink with no sanding or anything, after drying for 30 minutes or so.

[donhuff]

Oh, OK.
I know what you mean about it launching the out the back. Mine does that too. Loading is a two handed affair. One sticks them in and the other holds it there till I get the next one in line behind it. My rio grandes hold the bullets with no problem.

You totally soak the wood? I read where RD does that too. Does it help to get the old finish off?


After stripping mine to the bare wood, I put some dark walnut stain on followed by several coats of boiled linseed oil. I just got a bottle of tru oil to try on the next one cause that linseed oil that I used was 15 years old, and took forever to dry.

[calan]

You totally soak the wood? I read where RD does that too. Does it help to get the old finish off?

I also did a double-take when I first read RD's thread, but yep... just plop them into a sink of hot water and watch the dye start seeping out of them. I added some bleach (quite a bit actually), and rubbed them once or twice with a fine scotch brite pad while they soaked. After an hour or so I drained the sink, rinsed them off really well with cold water, and set them on some towels to dry. That's it.

[donhuff]

That sounds a lot easier than sanding it off like i did. Took me forever, cause that stuff is gummy.

I had a guy compliment my "pretty Italian gun" the other day at the range. What got his attention was that I was shooting at my 7.5" X 8" piece of steel target, and hitting it most of the time. " it's got a good piece of wood on it too".......little did he know!

[Ranch Dog]

Removing the crap that Rossi smeared on the wood couldn't be easier. I used RD's method of just soaking them in hot water, but added some bleach to the process. The wood came out very light and clean, so I have something to work with now...just not sure what I want to do with it yet.



That ^ is what they look like straight out of the sink with no sanding or anything, after drying for 30 minutes or so.

The bleach is a great idea! Birchwood Casey's Walnut Stain applied straight to the wood, not cut 50/50 per the instructions, is a perfect mate for the jungle wood. Just need to seal it with their Filler/Sealer in that it is water based.

I scratched the finish on one of my rifles yesterday. I buffed the small area with fine steel wool, applied the stain on it and let it dry 30 minutes. Then I put a touch of Tru-Oil on my fingertip and worked it in until dry. You cannot tell where the are was. BC claims it is a living finish and I buy it.

[calan]

I think light colored burled wood such as burled maple or box elder would look awesome on a blued lever gun:





Wonder if I could fake it?