[RevPaul]

Today I slipped a new lever onto my Rossi Puma .38/.357.

I bought the lever recently from Steve's Guns, but a death in the family caused some delay before I could make time for it. I bought the 3/4 lever from Steve to fit my stainless Puma. I think the look is now complete.

I originally bought the gun at an auction after seeing what you folks had to say about these Rossi lever actions. Then, I got springs and the magazine follower from Steve along with his DVD. I slicked up the action as he shows on screen, pausing the DVD between steps. The result was a very fine action.

Next I removed the black finish from the walnut stock and fore end. There is very nice wood to show off now.

The 3/4 lever gives a gloved hand much more room, and I like the look. Now I have a fine shooting gun that will be impossible to part with. I put too much time and attention into it, not to mention the cost of the new lever.

Even my wife loves shooting this little gun.

 

[nagib otayek]

I own a Rossi Puma in 38/357 lever action. Out of the box, the rifle jammed most of the time even with 38 full metal jacketed bullet rounds. After disasembling and reassembling the rifle many times failing to discover the cause. I took it to a gunsmithing shop to no avail. The floorplate that raises the cartridge to align it with the chamber, always stayed a bit lower than normal and the round did not align.

The gunsmith, told me that in some period, Rossi employees unhappy with labor conditions, started sabotaging and many of the levers on the rifles were made with a slightly shorter elevating hook (the built in curved finger) making it unable to raise the plate enough to align the cartridge with the chamber.

Being anxious to use the rifle and the unfriendliness of the gunsmith, I disassembled the rifle and had a friend add some electric iron soldering. Then with a lot of patience and try and error, I filed and polished the excess iron, until I was satisfied with the functioning of the rifle. Some throating with a dremmel completed the job. The Rossi, now digest any 38 spl or 357 You can imagine. Most ammo I use are handloads with semi wadcutter flatpoint cast bullets.

This post, is a collaboration with those shooters who might have experimented the same problem, especially with rifles made more than 20 years ago. I have corrected the same problem on two other Rossi Pumas.

I hope this information may be useful to someone.

 

[nagib otayek]

I own a Rossi Puma in 38/357 lever action. Out of the box, the rifle jammed most of the time even with 38 full metal jacketed bullet rounds. After disasembling and reassembling the rifle many times failing to discover the cause. I took it to a gunsmithing shop to no avail. The floorplate that raises the cartridge to align it with the chamber, always stayed a bit lower than normal and the round did not align.

The gunsmith, told me that in some period, Rossi employees unhappy with labor conditions, started sabotaging and many of the levers on the rifles were made with a slightly shorter elevating hook (the built in curved finger) making it unable to raise the plate enough to align the cartridge with the chamber.

Being anxious to use the rifle and the unfriendliness of the gunsmith, I disassembled the rifle and had a friend add some electric iron soldering. Then with a lot of patience and try and error, I filed and polished the excess iron, until I was satisfied with the functioning of the rifle. Some throating with a dremmel completed the job. The Rossi, now digest any 38 spl or 357 You can imagine. Most ammo I use are handloads with semi wadcutter flatpoint cast bullets.

This post, is a collaboration with those shooters who might have experimented the same problem, especially with rifles made more than 20 years ago. I have corrected the same problem on two other Rossi Pumas.

I hope this information may be useful to someone.

 

[nagib otayek]

Rossi Accuracy

I forgot to mention, that although I had some problems mentioned in the former link, my rossi carbine, using 357 handloads, is very accurate. At a distance of 40 meters, nearly 45 yards, I fixed to a trunk of Hard wood Mango tree, using glue, two quarter sized nickel coins and fired from a sitting position.
The bullets not only went through the coins almost center and 5/8" wide holes they were so potent that the coins had to be taken out with a plier. I keep them as a souvenir. On a hunting trip, four caimans (crocodiles) of medium size about 8 feet, took one shot each and instant death.

 

[TMair]

So you get to shoot Caimans, and here they try to convince us they are indangered!
Terry

 

[Rangr44]

I actually went the other way with my .38/.357 Rossi/BrazTech Model 92 16" Big Loop Carbine.

I swapped another forum member for his standard loop lever, for my big loop, and made both of us happy as clams.

.

 

[Johnny Yuma]

Is there a lever like that for the Win.'94? It sure would be nice for hunting in winter, to have a larger loop on my .44mag '94!

 

[Rangr44]

Yes, the Winchester 94 Wrangler & Wrangler II were big loop carbines, and the lever might be available from a parts house - BUT I don't think one would be a straight swap into a pistol caliber Model 94, since AFAIK they have a special dohickey built into the lever for the shorter cartridge feeding.

Why not just take off your rifle's lever, and have a gunsmith cut the issue loop and weld in an extension to make a big loop, then file/polish & reblue the lever ?

It'd probably cost only a little more than a new big loop lever somewhere.

.

 

[Sharp74]

When did Rossi begin making M92s? I have one i believe it is prob a early model.. Had some issues with fitting problems inside the action i got worked out. Works great now.

 

[COSteve]

When did Rossi begin making M92s? I have one i believe it is prob a early model.. Had some issues with fitting problems inside the action i got worked out. Works great now.

I believe late 70's / early 80's.

 

[Critter Popper]

The two 92's look great! What color stain did you use? If you don't mind me asking? My carbine has a 'milk chocolate' colored stain and what appears to be a light colored wood underneath. It looks very bland but I love it. Shoots good for a 16" barrel. I would like to have the 'Loop' lever though, it seems to bite my fingers a bit shooting from some positions. I have a little trouble getting all three of my fat fingers in the little loop when I wear gloves. It gets pretty cold here sometimes & gloves are a must. How much trouble is swapping the levers?

 

[Critter Popper]

Bitten

Thanks COSteve. I just can't get over how good the octagon barreled rifles W/the steel forend caps look. I like my 16" .44 carbine, but I'm gonna have to have a rifle to match. I think I've been bitten by some "19 th Century Bug" of some kind. I found a stainless 24inch ROSSI .357 at a local shop, new for $518.00. Is that a decent price, or should I shop a little? I'd rather have a .44. I load for both, and for deer at 125 yds and less , the .357 would work well. Has anyone noticed if there is any advantage, accuracy wise, between the .357 and .44 mags. in similar rifles? My older brother has a Marlin .357 W/Micro groove barrel that shoots pretty good but that's not an accurate comparison and it doesn't EVEN compere asthetically to the 92's. I'm referring to the 24" rifles.

 

[Critter Popper]

Love to...But!

I'll have to save a bit & hope my wife don't see this post! I'm on "Gun buyin" PROBATION already! Thanks for the info. She knows there's no such thing as TOO many good guns. I will probably go with blue steel though, just cause. It looks like the new Rossis have walnut stocks now. Or is that just the Italian 92's?

 

[Critter Popper]

I think my carbine is gettin awful lonely, having to eat all that lead by itself!