This gun started as a stock Rossi M92 trapper in .44 Mag, stainless, that I got from Frontier Firearms earlier this year. The gun is/was really handy, but needed some improvements as well.
For example:
- The bolt ejector guide was bent out of the box, so the gun would jam and not feed.
- The stock was the original Rossi wood that didn't "pop" very much.
- The sights, like all Rossi sights, pretty much sucked.
- The brass bead had fallen out of the front sight while in shipment.
- The action took the strength of Hercules to cycle.
- The trigger sear had a huge burr on it, so it broke at over 12 pounds (!)
- There were no plug screws in the scope mount holes Rossi drills under the factory rear sight.
- The fit and finish of the action was pretty lacklustre.
None of that stuff is bad enough to return the rifle, if you know what you're doing. The biggest issues were things Iwould have reworked anyhow.
Done to the rifle:
- Stevezguns ejector spring
- Stainless mag follower
- Re-stocked in black walnut, hand inlet tighter than a gnat's @rse, finished with 25 coats of Tru-Oil
- Vintage Redfield steel aperture sight installed (drilled and tapped) and new Marbles .560" front sight, milled with a relief cut to clear the barrel band
- Complete action job, including lightening of loading gate and trigger springs, total de-burr, polishing of bearing surfaces, etc.
- Metal re-finished to 220 grit satin
- Bolt safety removed, top of bolt counter-sunk to clean up the detent holes, stainless steel plug machined and interference fit to bolt and dressed.
- Lyman stainless dovetail blank
- stainless plug screws into the scope mount holes on the barrel (these come drilled for a scout scope mount).
Handy little package to carry around when I don't feel like strapping on my ranch hand holster. I may yet install sling studs - I'm undecided so far.
I'm no marketing expert, but shouldn't Winchester be making' 'em this way as part of the lineup? Would be easier than having to keep re-building Rossis to get what I need!!!
For example:
- The bolt ejector guide was bent out of the box, so the gun would jam and not feed.
- The stock was the original Rossi wood that didn't "pop" very much.
- The sights, like all Rossi sights, pretty much sucked.
- The brass bead had fallen out of the front sight while in shipment.
- The action took the strength of Hercules to cycle.
- The trigger sear had a huge burr on it, so it broke at over 12 pounds (!)
- There were no plug screws in the scope mount holes Rossi drills under the factory rear sight.
- The fit and finish of the action was pretty lacklustre.
None of that stuff is bad enough to return the rifle, if you know what you're doing. The biggest issues were things Iwould have reworked anyhow.
Done to the rifle:
- Stevezguns ejector spring
- Stainless mag follower
- Re-stocked in black walnut, hand inlet tighter than a gnat's @rse, finished with 25 coats of Tru-Oil
- Vintage Redfield steel aperture sight installed (drilled and tapped) and new Marbles .560" front sight, milled with a relief cut to clear the barrel band
- Complete action job, including lightening of loading gate and trigger springs, total de-burr, polishing of bearing surfaces, etc.
- Metal re-finished to 220 grit satin
- Bolt safety removed, top of bolt counter-sunk to clean up the detent holes, stainless steel plug machined and interference fit to bolt and dressed.
- Lyman stainless dovetail blank
- stainless plug screws into the scope mount holes on the barrel (these come drilled for a scout scope mount).
Handy little package to carry around when I don't feel like strapping on my ranch hand holster. I may yet install sling studs - I'm undecided so far.
I'm no marketing expert, but shouldn't Winchester be making' 'em this way as part of the lineup? Would be easier than having to keep re-building Rossis to get what I need!!!
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