Rossi Lever Action .357 Awesomness

bfm said:
Couldn't find a 16" in stainless, so went 20"

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How's that bolt-mounted peep sight? I ground the semi-buckhorn sights down to a flat blade (which helps my eyes a lot), but I still don't shoot it as well as I do a different rifle with a receiver-mounted peep sight. I didn't like the Skinner barrel-mounted sight on the Rossi that much--would rather have it closer to the eye for the longer sight radius, so I've been thinking about that bolt-mounted peep sight.
 
So far I like it. My Marlin 94 still has the original sites and I liked those better than the Rossi stock one.

I might get some different sized apertures to try, but it is quite good with the one Steve's Gunz send with it.

As I am getting older, a fiber optic front might be faster to pick up, but other than really low light it is fast and accurate.
 
Thanks. Ordered one. I ordered a Skinner front sight, though. I have experience with those and know that I like them a lot with peep sights.
 
me109g4 said:
My only lever gun is a marlin 336C in .35 Remington, love the gun, the coyotes I have introduced it to, not so much lol.
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Everytime I see a straight handled one of those for sale I am very tempted. not wanting to add yet another caliber to my collection is the only thing that has held me back. Also sold my 336 30-30 for that same reason. Any caliber I had only one of pretty much went.

I almost had Steve's Gunz mount a red dot in the rear sight dovetail but thought it just ruined the lines too much.
 
I previously owned a Winchester model 94 trapper in 44 mag back when I lived in Colorado. I loved that gun! Used to keep it loaded next to my bed at night and taking it shooting in the mountains by day. Good times.
 
NickyBangBang said:
looking at Henry in .357; absolutely love lever guns. Rossi seems like a great alternative at a more reasonable price.
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I don't think of one as an "alternative" of the other. Get the Rossi if you want a less expensive 1892 than the current WRA, or if you just gotta have a loading gate. Rossi's are famously "unfinished", which I can attest to. I knew I'd need to work on it, and it didn't disappoint in this respect. I was especially disappointed to realize that one of the problems mine had was surely known to one of the workers who assembled it.

The Henry rifles, Big Boy and Big Boy Steel, are just nicer in (almost) every way, with better warranty and after-sale service. Unfortunately, the sights are equally bad. I can see why the Big Boys with brass and octagon barrel come with the traditional semi-buckhorn sights, but I really think the Big Boy Steel rifles should come with receiver-mounted peep sights out-of-the-box. I'm not too fond of the type of front sights Henry uses, either, but I could tolerate them with a better rear sight.
 
I have been considering a lever action in 30-30 or 357 magnum for awhile. I have a henry in 22lr And love the thing. Been considering a used winchester 94 or even a henry. They are pricey.....looked at rossi a couple times and the price is better but have been told they are made in brazil and i cant get passed that. Anyone know the facts on this? Are they made in brazil?
 
whacko said:
Are they made in brazil?
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Yes, they are.

I am not sure there is a 92 pattern made in the USA in the last 20 years other than maybe custom made.

Even Winchester 92s have been made in Japan for a couple decades. Though they are normally only commemorative releases and not in regular production.

I do not like the tube loading of the Henry and while I do love my Marlin 94, pre Remington, It is impossible to find them as well.
 
bfm said:
Yes, they are.

I am not sure there is a 92 pattern made in the USA in the last 20 years other than maybe custom made.

Even Winchester 92s have been made in Japan for a couple decades. Though they are normally only commemorative releases and not in regular production.

I do not like the tube loading of the Henry and while I do love my Marlin 94, pre Remington, It is impossible to find them as well.
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Im just going to keep my eye out for a winchester 94 then. I like the balance and "slender" design if those rifles. Another browning design that just feels right to me. The marlin 36 feels bulkier to me for a brush gun.
 
bfm said:
I do not like the tube loading of the Henry
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Others have said that too, but I don't get it.
I have a whole slew of lever guns and I prefer the direct tube loading over the side gate loading.
I find it faster to load, you'll never get your fingertip pinched, plus it's faster and much safer to unload if needed because it's not necessary to cycle all the live rounds through the chamber.
 
whacko said:
Im just going to keep my eye out for a winchester 94 then. I like the balance and "slender" design if those rifles. Another browning design that just feels right to me. The marlin 36 feels bulkier to me for a brush gun.
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There was a nice 94 in the classifieds in 30-30 not long ago for not a lot of money.
 
Zappa said:
Others have said that too, but I don't get it.
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A few reasons. I do not like having to have my hand that near the muzzle when loading/unloading, more when opening and closing the tube, not so much when actually putting rounds in. I find having to turn the rifle over for loading and unloading a bit of an awkward step, especially if you have an optic mounted.
May also be a bit from when I started getting into cowboy action shooting, there were times I needed to top off and could not see that happening with out a loading gate.

I do have several .22s that you load through the tube, including a Marlin 39 lever gun, so I do own some, just not my preferred method.
 
I do not like the tube loading of the Henry and while I do love my Marlin 94, pre Remington, It is impossible to find them as well.
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I have a nice Marlin 1894 in .357. Really fun to shoot. Grail gun would be the 357 in SS, but they sell for $3K on GB.
 
bfm said:
May also be a bit from when I started getting into cowboy action shooting, there were times I needed to top off and could not see that happening with out a loading gate.
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I get it, though I personally like both.

Maybe it's a good opportunity to suggest a certain loading ritual for the Henry Big Boy rifles, which is always to lower the hammer before loading. I don't mean just to have the hammer in the lowered position, I mean always to have just gone through the action of lowering it and have it in the lowered position. For one thing, if you have to lower the hammer, you won't forget to close the action (because if you load a Big Boy with the action open, a round can get wedged underneath the carrier, and then you might have to remove the lever to get it free). For another, you'll be in a non-firing configuration if topping off or getting into the fully-loaded (full magazine with one in the chamber) configuration. Finally, if you have to go through the action of lowering the hammer, you can't misinterpret a hang fire as an empty gun condition and have one go off in the chamber after you've flipped it over. Obviously, cocking the hammer directly without cycling the action would defeat that, so don't cheat.

Tactical reloading (single-shot mode) works pretty well. Just open the action, toss the round in loosely, and close it (should even enable the Henry to chamber rounds that are too long for it to cycle properly).
 
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bfm said:
Looks horrible, which is why I did not get it, but I bet it makes for some fast target acquisition.
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That wouldn' thave prevented me from buying that gun unless the price was a lot higher because of it. But I totally agree you could get on your target fast with that sight..
 
Zappa said:
I have one of those too, a 16" Trapper with case hardened receiver, I think they only made it in 1986, never seen another one like it.
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My parents gave it to me as a Christmas present. It is a nice looking rifle...
 

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