Rossi R92 Called my Name

[Headhog]

A couple of weeks ago I stopped by a pawn shop in the next town south of me. They didn't have many firearms in the shop and said that COVID was their best salesman. So as I walked towards the rear of the shop I noticed a stainless Rossi R92 in 357 magnum, sitting by itself on the top shelf of a case. It was brand new and I asked to take a look at it. After about 30 minutes of handling it and trying the action I gave it back and left the shop.

Flash forward 3 weeks later, I was passing the pawn shop again and decided to stop. Well there it was still sitting there in the same spot. I spent about an hour talking with the young fellow who worked there. He could see I was interested and he was trying to close a sale, but since I had just picked up my Henry BBS in 357 magnum a month earlier, I just couldn't justify another lever 357. Then he asks me if I had any handguns I wanted to trade. It seems handguns were selling like hotcakes and the shop had only a few. Well the light went on in my head. I had a Sig P320 compact I had pick up 2 years earlier, because I got it for a very good price, and I just never warmed up to the Sig trigger. (I'm just a Glock guy at heart.)

An hour later I was back at the shop with the Sig. After a little back and forth negotiation and a little cash on my part, the Rossi R92 went home with me.

Rossi R92.JPG

Certainly not the fit and finish of my Henry BBS, but the action feels good. The loading gate is very stiff and requires the correct technique to get 10 rounds in. But, it does fire very well and so far it eats all the loads I've concocted for my Henry. So I now have 2 - 357 magnum lever rifles to play with.

I've got to stay out of pawn shops.

Paul

[Team Roper]

That's a sharp looking rifle . I'd like to get one just like it in 45 Colt. Yours has nice furniture.

[RetiredSeabee]

I have the same condition if I actually touch the gun in the shop it learns my name. Then if I don’t take it home that day it haunts me till I give in.
That is a good looking firearm it should age well and someday someone in your family tree will treasure it.

[cphilip]

I know the feeling here. I too have two .357 lever actions and all bought in close succession. I bought a Marlin 1894 and just a week or two later I ran into an R92 at a price I really couldn't refuse. Mine is the more standard Cowboy one with the Saddle ring. Im really impressed with the Rossi. In my case as well, the wood is nicer on the Marlin but I've seen a lot of these Rossi's refinished and made nicer. Most of them strip them and stain them darker and then oil finish them. Might be worth a little effort. Yours however looks nicer than mine already and I do see some really nice replacement stuff at Boyds as well. Either way the Rossi works really well and is a smaller package too.