May be interested in getting a Rossi 92 - so questions

[Black River Smith]

The Win 92 design is the only one of their model levers I have not owned or not shot.  So I would like to find one at a reasonable price sometime soon.  This is strictly for my own fun not CAS.  The caliber is not that important since most Rossi's are now straight wall chambers.  But a 44-40 would be nice to find.   So here goes some of the question I have not been able to answer 'clearly' from web searches;

Are these rifles still offered in octagon barrel rifle 24" configurations?  I would prefer this model.

Where are the best places on the web to find any variation of these rifles or carbines for sale?

Am I going to have to buy new at this time?  I do not see any used on web or in my local shops.  More than ten years back there was one in a local shop - oct 44-40 but I was not interested back then.  Just last year there was a consignment carbine 44mag for $400 in a pawn shop, did not buy, because I was looking for a Win 94 at the time.

Not many being sold as used - so are they really good rifles?  Not many used could mean people keep them or not many people buy them.  Discussions on sites have differing arguments about that point.

What are the best prices - new and used?  I see some site listings, $490 to $520.  What are the going rates?  Are old models going for higher prices?  Why?  Saw one posting about someone giving $600 for a used older pre-safety rifle.  Why high these are not collectables?

Also, I would really like an oct '92 rifle in 38/40 (just seems like a nice combination of weight and power) so any version I buy 'could be' altered at some point (carbine would be kept as carbine).  Has anyone done something like this to a Rossi?  That is the main reason for looking for a good deal, older one rather than a brand new one.

Thanks for any comments

[DeaconKC]

I have 2 of the late models ones with the safety. One in .357 and one in .45. The .357 needed to have the loading gate smoothed as it would nearly cut you loading rounds but the .45 needed nothing done to it. The 357 is a couple years old with probably 500 rounds through it, most .38 Specials. I do need to stick with 140 grain bullets at least for smooth feeding, my cast 158s run fine in 38 cases. The .45 has probably had 200 rounds through it and runs with everything so far. Both mine are 20" round barrels. Tight when brand new, they smoothed up quickly with use and have run fine. I bought both new, as you have noticed, no one lets go of these little rifles. I just leave the safety alone, but if it ever becomes a problem, there was a youtube video on how to remove it and fill the gap with a .25ACP case. I will probably pick up a .44 Magnum too in the future just because...

[russ1943]

I got a EMF ASM 92 Rifle 44-40, all parts are interchangeable with the Original Winchester, Case, Octagon, rifle really nice, smooth as silk, accurate, less test fired only.

[King Medallion]

I have 2 pre-safety Rossi's, one in 44-40, the other in 38/357. The 44-40 had an action job some 25 years ago and i have had zero issues with it, ever. The 38 I got for my wife so she could shoot cas. It doesn't much like 357's but does ok on .38's. Doesn't feed the long 357's very well.

[DeaconKC]

King, that's interesting. My .357 will feed any Magnum, but .38s have to have a bullet at least 140 grains for length.

[King Medallion]

Yeah, I don't shoot it, I got it for my mrs. It fit's her better, I added a couple inches lop on my 44-40. She is happy with it, so I'm good. (it's not a proper caliber for a 92, no dash in it )

[Black River Smith]

Thanks for the replies.  I have priced them at a gunshow and LGS.  Both are right at $500, for new.  Really do not see them used in my area so I truly will have to buy new and therefore will not get a chance at an octagon rifle version.

[smokin6]

I like mine

[Jeremiah Jones]

I bought my .45/.454 Rossi 92 in 2007.  I replaced the safety with Steve's plug and put some Danish wood oil on the stock.  It looks great and feeds any .45/.454 ROUND nosed rounds with no problems.  It does have problems feeding wad cutters and the hollow points with bowl like fronts (I don't know a name for them).  RNHP are GTG.

[Baltimore Ed]

I wore my large loop 92 Rossi .45 out in one year of hard use. Returned it to interarms in va and got another with no questions which I immediately sold unfired and bought a used JM Marlin cowboy ltd .45. Still running it [2 broken firing pins and lifter with the dreaded marlin jam repair=repair has held up for over 15 years]. The Rossi was my first cas rifle and I?m SASS #11754 so that was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. So today?s Rossi 92 might be a better rifle. Marlins certainly have had good and bad years.

[Pay Dirt Norvelle]

I have a Rossi 92 in 45 Colt. It is one with the safety.  However, I bought it from Kiowa Jones and he slicked it up and disabled the safety. It is a great shooting lever rifle.

[Lord Eoin MacKenzie]

Do the Rossi 92's work with the 45CS ammo?   Or I get the 44mag and run 44spec.?

[Coffinmaker]

Lord Eoin,

Unfortunately NO.  None of the '92s will run with C45S cases.  '92s can be fickle.  A 44Mag '92 may .. or may not run 44 Special.  Some do and some don't.  Definitely will NOT run 44 Russian.

Some time back, I had a really really nice Navy Arms '92 made by Rossi (as far as I know) chambered for 45 Colt.  Absolutely refused to run 45 Schofield.  '92s be Fickle.

[Major 2]

This may be worth every penny of my 2 cents ...
28 or so years I gave my first SASS match a try. I was hooked

My choice was a Stainless Rossi 92 in 45 or the Marlin 94 Classic also in 45 local CAS friendly LGS had both in stock to give a try.
At the end of the Day I bought the Fish gun. 
, the Marlin gave way to the Uberti 73 in 44  I still have.

I sold the Marlin in 2003 and it is still in action in my friends hands.... A few years ago I bought a JM Marlin Classis limited in 32/20.

[Black River Smith]

Well it appears that I should have waited one whole year before buying a Rossi.  NOW the Rossi site and Buds Firearms have the R92 available in the 24" oct rifle configuration.  It is only in 357mag or 44mag all blues or stainless.  BUT I would have had the rifle configuration instead of the carbine.

DARN!

[Lord Eoin MacKenzie]

 I have a stainless M92 in 45colt,  Is it NWOCS legal?

[Jeremiah Jones]

Stupid question:  What is the difference in the Carbine and the Rifle with a 20" barrel?
I bought the rifle in .45/.454 with 20" barrel, back in 2007.  It is my go-to gun.

[DeaconKC]

Stupid question:  What is the difference in the Carbine and the Rifle with a 20" barrel?
I bought the rifle in .45/.454 with 20" barrel, back in 2007.  It is my go-to gun.

I think it is the shape of the buttstock.

[Abilene]

I think it is the shape of the buttstock.

For the most part, carbines have round barrel, different sights, forend with barrel band, and the flatter buttstock.
 
rifles are octagonal, dovetailed front sight, forend has nose cap, and crescent buttstock.

That is repro '92's.  Uberti '73 and '66 would be the same.  Some original guns had round barrels on rifles.

[Black River Smith]

Lord Eoin MacKenzie,

While I was a NCOWS member for 13yrs, I am not now.  But I think the fact that you firearm is an image of the 1892 Win. -- I believe it would be acceptable even though it is stainless.  Here is a link to the NCOWS Tally book, http://ncows.com/library/pdf/2020NCOWSTallyBook.pdf .  Go down to page 20 of the pdf for accepted firearms.  The copies of 1892's are acceptable.  No mention of blue versus stainless is mentioned.  I would double check your question up in the NCOWS section.

Abliene,

You are totally correct as far as what I deem the definitions of Rifles & Carbines are...  What most know as a Win 94 rifle nowadays is what was once referred to as the carbine version.  Octagon barreled with nosecaps and crescent buttplates long-guns were called Rifles.
Most see these as only commemoratives nowadays.  The general all encompassing term for long-gun is 'Rifle'