Noah Cash Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Okay folks, I have the opportunity to swap a Henry B/B in 45 for a Rossi 92 also in 45, All things being considered I might do it and then get the Rossi tuned by Cowboys & Indians. They tuned Hilda Billie’s Rossi and she loves it now.I am sure it wont beat the Marlin I got recently but It would be an acceptable back up. My main problem is that durned black stock on the .45 Rossi. I despise that black tar coated looking thing worse than the Henry. Is replacement wood fairly easy to get? Cost more than its worth? At least the wood on the Henry looks like wood instead of a piece of cresote rail road tie. Is there any saving the wood on the Rossi? Can it be lightened to at least look like wood? Have any of you had any experience with this? What say you? 'Preciate your advise.
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Yes, the wood can be saved. I refinished mine and am pleased with the look. If you decide to do that, be very careful about sanding around edges and corners. It's easy to round them off, which adversely affects the hardware fitting. Good luck!
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Just a word of caution. Rossi(s) with very dark stain or actual black paint. If it is stain you can see the wood grain through it. If painted you can not. If yours is stain look very carefully before stripping the stain off for repaired wood. Cracks, splits, etc. Those that are painted may even have wood filler in the bad areas in the wood. It seems that the better the wood on the Rossi stocks the lighter the stain used.
Grayrock, SASS #64093 Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Mine has pretty light stain and is decent wood. Not a lot of figure. I have seen Rossi's refinished and they look pretty good.
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted February 13, 2012 Posted February 13, 2012 Okay folks, I have the opportunity to swap a Henry B/B in 45 for a Rossi 92 also in 45, All things being considered I might do it and then get the Rossi tuned by Cowboys & Indians. They tuned Hilda Billie’s Rossi and she loves it now.I am sure it wont beat the Marlin I got recently but It would be an acceptable back up. My main problem is that durned black stock on the .45 Rossi. I despise that black tar coated looking thing worse than the Henry. Is replacement wood fairly easy to get? Cost more than its worth? At least the wood on the Henry looks like wood instead of a piece of cresote rail road tie. Is there any saving the wood on the Rossi? Can it be lightened to at least look like wood? Have any of you had any experience with this? What say you? 'Preciate your advise. I dont know what kind of Rossi wood you got . All Three of my Rossi,s have sweet wood on them . But a scotch bright and some True oil and the problem is gone !
Go West Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Any Rossi 92 is preferable to an ugly BB. Say what you will, at least the 92 looks like the guns used on TV and in the movies over the various decades. Even if used for a Civil War movie, it looks better than the BB.
Snakebite Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Pard; Rossi does not use wood on their 92 copies. Sorry to inform you, but they use compressed Cow $#1T for their stocks. Snakebite
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 I'm thinkin the following is far closer to the truth than we want to know.! ------------------------------------ Pard; Rossi does not use wood on their 92 copies. Sorry to inform you, but they use compressed Cow $#1T for their stocks. Snakebite
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Pard; Rossi does not use wood on their 92 copies. Sorry to inform you, but they use compressed Cow $#1T for their stocks. Snakebite I dont know what you shoot . Rossi is 1/2 the cost of a 66 and 1/4 the cost of a 73 and will take a hotter load then both . Rossi has made the 92 longer than Winchester did . I have Three and all have nice wood on them . I have one with 20" octagon barrel and a crescent stock and a nice front cap . And every time I shoot it, I get complements on how nice a rifle it is . But that's why there is some many different kinds of Rifles . Different strokes for different folks !
Nasty Newt # 7365 Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 My first cowboy rifle was a Rossi, in the 90's. I was shooting in the rain one day and the finish started coming off on my hands and clothes, so the original finish wasn't hard to get off. That yellow wood required multiple coats of stain, but it came out looking good.
Pulp, SASS#28319 Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 I don't doubt the compressed cow sh*t theory. I used a piece of glass to scrape the finish off of mine, then sanded it smooth. It stinks when sanded. It ain't the prettiest stock in the world, but it looks better than the black finish that was on it.
Monco Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Pard; Rossi does not use wood on their 92 copies. Sorry to inform you, but they use compressed Cow $#1T for their stocks. Snakebite I say anything good or bad about Rossi rifles as I haven't owned or shot one and honestly, I wouldn't mind having one to play with especially considering the cost.....but I gotta say, that was funny!!
Tom Bullweed Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 My late-1990's Rossi wood was decent. The factory dark finish stripped off with water-based paint remover. I used a small amoutn and let it set only for five mintues before wiping it off so that it did not soak into the wood. I used 50/50 bleach/water to lighten the remaining stain once the urethane-like finish was removed. I sanded lightly with 180-grit paper to even the surface and then applied several coats of tung oil. Sources for wood, if you want to start from scratch include www.gun-parts.com, www.e-gunparts.com, www.dixiegunworks.com and the forum.
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 When it comes to Rossi(s), I have several. 5 38/357 carbines. All are shooters. Three are cas speed worthy. I have used one about 99% of the time since day one of getting involved in cas. 1 45 Colt rifle. (sold a few years back) 7 hammered doubles. 4 12ga --- 2 20ga & a long barrel 410ga. I also have two guns that have been worn out or broken. They are still around as parts guns. In fact the 12ga I have used for the past few years was made from two I wore out. The 2 bad wood stocks have all been in the shotguns. Stripped them down to stain and found it wasn't possible. Filled and sanded and painted a very dark brown to a high gloss and sealed with clear. Almost looks plastic. I like my Rossi(s). . . . . and Rugers. Still using the two 45 Rugers and the 357 carbine I started with in 1992.
Nate Kiowa Jones #6765 Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Okay folks, I have the opportunity to swap a Henry B/B in 45 for a Rossi 92 also in 45, All things being considered I might do it and then get the Rossi tuned by Cowboys & Indians. They tuned Hilda Billies Rossi and she loves it now.I am sure it wont beat the Marlin I got recently but It would be an acceptable back up. My main problem is that durned black stock on the .45 Rossi. I despise that black tar coated looking thing worse than the Henry. Is replacement wood fairly easy to get? Cost more than its worth? At least the wood on the Henry looks like wood instead of a piece of cresote rail road tie. Is there any saving the wood on the Rossi? Can it be lightened to at least look like wood? Have any of you had any experience with this? What say you? 'Preciate your advise. No one that I know of makes drop in wood for the Rossi 92's. Precision Gun Worksoffers semi inletted wood if you are adapt at finishing gunstocks. But, if you are adapt at finishing gunstocks (obviousely some here aren't) you should be able to make your Rossi wood look good. This one started with the black stained wood. PINTO Rossi 92 Once it was stripped I found the front to be lighter than the rear. This one was dark but it matched. It was lighten and then tru-Oil with about 6 coats. PINTO DUKE
Chili Ron Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Howdy Nate, Long time no see. That Duke is sure sweet to look at. But it just cries out fer a saddle ring, pard. Remember back when that hurrycane messed up our rifle deal? I still tell that story. Happy Valentines Day, wish I could buy you a coffee from you know who. I would add a taste of home, pard. A little kentucky kreem.... Best CR
Pit Bull Tex Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 My linkThis is one I have redone.The stock was off a rifle and it was black the forearm was off a carbine and it was black.I stripped them and stained them,the forearm was lightier so I put a little black leather die in the stain .I used 000 steel wool between coats of tung oil.I could have stained it darker if I wanted but I Like the lightier with the brass.Does that look nasty or press what ever he said.Pit Bull
Noah Cash Posted February 14, 2012 Author Posted February 14, 2012 WOW, appreciate all the replys and the pics of the restored/cleaned up rossis. I know that we are as a group HARD on many of our guns and they do take a beating getting staged and replaced to the tables quickly in many but not all instances. At least I see that the stocks can be brought up from the railroad tie catagory. Now if the offered trade is a full octagon barrel, and the magazine will suck up the required 10 rounds, I just might go for it. Thanks Ya'll.
Snakebite Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 I dont know what you shoot . Rossi is 1/2 the cost of a 66 and 1/4 the cost of a 73 and will take a hotter load then both . Rossi has made the 92 longer than Winchester did . I have Three and all have nice wood on them . I have one with 20" octagon barrel and a crescent stock and a nice front cap . And every time I shoot it, I get complements on how nice a rifle it is . But that's why there is some many different kinds of Rifles . Different strokes for different folks ! Sorry pard... meant to be funny, not offensive. I've owned a few Rossi made 1892 guns, and have worked on many more. They have been around for a while, but not longer than Winchester has. I have a nice wood shop at my place, and have done some cabinet making and furniture re-finishing. I'm certainly not a expert, but do have some experience with wood. It is all relative, some want only 3X Select Walnut with plenty of grain, and some are only concerned with the functionality of the stock. Rossi stocks are certainly functional. As for the guns, they can be made to work well with a little shop time. At one time, the Rossi was one of the most used guns in the game. They were cheap and available. Very few folks used a 73 or 66 rifle... they were too slow compared to the 92 and Marlin 94 action. Then along comes the short stroked rifles and that all changed over night. So again, sorry for the slam.... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Snakebite
Thomas (Tom) Horn Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 I bought my Rossi '92 a few years back and when it arrived, I was highly disappointed. The wood was sticky and very dark and just downright ugly. I thought... you get what you pay for! I ordered Nate's DVD and went to work... The rifle is a short rifle 20" barrel, and the caseharden frame was second rate. The barrel was a deep blueish to black blueing. I stripped the old finish off the wood and then sanded the wood to bring out the grain and stained the wood with Chestnut oil base stain and then hand rubbed 10 coats of Tung oil into the wood. The barrel was sanded with sandpaper starting with 80 grit and working up to 800 grit. Then I worked on the sorry looking caseharden frame and cresent buttplate. Replaced all the springs in the action with some of Nate's springs, and I weakened the Main Spring (otherwords, did my own action job. I removed that stupid looking safety on top of the bolt. All moving parts in the action were sanded and some of the parts have a mirror like finish. It took me near a month to do all of this. People now look at this rifle and they do not believe it is a Rossi. Sometimes I think maybe I made it TOO SLICK. It looks just like it came from the period of the late 1800's. When I removed the blueing on the barrel, which I was hesitant at first, but now the barrel looks like it has been jeweled and instead of that ugly blueish black finish the barrel is grayish. I am more proud of it than I am of my Uberti '73 which has all the bells and whistles done by Pioneer Gun Works. I like the '92 more because I did the work and she is a beaut. Makes one feel good when someone levers it and asks, who did the action work? My opine... you cannot go wrong with a Rossi... BUT they do not look so good ROOB.
Mustang Gregg Posted February 15, 2012 Posted February 15, 2012 We have two that are pre-safety models. The old one (carbine) has a dark hardwood stock that has an oil finish and really looks like American Walnut. The newer one (rifle) has a light wood stock that is as soft as pine and is light colored. I am going to get a "Victory" colored pair of laminated blanks and restock the rifle. BTW: Trebone Carving does outstanding stock work. He's in NM not far from Raton. MG
Chris Colt SASS #26241 Posted February 15, 2012 Posted February 15, 2012 Howdy! A Rossi 92 was my first rifle when I started cas, and it worked just fine. Like you, I did not care for the dark wood, so I refinished it. My method was to use easy off oven cleaner. I removed the stock and forearm, then sprayed a coat of easy off on one side and let it sit about 5 minutes, then wiped it off with paper towels. It took about an hour to do the stock and about the same for the forearm. It takes some patience, but I didn't need to use sandpaper at all. I then stained the stock and applied about 6coats of Tru Oil, sanding with 0000 stell wool between coats. If you use this method, make sure to wear latex gloves, have plenty of paper towels and work outside as the fumes are pretty strong. Good luck! Chris Colt
Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655 Posted February 15, 2012 Posted February 15, 2012 mosquito repellant will do a pretty good job of removing the black almost paint like rossi finish. The wood itself is ok, not pretty walnut but for the most part we did not pay a pretty walnut price. I have had good results using tounge oil on other stocks, find tru oil a little too shiney guess steel wool could satin it.
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted February 15, 2012 Posted February 15, 2012 Sorry pard... meant to be funny, not offensive. I've owned a few Rossi made 1892 guns, and have worked on many more. They have been around for a while, but not longer than Winchester has. I have a nice wood shop at my place, and have done some cabinet making and furniture re-finishing. I'm certainly not a expert, but do have some experience with wood. It is all relative, some want only 3X Select Walnut with plenty of grain, and some are only concerned with the functionality of the stock. Rossi stocks are certainly functional. As for the guns, they can be made to work well with a little shop time. At one time, the Rossi was one of the most used guns in the game. They were cheap and available. Very few folks used a 73 or 66 rifle... they were too slow compared to the 92 and Marlin 94 action. Then along comes the short stroked rifles and that all changed over night. So again, sorry for the slam.... Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Snakebite No Offense taken . But I said Rossi has made the 92 longer than Winchester made the 92.( About 60 years now or so ) I just get tire of deep pocketed Pards Talking $#1T about the 92. Then telling new guys who is on a budget to buy a 73 or 66 . Most shooters can NOT out shoot a Rossi 92. Win or if you can out shoot a 92. There is always a new shooter who needs a inexpensive rifle to git started out in this game we all love . I have three 92s and love the gun ,And I still have less money in to them than one 73. And I agree Beauty is in the eye of the BEER holder !
Lone Dog, SASS #20401 Posted February 16, 2012 Posted February 16, 2012 Depends on what you call Winchester. New 92s are being made now in Japan with "Winchester" on the tang. 1892 to 2012 is a long time.
Dirty Chris Posted February 16, 2012 Posted February 16, 2012 I stripped and sanded the wood on my Rossi then stained it and it looks a hundred times better. I don't know why they finish them like that, mine had decent wood underneath all the gunk that was on there. Add in some new springs and a home action job and it's a pretty sweet gun. I was thinking about getting another one in the carbine version just for fun
Red Hooker Posted February 16, 2012 Posted February 16, 2012 Depends on what you call Winchester. New 92s are being made now in Japan with "Winchester" on the tang. 1892 to 2012 is a long time. Not so. Even if you count the Brownings and Mirokus, there was a hiatus between the the last "First Gen" Winchesters '30s and the Brownings in the '80s or '90s.
Red Hooker Posted February 16, 2012 Posted February 16, 2012 I stripped and sanded the wood on my Rossi then stained it and it looks a hundred times better. I don't know why they finish them like that, mine had decent wood underneath all the gunk that was on there. Add in some new springs and a home action job and it's a pretty sweet gun. I was thinking about getting another one in the carbine version just for fun Rossi seems to have a "wood of the week" thing going on, where they apparently buy whatever is cheapest at the time. Sometimes the wood is OK, smetimes... not so much . The paint gunk covers up inconsistencies in color, and maybe even plasticwood repairs.
BLACKFOOT SASS #11947 Posted February 16, 2012 Posted February 16, 2012 Broken freight pallets and shipping crates comes to mind. Blackfoot
Lone Dog, SASS #20401 Posted February 17, 2012 Posted February 17, 2012 Not so. Even if you count the Brownings and Mirokus, there was a hiatus between the the last "First Gen" Winchesters '30s and the Brownings in the '80s or '90s. So what is the correct answer to who has been making the 92 more years? Take out the hiatus years and Winchester/USRAC/Browning still has been making them for how many years total? How many years has Rossi been making them? Either way, there is no prize for the winner of most years made. It is a rhetorical question only and merely a matter of curiosity. The pard made the comment Rossi had been making them longer than Winchester/Miroku. I don't dispute that, just wondering if it is so. By the by, I own 2 NKJ tang stamped Rossis which I love and zero Mirokus, but I sure would love to own a bunch of those first Brownings in 44 and 357.
Rooster Ron Wayne Posted February 17, 2012 Posted February 17, 2012 Im not positive But some of the readings I have found online. Rossi started making Winchester 92 copys in the 1940s . The oldest one I have seen was 1971 . I know that 1971 to 2011 is 40 years . That buy it self is as long or longer as Winchester made the 92 . N.K.J is the 92 man and he might have a better Idea ? Just like any gun maker some are nicer then others . The three I have are nice right out of the box. The one with the octagon barrel has very very nice wood . Any way you wont to look at it . The Rossi 92 is the lest expensive way to git in to this sport. And with very little work and cost you have a dependable expensive Rifle . If you ever decide to bite the bullet and buy a more expensive Rifle . There is always some one standing in line to buy your 92 to git started or to have a good back up.
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