By R.K. Campbell | Contributing Editor
Not long ago when preparing for a pleasant trip to the mountains I slipped a rifle case into the Jeep.
My wife is used to such things but I felt her look at the case demanded an answer.
“I like to stay at the top of the food chain.”
The rifle wasn’t heavy, it doesn’t have an optic, and it isn’t comprised of plastic and aluminum, but the Rossi 92 .357 Magnum lever-action carbine always comes up shooting. It is reliable. While the great “what if” of Zombie or Russian Commando invasions may be better addressed with a crew served weapon for any type of threat I have encountered or am likely to encounter the humble Rossi carbine is ideal.
I don’t really think of the romance of the West or anything of that nature when I deploy this lever action rifle. I think about efficiency. The Rossi profile is flat with no protruding magazine. It is easy to stow away. It is always ready to perform and it is handy and well balanced, and it also hits harder than most would think.
I grew up in a rural area where many hunters used lever action rifles. Most were .30-30 rifles. I was well into my adult years before I was introduced to the Winchester 1892 and the various copies including the Rossi. The light and fast handling ’92 impressed me as a go anywhere do anything type of rifle. It is well suited to personal defense and taking game at modest range.
With all respect due the old dash cartridges, the .32-20 WCF, .38-40 WCF and .44-40 WCF are really handloading propositions. Modern lever action rifles chamber .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum cartridges, not to mention the .45 Colt. For my use the .357 Magnum is ideal. I own several revolvers in this caliber and find the combination ideal for recreation and personal defense, even some types of game. I would be hard pressed to find a better combination for emergency and survival use.
While there are longer barrel versions, my Rossi carbine features a 16-inch barrel. Blue steel and wood stocked. The rifles are not as powerful as the .30-30 Winchester 94 at long range but leverage is better with the short pistol cartridges the ’92 chambers. This makes for a crackerjack defense carbine. You may work the bolt quickly and if you need a fast follow up shoot it isn’t difficult. Accuracy comes easily. Line the big fixed sights up and press the trigger and you have a hit.
The action locks up tight with dual locking bolt. The rifle holds eight cartridges fully loaded. Keep the hammer in the half cock notch when moving for safety. When you operate the action always press the lever forward, not down, and work the action briskly to avoid short cycles. I keep the chamber empty when travelling or at home ready. It takes but an instant to chamber a cartridge. If you have the need to replenish the ammunition supply, you may simply press a cartridge into the side loading gate topping off the magazine. I use a Galco six-round belt carrier to hold spare cartridges.
Buckhorn sights are named for the big ears that protect the rear sight. With the six o’clock hold you may get on target quickly and take a fast aim- as on a running deer, coyote, or bandit. The trigger is clean breaking at 4.0 pounds on the Lyman digital trigger gauge. The .357 Magnum cartridge really perks up in a carbine. The Magnum uses comparatively slow burning powder in most loads. The long barrel makes the most of these loads. In comparison, the 9mm in self-loading carbines picks up one to two hundred feet per second. The .45 ACP is my favorite defensive handgun caliber but it isn’t a great carbine round. The 10mm is another choice. The Magnum, however, really ups the ante! As an example a fairly stiff .38 Special handload I prefer features a Hornady 125 grain XTP at 950 fps from a four-inch revolver. It breaks over 1,300 fps in the Rossi carbine.
I urge you to obtain a reliable and affordable chronograph to test all your firearms and especially handloads. Let’s look at the staple of defensive use, the 125-grain JHP .357 Magnum. In a four-inch barrel Python most loads from the major makers clock 1,350 to 1,450 fps. A six-inch barrel revolver will push this load over 1,500 fps. In the Rossi carbine’s 16-inch barrel velocity is a sizzling 2,115 fps with the Federal version of this load. That would be a monumentally effective home defense load. It isn’t likely to penetrate the body; it will fragment to pieces. Even the slowest full power 125-grain JHP clocked 1,830 fps in the carbine. If you need more penetration for taking game, then the Hornady 140-grain XTP over 18.0 grains of H110 will provide 1,750 fps. In factory loads the Hornady 158-grain XTP would seem to be the deer load for short range use. As for accuracy fifty yards is a good range to test this carbine. From the MTM Caseguard K Zone firing rest the Rossi will put three shots into two to four inches at 50 yards depending on the load. If you don’t own a .357 revolver the Rossi carbine is still a fine choice- more so if you do!
The carbine illustrated is no more outdated for all around defense use than a revolver and there are plenty of revolvers in daily use! I especially like the easy storage. The rifle is flat and handy and easy to carry in the woods. It is perfectly balanced at the juncture of the receiver and forend.
I didn’t mention cowboy action shooting. Some of the best shots in the world and nicest folks are in CAS. The Rossi might figure into those matches. Unlike some types the Rossi 92 feeds .38 Special loads perfectly. That makes for real versatility.
Specifications:
Manufacturer: Rossi
Model: Model 92 Carbine
Action: Lever
Caliber: .357 Magnum
Capacity: Eight
Finish: Black Oxide
Sights: Fixed front drift adjustable Buckhorn rear
Safety: Manual safety/half cock safety
Barrel Length: 16 inches
Weight: 5 pounds 12 ounces
Average retail: $ 574.00
