Anyone familiar with Chiappa 1892 actions?

[win94luver]

Thanks, everyone. I've had it out to the range once now and I'm getting the hang of loading it. The gate spring is actually OK as it turns out. I'll be working on some loads for it with 158gr XTP/2400. and Bullet Barn RNFP. I also have some Missouri Bullet Co. 180 Pugnose (WFN) I might play with. The latter might be good in my .357 rebored Martini Cadet as well. The only "serious" use for the Chiappa might be to deal with the odd predatory coyote.

They make a great short range (0-100 yds) deer rifle.
The 357 & 44 mag rifle ballistics are considerably more impressive than their handgun ballistics.
Shot several Manitoulin deer with 1892s in both 357 and 44 mag.
A heavy hardcast bullet is your best option for hunting.
As with any calibre shot placement is the paramount consideration.
You have to operate within the ballistic capability of the gun and the shooting capability of the hunter.
If you do you'll end up with venison on the pole.

 

[Ridersfan]

My Chiappa 1892 Carbine 20" Case Hardened in 45 long colt is my favorite firearm I own. I just love shooting it. For action slickness, accuracy, power, cost to shoot, reliability, and just plain beauty. If I take a rifle out of the safe to just fondle and admire it, it's my Chiappa (or my Pietta 1873 in 45lc... I obviously have a thing for 45LC) It'll shoot +P loads, light cowboy loads... and I even had it reamed .150" to shoot light 454 casull loads... that's a whole different topic as to why... but it's cause I love this gun.

I had a Rossi 1892 ranch hand... it wasn't as pretty, but was just as reliable and smooth... I regret letting it go. People seem to love to hate on both rossi's & on chiappa's. I honestly feel it's more that they read on some forum, or heard from some guy, or just like to crap on the others to justify why their more expensive version has to be better... because nobody likes to find out that they spent too much, and most don't actually have any personal experiences with them but spread the hate for them.

 

[torontogungal]

Chiappa had issues when they first started making the 92 pumas for LSI.
Instead of loading the racks with defective guns like Remlin did they took steps to resolve the issues.
I believe they brought in Steve Young from Stevez Gunz in Texas to help iron some of the production gitches out.
The Chiappa guns are now slick and dependable out of the box.
Much better fit/finish/workmanship than the Rossis with a corresponding bigger hit on the wallet.
When I buy a gun I want a functioning gun nib not a project.

 

[Ridersfan]

Chiappa had issues when they first started making the 92 pumas for LSI.
Instead of loading the racks with defective guns like Remlin did they took steps to resolve the issues.
I believe they brought in Steve Young from Stevez Gunz in Texas to help iron some of the production gitches out.
The Chiappa guns are now slick and dependable out of the box.
Much better fit/finish/workmanship than the Rossis with a corresponding bigger hit on the wallet.
When I buy a gun I want a functioning gun nib not a project.

Everything in your statement sounds very familiar.... with Rossi products, not Chiappa... but I could be wrong?

 

[torontogungal]

Everything in your statement sounds very familiar.... with Rossi products, not Chiappa... but I could be wrong?

Rossi (Brazil) used to make the LSI Puma 92s but when Taurus/Br#####h took over they cancelled the contract with LSI and Chiappa from Italy became the new Puma manufacturer.
I don’t know if LSI still markets new Puma 92s.
Chiappa doesn’t make a 92 in 454 Casull which Rossi did.
The 92s Rossi made for Navy Arms with the real walnut stocks and better fit/finish/workmanship were the best 92 clones I ever seen but they’re scarce as chickens teeth.

 

[josquin]

My Chiappa 1892 Carbine 20" Case Hardened in 45 long colt is my favorite firearm I own. I just love shooting it. For action slickness, accuracy, power, cost to shoot, reliability, and just plain beauty. If I take a rifle out of the safe to just fondle and admire it, it's my Chiappa (or my Pietta 1873 in 45lc... I obviously have a thing for 45LC) It'll shoot +P loads, light cowboy loads... and I even had it reamed .150" to shoot light 454 casull loads... that's a whole different topic as to why... but it's cause I love this gun.

I had a Rossi 1892 ranch hand... it wasn't as pretty, but was just as reliable and smooth... I regret letting it go. People seem to love to hate on both rossi's & on chiappa's. I honestly feel it's more that they read on some forum, or heard from some guy, or just like to crap on the others to justify why their more expensive version has to be better... because nobody likes to find out that they spent too much, and most don't actually have any personal experiences with them but spread the hate for them.

Apparently only something like 200 were made in .45 LC. Too bad; that's a very versatile round. As to value for money, I do feel that the Chiappa is somewhat overpriced, but I still like mine. One slight disappointment came when I was installing the sling swivels on mine. As the end of the forend is pretty thin, there was no way a swivel stud would "take" so I ended up silver-soldering it to a semi-circular piece of thin steel pipe (EMT) and epoxying that intio the forend. But the thinness of the wood wasn't the only problem- it seems to be softwood as well. Now given that it's rubber-covered, there's no reason for ### Claro Walnut, but I would have expected hardwood of some sort - no matter how bland - just for strength. In actual practice this is not likely to be a problem and I've not read of any complaints, but even so I think they could have done better, given the price, which is not insubstantial. Also, one of the 6-40 screws securing the forend cap was partly stripped from the factory, and in fact one hole in the dovetailed hanger was drilled crooked. I cleaned up the threads with a tap and used a bit of Loctite on those screws (and some others that were loose), so this is more of an indication that a little more attention to detail could have been made than an actual problem. I still think it's a pretty slick litle carbine

 

[Ridersfan]

My Chiappa 45 has been turned into a .454 casull... just to be legal for hunting... still loaded to 45 lc +P load data... so even though Chiappa never made one in 454, I have one.

and josquin, you need to check out a company called Brass Stacker... what you've done to yours almost hurts me. Brass Stacker makes no drill sling mounts. I think that their front mount is made by Uncle Mike's not them... check it out and it'll make sense

 

[josquin]

...you need to check out a company called Brass Stacker... what you've done to yours almost hurts me. Brass Stacker makes no drill sling mounts. I think that their front mount is made by Uncle Mike's not them... check it out and it'll make sense

Nice stuff! However, I already tried a barrel clamp type sling swivel and it won't work on a 12" barrel (fine on 16 or 20") as the takedown lever interferes with the closing of the clamp and there isn't enough room between the end of the TD lever and the forend cap. May not be clear on this stock pic from the Chiappa website:


The only alternative would have been a sling that laces over the barrel. Can't remember who makes it but I didn't really like the look of it.

 

[josquin]

... People seem to love to hate on both rossi's & on chiappa's. I honestly feel it's more that they read on some forum, or heard from some guy, or just like to crap on the others to justify why their more expensive version has to be better... because nobody likes to find out that they spent too much, and most don't actually have any personal experiences with them but spread the hate for them.

Same with the Chiappa 9mm "M1 carbine" I've heard varying reports about how bad it is. I really like the look and feel of the M1 (not interested in "tacticool" pistol carbines) and wish that someone would make a "proper" (gas-operated) M1 but chambered for 9mm and thus able to take pistol mags.

 

[Ridersfan]

Nice stuff! However, I already tried a barrel clamp type sling swivel and it won't work on a 12" barrel (fine on 16 or 20") as the takedown lever interferes with the closing of the clamp and there isn't enough room between the end of the TD lever and the forend cap. May not be clear on this stock pic from the Chiappa website:

View attachment 239608
The only alternative would have been a sling that laces over the barrel. Can't remember who makes it but I didn't really like the look of it.

It would cover over the take down lever and have to be removed to take down... but maybe try an Uncle Mike's barrel clamp over top of your take down lever. If it fits, you're in luck... if it doesn't fit... the packaging on an Uncle Mike's is re-sealable so it's probably returnable

 

[josquin]

It would cover over the take down lever and have to be removed to take down... but maybe try an Uncle Mike's barrel clamp over top of your take down lever. If it fits, you're in luck... if it doesn't fit... the packaging on an Uncle Mike's is re-sealable so it's probably returnable

Sigh.... Already looked into all that, which is why I spent many hours doing it the way I did. As I already stated, the TD lever will not allow the clamp to close in the first place. I don't have the capability to custom manufacture a clamp that will clear the TD lever. (Maybe a Williams clamp is thick enough to allow relieving the underside but I doubt it.) The only other potential connection point might have been the screws at the end of the mag. tube that hold the end plug with the TD lever. There is one each side but they could be replaced with a through bolt to which some sort of rectangular loop for the sling could be attached, but that, again, is beyond my capabilities. It's all water under the bridge now anyway.