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Rossi 92 or Marlin 1894


TheDrifter

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So I’m a new shooter just trying to gather all of the firepower I need to start out I’ve bought a Stoeger 12 Ga coach gun slightly used and now I’m looking for a lever action rifle and I’m on a budget as I’m just getting my feet wet and I’m between the Rossi 92 & a New production Marlin 1894 & I’m aware of Marlin’s struggle with some of there QA issues. Lastly no I’m not spending 1K on a 73 or a 66 so don’t waste the time to tell me how better they are. Thanks 

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I personally like the Rossi in 44WCF since I like the slim and rounded receiver but from what I have been reading, the current production Marlins are pretty darned good with speed parts readily available.

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I would go with the Marlin although you might be able to get a used 66 for a decent price!!

 

I've seen 66's for $800-$900 USED!

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Rossi '92 is a good solid rifle.  Very few shooters can out run that rifle.  Get Steve Young's video and spring set and you will be able to make it very smooth and reliable.  I have three '92 rifles and after working them over, I would not trade any of them.  If you plan on shooting black powder one in 44WCF (44-40) is the way to go as it really prevents blowback into the action, thus keeping the rife easy to shoot all day.

 

You can find the video and parts at steves gunz.com

 

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Marlin 94 is the KISS of lever rifles, and easier to keep run'n.

They are also much lighter than the 66 or the 73.

The Winny 92 and the M/94 are close in weight.

Go to a SASS shoot and try before you buy :excl:

OLG

 

 

 

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Drifter,

Both are good rifles and both can be set up nice and smooth..... AND reliable.

 

But if it were me, I would get in contact with DEUCE Stevens on the 'Merchants' Wire and

talk with him about setting you up one of the new Marlin 1894 carbines.

 

You atleast will have more good info that will help you in your decision.

 

Good luck.

 

..........Widder

 

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I’ve got 2 Marlins and 1 Rossi. I love em all and I did the slicking up of all 3, but I will say the Marlins are what come out of the safe more often. I enjoy them all but i can run either of my Marlins faster than the Rossi.  Now my sweetie has never shot anything but her Rossi in 45 Colt and she never wants anything else. Shooters choice you might say.....  get em both! 

 

BD

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after 12 stage 2 day match, my lever hand is aching with my slicked up 92 Rossi clone, but not with my slicked up Marlin. Both are in 45 Colt.

92 clone Rossi is smooth, the Marlin is just that little bit better IMO!

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Also no one mentioned to you caliber, and I usually let the poster decide but the cheapest caliber is.38 special and I believe most competitive?  Marlins have been known for their ability to accept overall length (OAL) of .38 spcl cartridges in .357 mag rifles, but 92s can be modified too. Back in the day the most competitive shooters were shooting .38’s in Marlins and whatever pistols they could find usually the old model Vaqueros. I personally love Winchesters in. .44 caliber and have never shot with being competitive in mind, I just love to shoot. 

So you might want consider cartridge caliber as well, although there is nothing to say you can’t shoot different calibers. Enjoy. 

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I have a brand new 1894CB in 357... production date is January of 2019.


If mine is a typical production  rifle, then Marlin has gotten past its quality issues.
It has been 10 years since they moved production to the NY facilities.

Before you acquire gear, learn the SASS rules.
To shoot the Classic Cowboy requires .40 caliber revolvers and rifle, or larger.
It also requires hammer-type shotguns, which lets the Stoeger Coach out as a choice.

For me, this would have meant 44-mag for two revolvers and the long gun, and something other than a Stoeger for the 12-gauge.
Understand this going in, if this particular class is what floats your boat.

I have all .357, and will pick up the Stoeger shortly.
I can compete in most of the smokeless classes, but not Classic Cowboy.

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1 hour ago, bgavin said:

I have a brand new 1894CB in 357... production date is January of 2019.


If mine is a typical production  rifle, then Marlin has gotten past its quality issues.
It has been 10 years since they moved production to the NY facilities.

Before you acquire gear, learn the SASS rules.
To shoot the Classic Cowboy requires .40 caliber revolvers and rifle, or larger.
It also requires hammer-type shotguns, which lets the Stoeger Coach out as a choice.

For me, this would have meant 44-mag for two revolvers and the long gun, and something other than a Stoeger for the 12-gauge.
Understand this going in, if this particular class is what floats your boat.

I have all .357, and will pick up the Stoeger shortly.
I can compete in most of the smokeless classes, but not Classic Cowboy.

And a 60', 66', or 73' lever gun larger than .40. Can also use an 87' shotgun.

 

No Marlins, 92's, Burgess, Lightning, etc... 

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On the other hand, if "B-Western" floats your boat, you're good-to-go with a .38 in the Rossi '92 or Marlin 1894, and the Stoeger.

 

If possible, I recommend fondling the example you're planning to buy, internet prices might be tempting... but nothing beats knowing you're getting one that pleases.

 

And be aware, very few folks are satisfied with an "out-of-the-box" action, slick, smooth actions are far more enjoyable to run fast, or slow!  I have 3 Rossis, 2 Marlins, all slicked up by me, and I enjoy them all!

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11 hours ago, bgavin said:

I have a brand new 1894CB in 357... production date is January of 2019.


If mine is a typical production  rifle, then Marlin has gotten past its quality issues.
It has been 10 years since they moved production to the NY facilities.

Before you acquire gear, learn the SASS rules.
To shoot the Classic Cowboy requires .40 caliber revolvers and rifle, or larger.
It also requires hammer-type shotguns, which lets the Stoeger Coach out as a choice.

For me, this would have meant 44-mag for two revolvers and the long gun, and something other than a Stoeger for the 12-gauge.
Understand this going in, if this particular class is what floats your boat.

I have all .357, and will pick up the Stoeger shortly.
I can compete in most of the smokeless classes, but not Classic Cowboy.

Your Marlin is legal in every category (smokeless and BP) except classic cowboy.  

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Here in CA, internet prices are higher than my local Sportsmans Warehouse.
I pay $35 to $50 for FFL transfers, none at S.W.
Sales tax and Background fees are collected in all cases, so that is a wash.
S.W. does not charge shipping, and sells as the same price as Bud's, etc.

A new 1894CB is scarce and not available locally, so internet was the only way.
I got lucky.

Tombstone Tactical saved me $100 on a SASS Vaquero pair, as the price went up right after I bought them.
I already own an old-style large frame Vaquero, and like the fit.

S.W. is still trying to figure out if they can get me an all blue Stoeger Supreme.
All they stock is the nickel model.

I plan to slick the Marlin and Stoeger.
Replacement impellers and springs are available, so I will convert the Stoeger to a manual safety by shortening the impeller and spring.
Marauder has a nice tutorial on Marlin slicking.

 

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16 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

" impeller" ? :huh:

What's dat on a firearm? :blink:

OLG

It's a part of the centrifugal supercharger system that's mounted behind the firing rammers.  Makes you shoot faster, donchaknow... 

Still trying figure out how to mount one in my Marlin, so it levers automatically. 

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I would have called it an "actuator", but it is not my design.

It is modified by cutting off a small section on the safety end, so it never actuates when the breech is opened.
The one shown in this image is the modified version.

The safety remains functional, but is no longer automatically set.
 

image.stoeger.coach.gun.dual.trigger.02.bypassed.safety.png

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1 hour ago, McCandless said:

It's a part of the centrifugal supercharger system that's mounted behind the firing rammers.  Makes you shoot faster, donchaknow... 

Still trying figure out how to mount one in my Marlin, so it levers automatically. 

 

Exactly.   I use em when I set up the Henry .22 'Soft Stroke'.

:lol::D

 

..........Widder

 

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2 hours ago, bgavin said:

I would have called it an "actuator", but it is not my design.

It is modified by cutting off a small section on the safety end, so it never actuates when the breech is opened.
The one shown in this image is the modified version.

The safety remains functional, but is no longer automatically set.
 

image.stoeger.coach.gun.dual.trigger.02.bypassed.safety.png

Most folks know it as a 'strut'. ;)

OLG

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/28/2019 at 2:23 PM, Marauder SASS #13056 said:

Yes, it is easier to "strut" around than it is to impell around...  :D:D:D

 

But wouldn't you get better results if you impel a round?

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I prefer the 92 over the Marlin. And, that strut looks like a guide rod to me. Trying to figure out how to fit an impeller to my revolver to drive the cylinder rotation!

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The Rossi is a nice rifle, but you will likely need to have at least a simple action job done to smooth it out.  [If you want to make it a race gun, that's a whole other discussion.]

 

My first SASS rifle was a pre-safety Rossi  in .44 Magnum.   It worked fine.   Then I got a couple of real Winchesters and realized that the action was not all that smooth.  So, I had it smoothed out.   Now I am even more happy with it.

 

I have never liked the Marlin, but that's more a personal preference than a comment on their quality.  Being a southpaw, I don't like the ejection port. 

 

 

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I'm not a 20 second shooter - barely a 30 second shooter on a good day. That said, I usually shoot a .38-40 Marlin for CAS, and a .44-40 Rossi '92 for Wild Bunch... just to be "cinematically correct". B)

11 Marlins

7 Rossi '92's.

*a few* others. ;)

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My experience with the 92 in 357/38 is that yes, you can polish them up, throw a good set of springs in them and they are shooters. The caveat to that is, rossi 92s are very case length sensitive. In order for mine to run 38s, I have to reload them to 1.51" oal. My wife's 1894 we have found, isn't as fickle with the length as the 92 is. The other thing with a 92 in 38 is you cannot baby the action on it, or live rounds will be flying out left and right. It has to be ran with intent to properly load the shorter 38 rounds. I shot a 92 for the first two years and have since moved onto a 73, but the 92 tags along to every match as my just in case gun or starting this year, my oldest son's main gun.  

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On 4/27/2019 at 4:03 PM, Tracker Jack Daniels,58780 said:

Rossi '92 is a good solid rifle.  Very few shooters can out run that rifle.  Get Steve Young's video and spring set and you will be able to make it very smooth and reliable.  I have three '92 rifles and after working them over, I would not trade any of them.  If you plan on shooting black powder one in 44WCF (44-40) is the way to go as it really prevents blowback into the action, thus keeping the rife easy to shoot all day.

 

You can find the video and parts at steves gunz.com

 

+1

 

i started with a 20" rossi 92 saddle ring carbine and still have it, i added a stainless 20" rossi 92 SRC and thats now my main match rifle, only because it matches my revolvers... you can get two 92's for about the price of one 94...

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Well I View the .38-40 as the .44-40 Improved ...

It is the very best at sealing against Blow-back there is ,,,Bar none ....

It is less likely to get crushed in loading ....

It makes a great round for a light recoil ladies / Kids gun out to 300 + yards in a Low-wall ...

 

Jabez Cowboy

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