Advice/Input Sought on an 1892

[Cholla Hill Tirador]

 I'm in the market for an 1892 with a 20" round barrel chambered in .44 Magnum. I've ruled out the late Winchester and Rossi's because I don't care for the added safeties. To my knowledge that leaves the Browning B-92, the older Rossi's, Cimarron's, and Chiappa's. I'm leaning towards a Browning, but the Cimarron's are really nice looking, but I'm not sure they're worth the extra expense. I have a rancher/farmer buddy that has one of the older Rossi's in .44 Magnum and that thing has withstood untold physical abuse and still runs and he's death on hogs with it. So there's that!

 

 Any advice or input? Thanks in advance!

Edited March 6 by Cholla Hill Tirador

[DeaconKC]

On the current Rossis, the safety is ridiculously easy to remove, so you might want to consider it in your hunt.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

FYI, Cimarron's '92 is Chiappa.

[Three Foot Johnson]

"Ridiculously easy to remove", as above. No disassembly required, just open the action, tap out the roll pin, insert a plug, and tap the roll pin back in. I've heard of folks securing a .25 acp case in the hole too. If you don't have the skills to make the plug, they are available commercially.

 

[Red Hooker]

12 hours ago, DeaconKC said:

On the current Rossis, the safety is ridiculously easy to remove, so you might want to consider it in your hunt.

Or just cut off the tab on the original, and cut a screwdriver slot in the remaining plug to retain its function.

[Tennessee River]

I bought the Cimarron/Chiappa (Italy) 92 Carbine in 44 Rem Mag last year and it is a beautiful gun.  Really runs well out of the box, but I may still polish some things eventually.  The CCH and wood is excellent.  It is higher than a Rossi (Brazil), but fit and finish sets it to that level.  Now a B92 would be really nice, but if found it would be at a higher price level than the Italian as well.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

If you're looking for a '92 to be a "competitive" CAS rifle, ANY '92 you source WILL require some after purchase work.  Plan on that.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

The Rossi I started with was sold with no warranty.  I eventually got the quality problems fixed and it is a good shooting rifle.  If I wanted another I would hold out for a Browning.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

I have several 92s,  Hands down, you can't beat the quality of a real Winchester made in Hartford, Connecticut.  If you look hard enough, you may even be able to find one that someone converted to .44 Magnum.

I did.   

 

 

Apparently, this was  a common modification a few decades ago., so it might be easier to find one than you would think, and since it's been changed, it might not be as expensive as a generic Winchester.  It's a very fun gun to shoot.

On the other hand, the Chiappa's are of excellent quality.  I find them to be just as good as a real Winchester right out of the box.  And they are available in .44 Magnum.

 

This is the Mare's Leg takedown version, with the odd "D Lever" that it came with from the factory.   I modified it.

 

I like it with this "Rio Bravo" loop much better.   Also much fun to shoot, but you will spend a lot of money.  The "regular rifle" configuration is actually less expensive than the Mare's Leg, but still more than any other reproduction on the market today, but it's worth the expense.  If I wanted another 92, and not a real Winchester, I'd get a Chiappa.

And then finally, there is the pre-Safety version of the Rossi.



Probably the most cost effect way to get a 92 in ,44 Magnum.   They are nice guns.  This was my first SASS type Main Match rifle, and while I don't use it all that often any more, I still take it out from time to time.   From the beginning, I thought there was nothing wrong with it, and used it with no problems.   But then, when I got a real Winchester, I realized that the action was not as smooth as it should be.  So, I sent it to the great Happy Trails, who smoothed it out a bit for me.  It's now just as good as a Winchester.   So in other words, okay out of the box, but will probably need a little tuning.

A word of advice...   When I tied running .44 Specials in the Rossi and the Winchester, they tended to stovepipe a lot.   So I switched to downloaded Magnums, and they have worked just fine ever since.   Never tried Specials in the Chiappa.  Also, while I never have, I'd not hesitate to run full power factory loads in the Rossi or the Chiappa, but I'd be hesitant to do so in a converted Winchester.   More of a better safe than sorry precaution.

Good luck, and happy shooting.

[Pb Mark]

If you end up with a new Rossi that needs that safety gone, Steves Gunz sells the premade plug for $25 and some other Rossi 92 tune-up parts.

 

Don't own a 92 so nothing to add.  Did recently disassemble and inspect a purchased new Chiappa 1892 saddle ring carbine for a CAS shooter though.  Nothing but double feed jams. Nothing wrong with it and built well.  It was a 357-model using 38 bullets too short to feed properly.  The answer was a warning in the instruction manual stating must use minimum 39mm length bullets to feed properly.  Runs smooth with the right length bullets.  

 

Enjoy your new toy.

[Pb Mark]

The actual 92 disassembled was sold by Cimmaron.   I'm not up on the various place that sell the Italian 1892.  It is almost an exact copy of a real one but not quite.  The bolt pin to the lever requires a little screwdriver instead of just a punch like the original.  It is threaded on one end and screws in.  The good - no alignment issues installing: the bad - has threads to bugger up.  Maybe a few other things different like the plastic follower, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to know anything else that deviates.  The only thing negative I've personally heard but not seen on the Italian gun is that the loading gate is two pieces and sometimes gets bent outward and needs to be removed and bent back or upgraded if desired.