Well, I had to do it... Picked up a 44-40 Rossi

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Was presented with an opportunity to pick up a 95%+ Rossi 65 (model 92) in 44-40.  Action smooth and polished, and a CAS style leather finger wrap on the bottom of the lever.  Best thing is it was $419!  Considering what prices I have seen, that seemed like a really good price.  My first SASS rifle was also a Rossi 65 in $44-40, although I gave $325 for it gently used in 1994!  20% price increase in 23 years doesn't seem too bad...

While my main match rifle is a .45 Schofield shooting Uberti 1860 Henry, I like the 92 design for it's versatility.  I thought it might be a good back up main match gun, or a good one to use on a stage that requires loading an 11th round.  The Henry IS NOT easy to do that on!

I used to load a 200 grain jacketed soft (flat) point .428 bullet over 23.5 grains of 2400 for my 1950 FPS 92/94 only hunting round.  Good brush gun.  I like the .44-40 as it is an original Cowboy rifle caliber, unlike the .44 XL (.44 Magnum case) some prefer.  The 44 WCF just feels "Right!"

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Funny, the closer it gets to getting the 92 in 44WCF, the more excited I get about shooting it in matches!  I have about 275 rounds of brass, powder, a LEE 4 die set with factory crimp die (an absolute necessity with 44-40), Powder, and primers.  I also have a 5-pack of the Cheyenne Pioneer cartridge box 44 WCF boxes.  All I need to do is stop at the LGS and pick up a 500 box of Bear Creek 200 grain lead RNFP .428s.

I looked into to using trail boss like I do in my .45 Schofield "Henry Duplication Loads" (200 grain bullet and 7.0 grains TB in a Schofield case) that I use for the Henry and the Open Tops. I found out, though, that even max loads of Trail Boss are dismal in 44-40 velocity wise.  I am going to revert to the 9.0 grains of Unique that I used in the Marlin Century Limited I used 5 years ago (boy I wish I still had that one!).  Taffin says that the 9.0 grains of Unique duplicates the original 1300+ FPS of the original 40 grain, balloon head, black powder loads.  It was DEALY accurate from the Century Limited.

I have a feeling my Henry will sit out more than a few matches!

[King Medallion]

My Rossi 92 is an older on with no safety and no saddle ring. The day I got it, it fell over and left a nice ding in the fore stock. I was soooo mad at myself! Anywhoo, i refinish the wood, never did like the blackish stock finish. Cut off the stock flat, added 1 1/2" of wood to add some length of pull, and added a butt cover. Also put on a full buckhorn rear sight. Now its perfect for me. Had an action job done to it, it's been my main CAS shooter for almost 20 years, not one hiccup yet. I shoot .428's with 4.5 Trail Boss. Perfect load in all 6 of my 44-40's.

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[Baltimore Ed]

Hope you have better luck than I had. I bought a new big loop 92 Rossi in .45 lc and wore it out in a year or so. Sent it back to interarms and they sent me a new one which I promptly sold and bought a used Marlin cowboy ltd. We're talking years ago so maybe yours is ok. Good looking rifle, hope she holds up. If they move, kill'em.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

The one I picked up is an older one with the almost black furniture, and I think it is pre-safety.

[Baltimore Ed]

I do have a Rossi that I love. It's a copy of the Winchester .22 pump gallery rifle. Mine is nickeled with a blond stock and forearm minus the stupid safety on the bolt. A very nice rifle.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Well, the Rossi is in 10 day Californication waiting period jail.  It is pre-safety, has the leather wrapped, lever, and is well polished for CAS!  I ordered a Marbles rear semi-buckhorn sporting sight to replace the original bent metal Rossi sight.  The early Rossi rear actually works really well for me, but is really FUGLY!  My last one I used the Marbles.

I am also going to strip the dark finish off the wood, and see what I get.  maybe natural with BLO on it.  On a side note, I just traded a Bersa 380 for a .44-40 Cimarron Thunderer with a 4.75" barrel.  It actually came from the same owner as the .44-40 Rossi I just got!





I'll make this my back up main match pistol, in case one of my 1872 Open Tops dies!

[Baltimore Ed]

I was lucky enough to pull one of these out of the hat at the NE Regional in Md years ago except mine was a .45 Uberti with checkered grips and the shorter bbl. A very nice revolver. At that point imo I had won the shoot so I had a good time. Nicest gun I'd ever won. I also won a .44 Ruger semi rifle at a .22 match but didn't keep it very long. But I've still got the Birdshead Uberti.
Pardon my french--- I've still got my Uberti with the Thunderer grip.

[Coffinmaker]

Girrrrrrr ..... Snap ....... Snarl ...... Snap .......

As shown, that is NOT a Birdshead grip.  It's a THUNDERER grip.

Coffinmaker

Just bugs me to no end when it (the THUNDERER) is called a Birdshead 

[Mean Bob Mean]

Nice picks mate, better send them to me for a ten year evaluation.