Customer Reviews for Rossi USA 357 Magnum Lever Action w/16" Round Blue Barrel/Walnut

Nice rifle accurate functions well

My Rossi 357 mag level action is fun to shoot. It did take me a while to get used to the sites, but now I can hit what I aim at.

Again, I'm really late on reviewing this rifle. Been a fan of revolvers and lever action rifles since I was a young-un watching Gunsmoke and John Wayne films with my grandparents. Saw this for a good price and had to get it to go with my Ruger GP100. A solid lever action, not the best quality and there were a few issues with mine out of the box. The stock was cracked but it wasn't a huge deal to me. Got a couple of gunsmiths in the family and had it fixed it up for free. Otherwise I would have sent it back. As for function, it definitely needed a few boxes of rounds put through it and a good cleaning to ease the action up. Since then I haven't had a single issue. If you like lever actions and can't afford the higher quality models, pick one up just be aware you could have some issues so check it out thoroughly.

As always, very simple ordering through Bud's. Nice little carbine, works fine for me. Light, easy handling, and brings out the best in the 357-Magnum with its longer barrel.

My favorite gun. Shoot 357 loaded with home cast bullets and works well. Buds says to inspect closely before signing anything, do it. This one had rust and pits in the barrel but at fifty yards it shoots as good as my wife's perfect one.

Purchased 4 years ago and I am very pleased with this rifle. Functions and cycles all types es of ammo, both 38 special and 357 magnum flawlessly. The only upgrades I have done are to the rear sight and the magazine spring and follower. There was nothing wrong with factory parts, I just wanted to upgrade for peace of mind as this is my main shtf/wrol rifle.

My second Rossi 357 just as good as the first. Just an excellent all round hunting and defense gun. Heck, I might even buy another one. Accurate, reliable; just an excellent rifle.

Very handy rifle. Have shot 38 special and 357 in it and prefer the 357. It feeds better and recoil is minimal.

As always BUDS you guys rock when it comes to shipping! OK So the; Rossi you really missed the mark on this lever action rifle. The safety on the rifle looks and feels like something that would be on a cheap toy gun and not an actual gun; safety is loose and wobbles and I got to the point I leave it on fire, due to the possibility of it breaking. Loading is absolutely horrible the edges around the loading point are sharp and scrape the heck out of you finger and the brass casing; after loading,(which is not as easy as it's competitor), the side of the rifle looks like someone sprinkled gold pixie dust on it after loading. Once the round is fired the brass (loaded side) looks like it had been put on a rough grit sander! I really want to put a dremel sander on it to smooth out the edges, but since I bought a lifetime warranty on it, that'll most likely void it. Cleaning it? Recommend you Don't break it down, after watching some videos I found out its just best to clean it without risking breaking it down. I think Rossi may have designed it like that. Firing is pretty good and is very accurate so that is a one of the few pluses. bottom line I rarely fire the gun due to the issues noted above; BUT is a great starter/teaching gun for kids or adults who have need handled a firearm. If your a novice shooter, this will disappoint.

Fun lever action carbine, one of my favorite guns.

Took a while to get it after it was paid for. This is the 2nd 357 I bought. I'm impressed that the action is a lot smoother then the first one and the fit and finish is better.

Enjoyable gun to shoot for everyone in the family (sons and Mom). Very accurate and handles .38 and .357 with no problems once you get the hang of the loading the tube mag. Bud's purchase process and delivery is excellent.

Nice fun little gun. I cycled the action a few hundred times before taking it out just to speed up the break in period. Cleaned it/lubed it and it worked flawlessly. Ran an assortment of 38 rounds through it without any issues. My wife really likes it and is trying to stake her claim to it. Perfect truck or river gun. Very pleased. Also have the 45lc 24" model and hope to take it out soon.

Buds is great, less than a week to my ca. ffl. This Rossi however is not what I was hoping for. This is my 3rd r92 from buds. you just never know. 1st two were outstanding, this one the lever barely moves, trigger pull is like pulling some tigers teeth and this one will need the whole 9 yards of work. very, very harsh action. the furniture is however the nicest i've seen so i'll deal with all the non running factors and have a nice $700 rossi before i even get to shoot it. Taurus should be a whole lot more careful. they didn't seem to care at all on this one. . i wouldn't trade buds for anything as they geter done

If Marlin rifles were still made by Marlin I would have bought one of those instead, but I felt I needed to look elsewhere. Despite having questioned the quality of Rossi rifles, I took a chance and bought it. I am very happy to say the quality is top notch and this is one of the slickest lever action rifles I've ever had the pleasure to own. Once cleaned and oiled, I could operate the lever with one finger and it has fed everything I've tried in it with ease. It's a very fast handling little rifle that I would not hesitate to highly recommend. Bud's did a great job of fast delivery.

Very nice little gun and a great deal. I was worried that the 16in model would be too short but it fits me almost perfectly. The wood and metal are all in good shape. Very easy to cycle and the trigger is very nice for such a cheap lever gun. The tube will easily hold 10rds of 38sp (9 1). So far, only one issue with feeding 357 (Win and PMC) or 38sp (Herters, Rem, PMC). The single FTF was operator error as I did not fully extend the lever. I would highly recommend this gun. First time getting a gun online and Buds was great. Fast and cheap.

Buds usual fast and efficient service. The Rossi R92 arrived. I was pleasantly surprised at the nice looking wood. I immediately took it home and tried the feeding out. I found it fed 38 Special perfectly. Next I tried .357 XTP reloads and they fed okay a little stiff. Next was my.357 SWC reloads. They fed perfectly. I'm very happy with it. Also I found that the weaver 92A scope base fits. Thanks Buds gunshop.

Absolutely love this gun! It is very accurate and the lever is plenty smooth. It continues to get smoother with use. I debated between this and the 20 inch version, but am glad I got this one. The compact size is excellent. I can carry it around down to my side and it not even drag the ground. The bluing is ok and the wood is pretty average. It is kind of dull and could use refinishing, as most people have said. However, I don't mind and it's exactly what I expected for the price. The safety at the top also isn't that big a deal. I may eventually change it out but see no reason that you would have to. As for ammo, I have shot 357s and 38s, FMJ, LSWC, HPs with no problems at all. I have even slow cycled it plenty and it is tough to get it to jam then. I have plenty of guns but this has become one of my favorites for sure!

I picked up my rossi 92 with the 16" barrel today. I wasn't sure what to expect. The fit and finish while not spectacular is very adequate. It looks nice. I was very happy that both .38's and .357's loaded chambered and ejected with no problems. The trigger pull was not bad at all and the action was reasonably smooth and is now better since I have racked it a couple of hundred times while sitting in my lazy boy. The sights are on straight. The wind was blowing about 30 miles a hour and all I had is some old .38 hand loads but I shot it anyway. I wouldn't have won any shooting matches today but it went bang every time. I am sure accuracy will come when I play with my loads. Nice gun.

Buds was good to deal with. The FFL was not available for immediate shipping. Buds delayed until the requested date. Free ship and on time. I will use Buds next time. I took the Rossi to the range right out of the box. I cycled the action 100 times or so the first night before using it with ammo. I used two brands of 38 special ammo Herters and American Eagle. One was a round nose, and the other flat. Both loaded fine. The flats were a tiny bit harder to load, but not much. I was amazed how quite and recoilless it was to fire. 25 yards is the max distance I shot. My eyes were the only limiting factor in accuracy (age). This is the first lever action I have tried. It is a blast. Get one. I got the 38/357 because of the ammo cost and I have no need for a larger caliber. Non of the negative things I have read (rough action, hard to load, etc...) are issues and in fact it operates just fine. If I didn't say so already, I will now, get one.

I have never owned a lever action and I did not shoot this yet. With that being said....I have read all the bad things about this rossi/model and I must say that I'm very happy with my purchase. The fit and finish is great, the wood is nice, the bluing is beautiful, the sights are straight on barrel, the action is smooth/slick. I cycled only 2 types of ammo(only ammo available to me now) and as long as the cartridge lifter lifts the the cartridge it will feed. 38 sp with a truncated cone(from local reloader@.19cents ea) and .357 winchester 110grn jhp is what I fed it and I can feed into chamber really slow and they will feed. I can see where they say to cycle the action forcefully for it to work, but this one not so much. If cycled too slow/soft, the crtg lifter sometimes won't lift round. But I just pull lever back a little and forward a little faster and the lifter works good. I wish I could show you just how soft and slow I can cycle rounds through only to prove the feed ability. I will update as I try other bullet types. I hope this helps with your choice to buy or not to buy. My transaction through BUDS and My ffl JJA armory was great and hassle free, I would recommend BUDS and JJA armory for all your purchases.

After reading a number of negative reviews on Rossi model 92 carbines and rifles on this site, I chose to order a 16" carbine in .38/.357 caliber anyway. I simply resolved to inspect it carefully upon arrival, as Bud's reminds us all to do, and put my money down. The gun arrived at my local FFL dealer in a timely fashion, as is usual for Bud's. I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised with the appearance and function of this quality firearm. Remember: This rifle is not a Browning. It is not finished to Browning standards, and it did not cost anywhere near what the Browning does. It is a working man's tool. The wood, while plain, is attractively matt finished and well fitted, with no large gaps or mismatches where metal meets woodwork. The metal is well blued/blackened, with no scratches or uneven coloring. The sights are straight and strongly attached. The bolt mounted safety is very small and unobtrusive, functioning as a hammer block. It is very simple to use. The action is smooth and easy, and the trigger pull shows no creep or roughness. Loading through the loading gate took a minute to get a feeling for, as the ammunition must be maneuvered correctly, with a down-and-in curving motion at the back of the shell, while pushing forward into the tube magazine. No sharp edges, no pinches, no problems loading the full complement of eight shells into the magazine. I did not find the loading gate to be too stiff to manage easily. So far, so very good! Cycling the action with both .38 special 125-grain SJHP shells and 158 grain FMJ flat point shells was smooth and consistent, with no hangups or hitches at all. Ejection was similarly effective; positive, yet not too forceful. This ensures the brass will land consistently close at hand and in an area to the shooter's right, requiring no special efforts to locate and gather up later. The ammunition showed no scratching or damage whatever after cycling through the action. (Thanks to my FFL dealer for allowing me to test this function at the store with live ammo.) I accepted the transfer with no second thoughts, laid my money down for the FFL transfer fee, and went home happy. I look forward to sighting in and shooting this little rifle very soon. I like the fact that the 1-in-30 rate of twist in the barrel is just about ideal for stabilizing a 125-grain bullet, as I want to be able to shoot the same ammunition in my Smith & Wesson Model 10 (.38) as I do in my Rossi Model 92 (.38/.357) when necessary. I like the fact that this Rossi is not touchy at all about feeding the .38 factory rounds. I have not yet tested it with .357 ammunition, but there is no reason to assume there will be any more problem with that than there was with the .38s. Thanks to Buds Gun Shop for a professional execution of this transaction, as usual, and thanks to Rossi for producing a good firearm - and a good value in these times of inflated pricing on firearms and ammunition alike. Potential buyers: Be realistic in your expectations, and order with confidence. You won't be disappointed!

I got my carbine with the brass bead on the front sight missing. Otherwise this would have been a five star rating. Contrary to other users experience, the sights on mine are dead on at 25 yards with the rear sight at the lowest position, at least with my 38 special hand load. The action is quite smooth, smoother than some Marlins my gunsmith came across lately. Trigger feels very nice.

Nice little gun, bought it for the wife. She loves its simplicity and compact size to strap onto the horse and take off into the woods for a ride with that feeling of having some security. She can load for both her pistols for bullseye shooting and also her lil Rossi. Very pleased with Buds. I have bought over a dozen guns thru Buds, never once disappointed.

These are accurate little carbines! Using factory and hand-loaded 38 and 357 they are on target, easily out to 50-75 meters. At 10 meters, you can trim the nose hair of your slovenly neighbor. It took only 50-100 rounds for the action to break in and work smooth. I have a fat thumb, so I have shaved some skin off while loading the tubular magazine, but I am certain that too will become a non-issue as I shoot it more. Excellent guns, well worth the cost.