Rossi lever action . . .

[Prof Young]

I'm thinking about getting a Rossi lever action in 44 mag. The 20 inch barrel. I'm looking at Rossi because it has the side gate loading port and the price is much less than Winchester.


Talk to me.

Life is good.
Prof Young

[Tony Z]

Have one, love it, no issues whatsoever. Feeds nice and lots of fun to shoot!

[PatientWolf]

I have samples in both .44 and .357.

I find them to be very handy. Some find the crescent butt with no recoil pad combined with the light weight makes a strong impression while shooting.

The 92 action is generally very smooth. I do see some variability in the smoothness of action and trigger on new guns, but they smooth out with use or you can look to Steve’s Gunz for help in smoothing them out more quickly, although I’ve not tried this, he is generally considered the Go-To for help in this area.

The wood is nowhere as nice as Henry’s, so they aren’t anywhere near as pretty.

Depending on your planned purpose, you may also want to consider one in .357. They are cheaper to shoot and have a recoil closer to a .22 when using .38 special.

I would not hesitate to get a Rossi 92.

[COSteve]

I'll second PatientWolf's post as I have 2 Rossi .357mags, both a 20" carbine and 24" rifle I got NIB back in 2009. I got Steve's Gunz action and trigger slickup kit with DvD ($58) for my rifle when it was new.

Following his clear directions and video, I slicked it up and lightened the trigger, replaced the stupid bolt safety, and added a tang rear and globe front sight for long range shooting up to 300yds with my handloads.

A bit later, I got the carbine and just bought the parts to slick it up for like $25 and again just following the DvD. Both have been a ton of fun to use. They go on most range trips with me.

Later I picked up a new Uberti Cattleman SA Cavalry model in .357mag to use with my carbine as a fun 'woods walking' pair.

[smee78]

I have an older Interarms Rossi Puma in 357 and love it. My wife loves shooting 38's out of it and it is a lot like shooting 22's, be sure to work the action briskly when running it and it should run fine, mine does not like a slow lever. Unless your using the 44 for hunting or something special I also would look at a 357 VS 44 again unless your a reloader?

[ifithitu]

I have a Rossi 92 .44 Mag.it's a 24" Octagon tubular magazine barre.

Sorry the rifle is a Henry .22 I don't know how to delete it.

[ifithitu]

Here is my Rossi .44 Magnum 24"

[Hawg]

I have a pre safety Rossi in 44-40. The action was very stiff and had to be worked hard and fast when I got it but I filled the action with white lithium grease and worked the action while watching TV for a couple of hours. Now you can feed cartridges with one finger and go as slow as you want.

[hemiram]

My friend's .357 stainless one he got new last year is great, very smooth, right out of the box, unlike another friend's blued 44, and SS .357 which were really stiff. Youtube videos to the rescue and they ended up very nice.

[stagpanther]

I have two Rossi 44 mag 16" carbines--they weigh under 5 lbs and are the most fun run and gun levers I have. They can be hit or miss on manufacturing quality, both of mine needed work, but if you put the time in they can be made into great shooters. I never worry about dinging em up in the woods--which is a constant worry with my browning and Henry lever guns.

[shafter]

No complaints with my 20'' 357 magnum. It feeds everything from semi wadcutters to hollow points without any issue. 38 or 357 doesn't matter. It feeds everything.

[Nevmavrick]

The last few years, I have been having fun with a little lever-gun.
I wanted, and have, for a long time, a Winchester M92 .25/20.
It struck me as the easiest carrying rifle for small game I could imagine.
The hangup was the price. I couldn't afford it.
I am now using a Rossi .256 Magnum with 20" carbine barrel and 1/2-magazine. It has a Lyman tang-style peep-sight and a longish ramp bead front-sight with Hi-Viz bead.
It has a shotgun-style butt with a thin recoil pad, so it won't "skitter" across the linolium floor when I put it behind the kitchen door.
Most of the ammo is lead 60-grain cast bullets with a bit of pistol powder.
I keep thinking about getting another, with a, probably, 24" barrel, leaving the magazine alone, so that it would be a 3/4-length.
Have fun,
Gene

[stagpanther]

Didn't know Rossi made such a thing--sounds VERY interesting.

[COSteve]

Originally Posted by Nevmavrick

The last few years, I have been having fun with a little lever-gun.
I wanted, and have, for a long time, a Winchester M92 .25/20.
It struck me as the easiest carrying rifle for small game I could imagine.
The hangup was the price. I couldn't afford it.
I am now using a Rossi .256 Magnum with 20" carbine barrel and 1/2-magazine. It has a Lyman tang-style peep-sight and a longish ramp bead front-sight with Hi-Viz bead.
It has a shotgun-style butt with a thin recoil pad, so it won't "skitter" across the linolium floor when I put it behind the kitchen door.
Most of the ammo is lead 60-grain cast bullets with a bit of pistol powder.
I keep thinking about getting another, with a, probably, 24" barrel, leaving the magazine alone, so that it would be a 3/4-length.
Have fun,
Gene

That has got to be a custom Rossi levergun as after a search of available literature, they have never made one commercially in that configuration. I found some speculation about what the performance of a .256 Mag levergun but no information that one was actually produced so yours may be unique. As to the caliber, Winchester first produced it in 1960 and Marlin offered a Model 62 Levermatic in .256 Mag. Winchester developed it from a necked down .357 Mag case. It's now considered obsolete and no one makes a firearm in that caliber so it's very likely a custom barreled gun.

[deadcoyote]

I just bought a 16” stainless Rossi in .44 mag. Unfortunately, it’s in California gun jail for 10 days but I plan to shoot it on the day it’s ok’d for pick up and I’ll post here how it goes. That’s on 10/25.

[Nevmavrick]

Yup, you're right...custom.
It has a 20" 1:10" twist barrel.
It MAY be obsolete, but so is the .25/20, except to those that use them.
It was a .357 to start with, but I like it better.
I am a fan of the .25 caliber, so have bullets that work well in it.
I use a cast 60gr GC bullet besides the 75gr and 60gr jacketed bullets.
I also use an M94 Winchester with a 22" barrel in .25/35 Improved.
They are lots of fun with the cast bullets, when chasing rabbits (jack, mostly), but cottontails fall, too. You can "eat right up to the hole," too.
Have fun,
Gene

[Scribe]

I had a Chiappa, blued, 20 inch barrel in .44 Magnum for about seven years. Not a bad gun but I could barely see the sights and you just try getting spare parts for it!
I swapped it for a Blued Rossi with a 16 inch barrel this time last year and frankly haven't looked back. It was initially rough but smoothed out with lubricant and shooting. My standard hand load is a 200 grain round nosed flat point, chronographed at around 1100 FPS which is fine out to 50 yards. The rifle handles Special or Magnum cases no problem at all, slow or fast cycling. I put a rubber butt pad on it because it had a noticeable increase in recoil with Magnum loads.
The issued Buckhorn sights were far superior to the Chiappas ladder sight, but I have since replaced the rear sight with a Burris 2.75 scout scope. I mounted this using the excellent NOE scope mount. This is sold by NOE Bullet moulds from Provo, Utah. I picked one up at the beginning of the year on a visit to the U.S. I cannot recommend this enough. I know not everybody body likes the Scout Rifle concept, but it works for me.
I like projects and what I have read about the .357 in a lever action is tempting me to consider another Rossi in .357 with a 24 inch barrel.
Try the Rossi. I have been very pleased with mine

[deadcoyote]

So I shot my new 16” .44 first time ever today. I’m not too confident in my own abilities with this wee little rifle so I brought my own target stand to set up a 50 yard target on the 100 yard range.

Gun ran fine, no issues. Loading gate was tight but once I got the hang of driving the shells in then up it was easy. Gun is tight but cycled 100%, no issues.

The cheap 900 FPS rounds were a delight and had no recoil. The 225 grain Barnes copper solids shot well and didn’t have too much worse recoil. The gun actually performed best with a box of Hornady lever evolution 225 grain ammo. It’s actually funny because my vision sucks and the people next to me were commenting on the insane report of those rounds going off. I thought I’d go check the target and see I shagged rounds all over the place but it was a decent group. I’ll post that pic below. All of the rounds did well, didn’t bring a ruler but all in all it was all 2.5-4” groups, which isn’t great but 50 yards offhand it’s minute of pig.

[Mycin]

Nice grouping, I say!

Minute of porker, indeed. Glad the Rossi is working out for you. I love my .357 model.

[bamaranger]

I don't own a Rossi, but can advise that I have a competitor's .357 lever carbine purchased many years ago before the crossbolt safety became the norm and for a long time it was one of my primary woods loafing carbines. Loaded with mid-range LSWC's, it is affordable to shoot, packs more punch than a .22, and easy to carry. I've got a pair of semi .44 carbines that I do not shoot as much and are relegated to deer hunting.

You will not be disappointed in one of the magnum pistol cartridge lever carbines.

[Nanuk]

My only issue with the Rossi is the small loading gate. I have big hands/fingers and have trouble loading.

[Hawg]

My only issue with the Rossi is the small loading gate. I have big hands/fingers and have trouble loading.

Push one cartridge in til just the head is out. Take the next cartridge and do the same and repeat til loaded.

[littlebikerider]

I just saw a Rossi .44 mag lever action with octagonal barrel, and a scope, at the LGS for $600. This isn't a good time for me to buy another gun....but it really wanted to adopt me....

[458winshooter]

I got one new in 357 mag back in the early 90's still like the Dickens out of it. Shooting 38 spl out of it feels like a BB gun for recoil but still very accurate. These rifles have a bit of a cult following if you look on line there are gunsmiths that specialize in tuning and slicking them up if you want to go that route. Can't go wrong with one they are of very good quality.

[stagpanther]

Don't know about other Rossi 44 mags--but mine seem to like high power loads the most.