Henry Rifle Forums

OK obviously I love shooting lever guns and want to try something different. I do not do SASS Cowboy Shooting but shoot frequently, shoot fast, shoot every other weekend and typically 200-300 rounds through a couple of guns so figure I will put 100 rounds through my lever gun every other weekend. We typically shoot at steel plates at various distances (25, 50, 75 yards) and I like the .357 in a lever action; it's just fun to shoot. I am also not afraid (as most of you know) to completely tear down and work on guns. I do trigger jobs on Smith Revolvers, 1911's and Glocks, replace sights/parts but I am not a machinist and do not have the equipment to heavily modify or produce my own parts. I also shoot jacketed bullets in lieu of lead and tune my guns with different handloads. My go to load for .357 is 14.5 gn's Alliant 2400 behind a 158gn Zero jacketed flatnose hollowpoint or similiar Montana Gold bullet.

I have been looking at several lever guns with loading gates specifically Uberti's and Miroku Winchesters. From my research both would need some fine tuning work to get them to operate for faster, fun shooting. Wondering how the 1873 Uberti's and Miroku variants with the "toggle design" would hold up to a steady diet of the load I am currently utilizing. I know I could shoot a tamer load. Then there is the pricing. Uberti's @ $1100 anf the Win's a little higher and still need some work to slick them up and reduce trigger pull.

So I started to look at the Rossi 92's which seem to be a more robust design and pretty easy to work on. I guess what i am asking is how is the Rossi quality from people who own and shoot them. The stainless version looks nice and I'm wondering if with a little work I can have a slick little lever gun that will do what I've outlined above for a whole lot less $$$.

What say you???

From my research both would need some fine tuning work to get them to operate for faster, fun shooting. Wondering how the 1873 Uberti's and Miroku variants with the "toggle design" would hold up to a steady diet of the load I am currently utilizing.

The toggle action is not something that will lend itself to 'faster' shooting. I was looking at an Miroku 1873 WInchester recently and came very close to buying it but thats another story. I don't know what you mean by 'faster' but if you are looking to rip 'em off like Chuck Conners in the Rifleman forget a toggle action. With regard to the Rossi I have never owned one but looked at many and shot a couple and because many of them need work out of the box when new to get to operate satisfactorily I think it would be a good candidate for what you want to do. Since you plan on modifying it to 'speed' it up AND because the Rossi's have no 'intrinsic' value to worry about modify away!

The Rossi I had NEVER hiccups or broke in 16 yrs . It was a 44-40 [ bottleneck brass ] and it smooth up perfect with lots of work . 38/357 The 73 type action is super smooth out of the box but wouldn't like hot load . .

Can't help you on the Rossi, but I have friends in CAS that shoot modern 1873s like the Uberti and haven't been able to wear out the toggle actions. I think modern steels and alloys pretty much eliminate the problem, compared to the originals. No, I wouldn't shoot a steady diet of 180 357 bear loads or even 158 hunting loads, but other than that, I wouldn't worry about it.

http://stevesgunz.com/

The Rossi specialist.

Lots of info here also.

http://www.rossi-rifleman.com/index.php

I have a Rossi 1892 that was smoothed out for CAS by Steves guns and it is a great shooting rifle. It is more accurate than I will ever be.

North Country Gal wrote:Can't help you on the Rossi, but I have friends in CAS that shoot modern 1873s like the Uberti and haven't been able to wear out the toggle actions. I think modern steels and alloys pretty much eliminate the problem, compared to the originals. No, I wouldn't shoot a steady diet of 180 357 bear loads or even 158 hunting loads, but other than that, I wouldn't worry about it.

Im glad you chimed in on this thread NCG. I just bought a Uberti 1873 Trapper 18 inch barrel in 357. Its a beautiful gun. Shot it for the first time in Washington. Showed it to SH while at his house. This toggle link in the 1873 will never out live the bad rap from yester year. I have owned a couple of Ubertis and they are great guns. Bought this one from JD Outfitters in OKC,OK. The guy is a huge CAS shooter and sells many of these to those types of people. Never had a minutes worth of trouble with mine and Im not Skeered of that toggle link at all. As for the 1892 alot of guys own them and really like them. Me I have not ever owned one and wont due to the customer service I did not get when owning a Taurus gun. They are a terrible company. Al

I think if you like to tinker with guns, a Rossi 1892 clone is a great choice. I don't own one (got a Miroku 1892 that I like a lot), but I've handled a few I really liked them. They don't have anything close to the fit and finish of a Winchester or a Henry, but they are built with the same action as the original 1892's and they are pretty reasonably priced. They have a reputation for being kind of rough out of the box, but they can be tuned up to be pretty darn smooth, and I think their actions are still pretty much all original - i.e. no rebounding hammer or tang safety. I thought of getting one just to play around with as a diy gunsmith project - and 357mag would be a nice caliber.

No such thing as a bad lever gun, only some lever guns better than others...

I'd love to get an 1873 clone, but we already have a Marlin 357 and don't shoot it as much as we would like, now. I probably wouldn't get a Rossi since I wouldn't want to take the time to work with it, but I could see it being a fun project.

Al how is the trigger on the Uberti. I've heard that the pull is heavy and it has some creep.
I have seen Steve's guns AKA the Rossi Specialist.
There is also the CodyMatic...
http://www.codyscowboyshop.com/#pricing
And this guy...
http://www.longhunt.com/web/

Just trying to get as much info as possible before I make the plunge.

Heres some quick pics of it. Not the best in the light I have right now. But the trigger has no creep and its a little heavier that I would like but my Henry 45-70 is the same way. I just have only put a few rounds thru it so I look for it to get a little smoother. But the folks at Uberti do one heck of a job with the CCH.

Well Al that one is a "looker". I need to find a dealer somewhere near me so I can handle the Uberti's, Rossi's & Miroku's to see how they feel in hand. Uberti does a nice job with their replicas. What caliber did you get and did you step the load down for the gun?

Bugs
Its a 357 and no I did not step the load down. I dont shoot full power loads in any of the lever guns I have because I really dont see the need in it if your just plinking. But If I was to shoot loads that I would hunt with I would use a case full of 2400 with a 158gr xtp bullet. I do understand the practicing with the loads you hunt with like JEBar does but here in Colorado when I go hunting Im not using any of the leverguns I have. Most of mine are just for plinking and general shooting. I do have some 45-70's that I have hunted with but even when I just fun shoot with those Im not using full power loads. The load Im currently using in the 357 is 5.6 grains of 231 with a Berrys 158gr round nose. It shoots really good in the levers and in my pistols. Al

BigAl52 wrote:Bugs
The load Im currently using in the 357 is 5.6 grains of 231 with a Berrys 158gr round nose. It shoots really good in the levers and in my pistols. Al

You using .357 mag brass with that load?

Bugs wrote:

BigAl52 wrote:Bugs
The load Im currently using in the 357 is 5.6 grains of 231 with a Berrys 158gr round nose. It shoots really good in the levers and in my pistols. Al

You using .357 mag brass with that load?

Yes I am using 357 mag brass. I also make sure the oal is about 1.585. If there to long they don't feed to well.

I have read many reviews of Rossi 92 owners that have exceptional rifles and have read reviews from others that had a pretty dismal view of their Rossi 92.

I will share my experience with my Rossi 92. I purchased mine new in 2013 chambered in .38spl/.357mag. The action was quite rough when new and the loading gate bit my fingers while the ejector launched brass 15 to 20 feet behind me. It also would not feed factory .357 ammunition. The wooden stock was not what I considered to be a quality hardwood.

I purchased the Steve Gunz DVD to slick up my rifle and purchased some parts from him as well. I followed his instructions to change trigger & ejector springs. I shortened the magazine spring as described and shaved metal off of the loading gate spring as directed in the DVD. I also refinished the stock. The rifle performed much better after the work was completed and I was satisfied with the wood after refinishing. I could easily catch ejected brass in my hand and the rifle was quite accurate but the loading gate could still bite. It still would not feed factory .357 ammo.

I am a hand loader, and soon realized that any ammo with an OAL greater than 1.54" would not feed. Not really a problem for reloads as I targeted a 1.53 OAL for my rilfe ammo. My rifle always fed .38 spl ammo just fine. I bought my Henry BBS .38spl/.357mag in 2016. I was much more pleased with it, so I sold my Rossi 92 and included the Steve Gunz video with it. I am quite happy with my Henry BBS and do not regret selling the Rossi.

I know there are many guys out there that are very happy with their Rossi 92. It just didn't work that way for me.

BigAl52 wrote:

Bugs wrote:

BigAl52 wrote:Bugs
The load Im currently using in the 357 is 5.6 grains of 231 with a Berrys 158gr round nose. It shoots really good in the levers and in my pistols. Al

You using .357 mag brass with that load?

Yes I am using 357 mag brass. I also make sure the oal is about 1.585. If there to long they don't feed to well.

Thanks Al.

I found this pic of my 357 Rossi I own for less then a month . I found my 73 after buying the 92 Rossi . I put the new tang sights on the Rossi and did this test firing of the gun . The 92 was a super shooter but the 73 in a straight wall brass is so much smoother so I sold the 92 . The 73 is slow fired on cross sticks . Both guns shot on same day . The 92 25 yd target is the 1st 10 shot . After I couldn't find bullets on target my mouth dropped when I walk up to target and seen all 10 shots were in same hole . I was hard to sell that gun .