Question 'bout 92's...

[Vin Weasel]

Howdy all,
In my quest to pick up some CAS arms, I have come across a used Browning M92 in .357.  But, I don't know how they compare to the other imported Winchester 92 copies (Puma, Rossi, EMF and whoever else imports them.)  It seems more solid and lloks more like a real Winchester to me than some of the older Rossis I've looked at, but I haven't had a chance to closely examine the newer ones that are so plentiful now.   
So, has anyone here ever used the Browning?  And how are the newer 92's compared to the old Rossi's?  Your input would be much appreciated.
Happy Trails,
Vin

[J.D.Cayhill]

Brownings are considered the best of the 92 clones. If it is in good shape for what you think is a far price jump on it fast. There were far fewer 357's made than 44 mag. There always seems to be someone on one of the boards hunting for one in 357.

[Vin Weasel]

Howdy J.D.,
The Browning I found is in pretty good shape...there is one scratch about an inch long on the stock near the buttplate, but other than that there's not a mark on it.  It's on consignment at a local gun store, and the owner of the gun says it's had less than a box of ammo shot thru it, and I noticed the bore is perfect.  He has an extensive gun collection and is just selling off a few things.  They're asking $459.  Is that a pretty fair price? 
Vin

[Big Hext Finnigan]

For a Browning, this is a pretty good price.  I've seen them sell for $100 more, even $2-300.  Now before you run out there and buy it.. for about the same $$ you can get a Marlin and that is a faster running gun.  But, if you like the 92 and want to try it, I think you could get your money back easily.

Good luck,

[Paper Chaser]

J.D., I'll go along with Big Hext, last one I saw at a gun show was $575 and was what I consider 'well loved', nice but ...
The Marlin will 'run and gun' if you're looking for speed.  Good luck whatever your decision.

[Vin Weasel]

Thanks for the input, Pards.  I have given some thought to the Marlin due to their reputation for speed and reliability, and seriously considered buyin' one at a recent gun show.  But I ended up backing out because I looked at and held an original '92 in between trips to that table.   The '92 just feels better to me, personally.  So I decided I wanted to go with a 92, but a newer replica in the more economical .357/38.  If I started reloading, that would cut down on the cost of the .44-40 or .38-40 ammo.  However, I'm a slave to the retail world, so with the time I get I'd rather shoot than load. 
From what y'all have said, looks like this one is a pretty good deal.  Just to warn ya, I'll be thinkin' this over a little more, so don't sound the alarm if you smell smoke...it's just me. 
Thanks again for your great suggetions and advice.  I do 'preciate it.
Vin

[Big Hext Finnigan]

Good luck..

Hey!.. what's that smell? 

[Russ T Chambers]

Don't be loadin' no blackpowder while you're thinkin' now!

[Vin Weasel]

Hehe, good advice, Russ. 

[J.D.Cayhill]

Sounds like you are going about it the right way Vin. Look at all the different types you can, pic what you like and don't look back. You might also want to check out the Uberti 66's and 73's, they start getting a little pricey but are the most popular in CAS these days for speed. When I started looking for a CAS rifle my first was a Navy Arms 92 in 357. Since then I have added a Marlin, a Cimarron 73, and a Henry from Taylors in various calibers. I like them all for different reasons and shoot which one I prefer that morning. I will never probably be first to the finish line but I have a really good time getting there, and to me that is what it is all about. Good luck with which ever choice you make. 

[Fargo Bill]

[Buy the Browning.  One of my former shooting posse members shot one for a long time and it was still a keeper when he relaxed his shooting schedule.  If you love it, shoot it, and you will always have fun.color=Red][/color]

[Vin Weasel]

Muchas gracias para la "advice."     Fargo Bill, how did your buddy's Browning handle .38 or .44 (whichever it was) Special cases?  I've found some sites that said Rossis sometimes needed a little tuning to handle the shorter Specials, but can't find anything like that about the Browning.
Thanks, Pards!
Vin

[Cuts Crooked]

The 92 design is inherantly adverse to problems with the short version cartridges. Most of them these days have been "tuned" to work with both sized cases from the factory, but in spite of that one still comes acrost one that is stubborn! Onliest way ta find out about it is to try it. If it turns out that it don' like em, then there are a few tricks that ya cn' do ta fool it inta eatin' the stubbier rounds.

BTW, the instructions that can be found on this site in reference to the 92 Rossi guns will also stand ya in good stead with the browning, with some consideration taken to the differing springs.

Good luck pard, I hope you really enjoy that Browning!!!!!!

[Irish Red O'Toole]

Like Cuts is saying, the 92 can be a little sensitive about overall length of cartridge.  If you have a good 'smith work on it, this problem can be overcome.  Like I've said before, I love the 92.  I must, I have 3 of them!!  Two have been worked on (one by Nate Kiowa Jones and the other by Bob Shaw at Walker '47).  The third is being worked on as we speak.

Buy that Browning.  Sounds like a great price for a fine rifle.

[Wiley McNasty]

howdy,
i have to throw in my 2 pesos for the new Winchester 92 limited edition short rifles.  I think they are very nice.  they are available in .357M/.38spl..   a little pricey, but.....

[Vin Weasel]

Well, I bought the Browning.  I hadn't been able to get back to the gun shop in a while, but she was still there today, so I bought 'er.  Went out and put a box of .38 Specials through it, and noticed a little bit of trouble feeding them.  Seemed to feed okay if I short-stroked it...is that normal?  I didn't have any .357's on hand to try.  When I cycled the action too hard with the Specials, it would kick the back of the cartridge up too high and jam the action.  Maybe I need to practice short-stroking it?  I'm going to try out the longer .357's soon, and see what happens. 
Thank'ee to everyone who gave me their opinions on my questions about this gun a while back.  Helped me out a great deal, and I appreciate it.
Vin

[Prof. Bullspit]

Sometimes those .38/.357 guns like a long loaded .38 the best. Something about the timing being set at a midway point between what is needed for the .38 and the longer .357. If you find that .357's don't feed to suit you try some long nosed .38's.

I have a Rossi 92 and on it if the cartridge was coming up too high/too fast I would shim out the guide rails just a bit so the cartridge barely fits between them. I don't know if that trick will work with the Browning version though.

[J.D.Cayhill]

 Vin, it sounds like you are on your way. Larry Crow sells a good instructional tape on the care and feeding of the 92, they used to sell it on the SASS Merchantille. Some pards have good luck with loading longer 38's or just shoot 357, each rifle seems to have it's own personality. My 92 in 38/357 feeds anything I put in it, but then again my 45 Colt Marlin 94 feeds Schofields too, so I guess I'm lucky. If you are set on shooting regular length 38's let Nate Kiowa Jones or Larry Crow work their magic on it. You have a very strong action there, so if you wanted to use some hot 357 in it for deer under a hundred yards. I'm sure you will get it figured out in short order and have an excellent rifle that will last you darn near a life time if not longer.                                                             

[El Peludo]

Say, Mr. Weasel, I thinks ya' got a good 'un; I have a couple of Rossi '92s, and a couple of Marlins, and have shot a friends Browning "92", and they are all good shooters, if ya' feed 'em what they like.  Sort'a like a new pup, ya' gotta experiment a bit to find just what they like to eat.  In my experience - I've shot .357/.38 as a match round for a long time - They all prefer a round more towards the length of the .357, but with the proper tuning, or the right bullet shape, they run real well.  The best shooting round I ever used was loaded by a man in Oroville, CA.  It was a .38Spl case loaded with a moly coated truncated cone bullet; the combination measured out to almost .357 length, and they fed through all of my long guns extremely well.  I don't know if he is still loading them; I can't rmember his name, but I bought them through a friend of his named Bud Isbell.  He lived in Oroville, too.  The price for a box was quite reasonable, and I used to buy them in lots of five hundred to a thousand.  The last few years I was actively shooting, I used Miwall RNFP "cowboy" loads in .357, and they worked well, too.  Enjoy your new toy.

[Boston John Doucette]

Vin...
Give me a call...
I have a bunch of .38s loaded out to 1.5" that feed flawlessly through my '92 that you can try.

I had trouble with feeding/ejection with .38s and .45s in the '92s until I lengthened the OAL. The .38s I load out to .357 Mag length, and the .45s I load out to 1.67".
They cycle just as fast as i can run the lever, now.

And yes, shortstroking is an occupational hazard with a '92

BJD